Wish: Chapter One - Dream Come True?

Notes: The first chapter in what could be my longest series to date, if I decide to go ahead with it, that is. ^_^ This one is gonna focus a lot on James, probably just cuz I love the poor guy (not THAT way, weirdos ¬_¬). Basically, James makes a wish, meets the mysterious Pokémon "Yume" (which, yes, I made up), and chooses to leave his current lifestyle to make that wish come true. 'Course, there's a lot more to it than that, but you'll just have to read it for yourself. ^_^; Rocketshippiness is in there a bit, but it's not really the central theme. And it's pretty darn melodramatic!! (How can you not like that? :P)

Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own the characters. Hope you're not too disappointed. :P

*****

"You just wait! Next time... next time we'll get you, I swear it! You won't even know what hit you! Isn't that right, James? Meowth? We will get them!"

James shook his head behind the retreating forms of Ash, Misty, and Brock, Pikachu still riding on Ash's shoulder, just like always. Their figures diminished as they walked away into the face of the setting sun, leaving Team Rocket, as usual, considerably singed and very weary. He looked at Jessie again, who was still ranting and raving, then down at Meowth, with whom he shared an uncertain look. Jessie might usually act this way after being defeated by their troublesome enemies, but this time she was definitely going overboard.

"Jess?" he finally spoke up hesitantly. "Don't you think we should go now? It's getting dark, and..."

"We can still catch up to them! If we hurry now, we can surprise them and steal that damned rodent while they're not expecting us!" She sounded excited, and also as though she had made up her mind and would do nothing else.

"I don't think... dat would be a good idea," Meowth added to James' effort to dissuade his female partner from her plan.

"Oh, you two are no help at all," Jessie scoffed, beginning to stride rapidly down the path the other three humans has taken. After only a moment's hesitation, James ran to catch up, finally managing to stand in front of her, blocking her way and placing both hands on her shoulders. She scowled up at him suspiciously.

"James, if you don't get out of my way right this instant..."

"Jessie, listen. It's getting dark, and we've already failed once today. I don't know about you, but I think I'm too tired to be humiliated like that again. Now why don't you just calm down and--"

"How dare you try to get in the way of our victory?!"

He hadn't anticipated the hard slap she had aimed at his face, and so was unable to dodge before it connected. When his ears had ceased ringing at last, he opened his eyes to look down at her, seeing a sight he had never thought he would witness. Jessie, her eyes spilling over with tears in genuine grief.

"What... what's the matter?" he managed to ask once the shock had subsided.

"Oh, James," she murmured sadly, "I want to go home. I just want to go home." Then she had collapsed in his arms, hugging him tightly while her tears soaked into the front of his uniform shirt. After awhile, he pulled her up so that she stood on her own, his still burning cheek resting against the cool wetness of hers for a brief moment. He didn't say anything, but helped her along further into the forest, with a very worried Meowth trailing closely.

*****

The "home" Jessie had been speaking of was the small cabin hideout they had temporarily established themselves in while the twerps were in the area. Now that they had finished cleaning themselves up and had eaten a rather unsatisfying meal of canned food, the discouraged trio had elected to sit outside, where a cooling breeze was blowing to ward off the heat of the day.

Leaning against the side of the cabin, James looked over at his red-haired partner, sitting so close by his side that her bare arm rested against his. By some unspoken agreement they had both dressed in nearly identical outