Welcome!
Author Notes:
All canon characters and places mentioned belong to The Pokémon Company. All the OCs in here belong to chipotlepeppers. Visit chipotlepeppers' profile for more stories like this one and for background info on these OCs. I also might write more fanfictions in the future, but now (December 31, 2017) I only have four other stories posted, this one, All I Want for Christmas is You, Cruise Blues, Playground Crisis, and Z-Charged. You do not need to read all these stories to understand context, though if you want more context, I suggest checking at All I Want for Christmas is You out since that fic is the most explanatory.
I am a new fic writer and nonprofessional so please be kind.
This symbol "~" I use the same way writer WindStar27 uses it—to draw out a voice. So instead of writing 'Pikachuuu', I'll put 'Pikachu~'.
If something doesn't make sense or you have questions, leave questions in reviews and I will answer them via guest review asap. Or you can PM me if you have an account.
This fic will be dived into four chapters that are between 3,000-4,000 words each. This story will be about 14,000 words TOTAL.
I would like to get some feedback, so even if you don't like it, leave a review if you have the spare seconds. Remember to word them kindly, especially if you are responding to someone else's review.
*IMPORTANT: Italicized text presents the present and regularly formatted text presents the retelling*
Thank you for clicking!
XO
Jaylie's Future
Story Description: A short story about one of Jay Morgan's many existential crises and a prediction of Jay and Amber's future together.
Glossary of Places and Peeps:
1. Jay Morgan- Jessie and James' second youngest child. He is nine years old in this story.
2. Amber Ketchum- the daughter of Misty and Ash Ketchum. She and Jay are just a few months apart in age.
3. Annastasia Morgan - Jay's older sister and Jessie and James' first child. Her nickname is 'A'. She is seven years older than Amber and Jay.
4. Jezz – a distant cousin to the Morgan family and best friend of Amber and Jay. Jezz is only mentioned by Amber in the present day and does not have a role in the main storyline.
5. Rumika- NOT Rumika from the Japanese version of the anime, rather she is Jessiebelle's non-canon younger sister. She is close with Jessie, James and her family—but not with Jessiebelle.
6. Lucy- OC Purrloin & Meowth of Team Rocket's partner. She also works for Team Rocket as Rumika's partner in spy-hood.
7. Logan- Meowth and Lucy's son, once a Purrloin but now a Liepard.
8. Lily- Meowth and Lucy's Meowth daughter.
9. Rita Scott- the daughter of N and White from the Black and White series, she is Annastasia's Team Rocket partner.
10. The Pallet House- hotel/restaurant once owned by Delia Ketchum but is now owned by Jessie, James, and Meowth of Team Rocket.
I may add to this as more characters pop in for later chapters. Everyone else (including the narrator) you should be able to figure out in context. I can answer questions asked via review or PM if you have any.
XO
I am here at the Cerulean City Gym. It's after hours and quiet, and I am taking advantage in order to write and give my team of Poké-birds a workout. Mom even got me a little desk so that I can sit poolside while I get shit done. I've been coming here more often lately—I am considering settling down here if that place Jay and I looked at in Johto doesn't work out.
"Row~!" Fearrow shrieked as he splashed my Pikachu. The result was more Pokémon shrieks and several unsolicited Thunderbolts.
"Can you all keep the noise level down?" I asked my Pokémon. "I am doing a favor for our purple-head."
"Row row~" Fearrow responded as the others simply nodded.
I am finishing this little project that Jay started. He lets himself get so worked up and I need a break from my own life to experience his, ours, the one we shared—and still share, occasionally. I guess this is the best kinda pre-birthday gift a middle-class citizen like me can get a millionaire.
So I should make it good…or at least accurate…
XO
When Jay was seven years old, he loved having his older sister Annastasia—aka 'A'—dress him up to the point where he looked more like a girl than she did. A, his parents, Rumika, Meowth, and Lucy let Jay get away with everything from dressing like a girl at a beauty pageant to painting the walls of his own bedroom to look like the Disney Princess store at the mall.
For most of his childhood, the ends of Jay's hair were closer to his shoulders than his ears—occasionally, longer than mine. It's a bright purple, and even now he occasionally uses flowers, most often daisies and dandelions, as hair accessories. He also has this charm bracelet that his Uncle Brock gave him when we were three, and sometimes he wore one of his or my mom's necklaces with it. It's always on his wrist.
Therefore, it isn't surprising that almost everyone in his school thought he was a girl.
I know for sure that he didn't mind if people called him a girl until the mean kids started mocking him, stealing his stuff, tripping him, hitting him—that changed everything. I suppose it was around the end of our elementary years that he started to act less pink, and it was because of them. But all that was after Jay conducted his odd social experiment.
Jay phoned me every day with no exceptions. We'd talk for a long time. Jay says that he likes me because I am tough on the outside and soft on the inside. He somehow believes that I am braver, stronger, and less naïve than he is—not true, but that is Jay's belief. He believes that because I am far more aggressive than he is. I've beaten up the kids who've beaten him up—like really beat, bloody noses and scratched elbows and even a black eye. Jay told me once that he got through each day because he knew he could call me later and I'd make him feel good again.
Jay has had many existential crises, but honestly, this one was the strangest.
He began the journey to solve this crisis by asking his question to a professional girl, the person he is closest to—his sister A.
The blond looked down at him, puzzled, as Jay stood stiff as a tree in the forest, waiting for her response as if his future depended on her alone.
"Umm, I don't know…maybe," she told him. "You can do whatever you want. I am late for work, and Giovanni really depends on me—and so does Rita. I'll call you in an hour, I promise, I'll make time."
Jay didn't realize that A was already running late to work, and that Team Rocket needed her more than he did. So, Jay called me—which he should have done first—and I went to play with him in his yard. I jumped on my bike and drove it right through that creepy Viridian Forest with zero hesitation. He sounded shaken up, and we had been there before.
The scene of his front yard was relaxed but not without an audience. James was sitting under a tree, practicing his guitar skills. Lily and Logan were having a contest to see who could climb to the top of a tree the fastest, and everyone's Pokémon were lounging nearby. Jay didn't say much when I showed up. I took the chalk out of his shed and we began drawing on the driveway—but he wasn't into it. He didn't want to look me in the eyes.
"Jay, you have like, like no energy," I commented. "What happened at school? Who do I have to hit?"
"No one. Unless you want to hit everyone, but I don't think you should try to do that," Jay dismally responded.
"Humphhh…Jay, let's go to the roof. I noticed you acting different lately, and I think we should talk about it," I decided.
"I like that idea," he robotically mumbled.
"James! Jay and I are going into the hotel!" I shouted.
"Okay!" he replied.
Our intention wasn't to talk in the hotel, but rather on the roof. The roof of the Pallet House is our special talking spot, even today, over a decade later. Jay told me that the whole walk there, he felt his head pounding, heart swelling, eyes watering, making him feel weak and pathetic. He feared that this would be the last straw, that after he told me this, I would dump him as a best friend. Jay said he knew I'd keep my promise and still be his 'friend', but he figured that he would be demoted from 'number one best friend' to a 'regular friend' or worse: a 'friendly acquaintance'.
And that would be his worst fear.
XO
I looked at the words I had placed on the paper. 'Not so bad', I told myself. 'If anything, I've thus far written my number-one best friend as the emotional mush that he is. He'll like it.'
"I oughta give myself a pat on the back," I said aloud. "Look at me, so skilled at writing…"
"Pikachu~" said Pip.
He was shaking his head at my screen. I grimaced.
"What?" I asked him.
"Pika pi…pi," he replied.
"Okay, so it's average…" I tried.
"Pi~," said Pip, shaking his head once more.
"Okay, so it's below average…too confusing. It will make more sense later on."
"Pika~" he said, making his 'probably not' face.
"We'll see how far this goes. Be my cheerleader."
"Pi~!" he exclaimed, holding a makeshift pom-pom in his paw.
"Where did you find…whatev…thanks for the feedback…"
I am trying to focus but the reality is that focusing is so difficult nowadays. So much has happened to me and Jay just in the last few years. It's been a whirlwind…something that is rough for a buncha twenty-somethings to handle on their own. It seems that one of the only consistent thing in my life has been Jay…the fact that he's always been around and always will be.
Pip narrowed his eyes at me as if he were offended by my thoughts.
"Okay, so you've been consistently around too," I told my Pikachu. "I bet you were a sarcastic little shit even before you hatched out of your egg."
"Pi," he said, totally agreeing with me.
Yeah…Jay's consistent alright…
XO
When we arrived on the roof of the Pallet House hotel/restaurant, I sat down in one of his mom's lounge chairs—Jessie likes to sunbathe on the roof of that hotel—while Jay stood there unmoving. I tapped my toes and waited several minutes for him to talk. It felt like an hour to both of us. I couldn't stand it.
"What did those kids do to you? Are you going to switch schools again? You aren't being sent to boarding school, are you?" I questioned.
"No, it's not like that. I don't think that I am…I don't want to…" he stumbled.
"Whatever you did, just talk before I explode."
"Amb, I…"
I led him over to the chair I was sitting on and made sure he was close enough so that if he burst into tears, I'd be right there for him.
"You are going to think that I am a freak," Jay said after a while.
"I already know that," I replied.
"I mean a real freak."
I remember rolling my eyes at him, wondering if he'd realize how melodramatic he was being.
"Go on. I want to know why you are a 'real freak' now," I said.
"Becaw mm a gir," Jay mumbled.
"What was that?"
"Because I'm a girl."
"A girl."
"Yes."
"Really, Jay? Are you sure about that? I am pretty sure you pee standing up."
"That is why I'm a freak. Amb, help me, I don't know what to do!"
He was all over me, a weepy mess. I did the usual—hugged him, patted his back, and waited for him to ease up on all the drama. Even then, I knew that no matter what happened, he'd be fine.
"This isn't a big deal. I heard that you can get it removed," I told him.
"Get what removed?" he asked blindly.
"Never mind. You are probably fine, it's not like you have a disease or something."
"People say that I do."
"I told you to stop listening to what those dumbasses tell you."
"Amb, that's a bad word!"
"Anyone who makes fun of you is a dumbass."
"But…but what if they are right? What if I actually have a disease?"
"Go to the doctor, then. All I know is that those people are stupid and you shouldn't listen to them. Listen to me instead. Aren't I always right?"
"Well, yeah, I guesso…"
"I can help you tell your parents."
"No, I think I can do it. I'll talk to them tonight."
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I was afraid you'd no longer want to be my best friend...are you still my best friend?"
"Duhh."
"I am sooo relieved."
I didn't get why Jay would think I would dump him after everything else we had been through. Besides, he always acted like his sister and some of the girls in my class so as far as I was concerned, he was already a girl.
We went back to the yard. Jay had a bit more energy as we drew Pip and Togepi on the driveway and street. Later that night, Jay went into his parent's bedroom while they were getting ready to go to sleep. He told me how he wandered into their room wearing his sparkly pink pajamas and fuzzy Togepi slippers and his actual Togepi in his arms. Jay confessed that it wasn't until later on that he realized the princess nightwear wasn't helping his cause. In the end, that didn't matter.
"What's up?" his dad asked as Jay meandered over to him.
James was sitting on the side of the bed, taking off his shoes while Jessie brushed her teeth—a perfectly normal evening. Jay crawled onto his dad's lap as if he were a toddler seeking comfort after a nightmare.
"I have to tell you and mom something important," said Jay.
"Is everything alright?" James asked with a panicky look on his face.
"I don't think so," Jay said darkly, building some unnecessary suspense.
But then he cried, snot and all. He said he felt gross about it—but he needed to let it happen. I can picture it in my head.
"Jess, can you hurry up?" his dad called out. "Jay's got something important to talk about."
Jay continued to get worked up. His parents wiped his face with tissues as they tried to get him to relax, just like I do sometimes.
"Did you do something bad?" James asked. "Because it's okay if you did."
"We might be proud of you too depending on what it is," said Jessie.
"I don't think I did anything bad," Jay responded.
"Why are you scared? Was it the bullies? Do you want to change schools again? We can do that. You don't ever have to go back if you don't want to," said Jessie.
"It's not really the bullies, it's that I think I need to go to see a doctor," he told them.
Jays parents' faces tensed after he said that. I know they were really upset that time Jay came home with a black eye. They even tried to sue the school…actually, two of his schools…
"What's hurting you? Did you get hit? Tell us what hurts and we'll fix it," Jessie said as she clenched her fists.
"I am not hurt like, literally hurt, like on my body," Jay clarified. "I think I have a rare disease."
"Why do you think that?" James inquired.
"I think that maybe some of the kids who keep insisting that I am a girl are right. I think that I probably am I girl, a freak girl."
"Oh, okay," they responded together, now seeming relieved.
"That doesn't mean you are sick," said Jessie. "I think…"
"Maybe you think that because you like stuff that is more popular among girls…I don't think that makes you a girl," said James.
"I think I have to do something about this…are you mad at me?"
"No!" they cried in unison.
"You didn't do anything wrong," said James.
"And we've never been mad at you before," Jessie pointed out. "Because you're Jay—or ummm 'Jaylie'…" she said, referring to the nickname toddler-Jay had once used for himself. "You've never pissed us off before and I don't think you're going to start anytime soon."
"We can take him to Dr. Liz. She knows about this stuff," Jessie whispered to James, not realizing that Jay could hear too.
"Oh yeah. That's good," James agreed.
"What will she do to me?" Jay asked worriedly.
"Nothing, just talk…" James said hesitantly.
"I want to go see her then," Jay decided. "ASAP."
XO
"Hey!" Jay said as he grabbed my shoulder. "Whatcha doing?"
"None of your Mew-damned business," I said as slammed my laptop shut.
I swung the rolly chair to face him. It is just me, the desk, the chair, the pool, and my Pokémon in the gym until he showed up. He climbed onto my lap and offered a piece of his donut to me.
"Come on, it's good," he said as he tried to swallow a large bite at the same time. "Really, have some."
I pushed the pastry out of my face, took a napkin off my desk, and wiped his face until all the crumbs were gone. I noticed that for once, he wasn't wearing eyeliner, and there were bags. Hmm. He's also been working hard on something…
"I am working on something for you," I told him. "I'm not hungry. Why are you here in the middle of the day with half a bag of donuts?"
"It's Sunday, and I only ate one," he defensively replied. "I'm gro—"
"—wing wide."
"You always say that!"
"You always lead me to it."
"Well…I have something else to give you."
Jay struggled to pull something out of his back pocket. He crushed my legs—sometimes it's like he forgets that he is a full-grown man and eight inches taller than me. Pip ran over to us, and the Pikachu pulled the rolled-up papers from his pants while Jay tried to get the mittens off his hands.
"Chu chu pika~," Pip said as he handed me the paper packet.
"It's information," Jay announced.
"I see that," I said as I tried to read the text.
"Here, take these."
He pulled his reading glasses from his pocket and watched me excitedly.
"It's about our house," he said happily.
"Did you find one here in Cerulean City?!" I responded, sounding more hopeful than I wanted to.
"Nah…they don't really have those kinds of models in Kanto…but, like…I mean…just look!"
Greenfield, Johto. We've discussed this living arrangement dozens of times—and this is not the first time he's brought up Greenfield. He wants me, him, all our Pokémon, our partners, Logan, Peruva, Lily, and Maya to be in the same huge duplex. I want that too, but finding the right place has been frustrating.
"I'll look at it later, I want to finish what I am doing," I decided.
"Please tell me what you are writing!" he begged. "I really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really real—"
"I am drafting that entry you wanted to give Hamilton."
"Hamilton…I'm lost."
"Jezz!"
"Ohhhh, ha, ummmm which entry? I have like, twenty," said Jay.
I rolled my eyes at him and sighed. Of course, he wants to give Jezz twenty stories even though Jezz only asked for one or two to include in his book. Jay is obsessed with Jezz. Like, this whole 'let's buy a house together' is basically Jay's way of marrying Jezz without actually marrying him.
"Which story is it?" Jay asked.
"The one when you spend a month as Jay-lee," I finally answered.
"It wasn't 'Jay-lee' it was 'Jaylie'," he responded, then paused, dread arising on his face. "Are you…I changed my mind! I am too embarrassed to tell that story!"
He tried to grab the laptop—I swiped it just in time.
"I'll make you look good. Come on, of all things, is this really what you choose to be embarrassed by?" I asked.
"Okay, just let me see it when you're done."
"Of course."
Jay zipped up his coat, readjusted his hat, then whistled for his Togekiss. The large bird sprung from the pool and shook himself dry before landing in front of us.
"I'll find someone else to give these warm, homemade, almost-irresistible donuts to," Jay said as he handed one to Togekiss.
"Like your boyfriend?" I asked.
"Great idea. Where is Jezz usually this time of day?"
"I meant…never mind. I don't know where he is."
"I'll call him again. Bye-bye!"
I turned back to my laptop. Jaylie. That is what this is about.
XO
Notes:
+ I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. The next chapter has more action/dialogue than this one. Let me know what you think in reviews.
+ Chapter two Next is up and the others are coming later this morning.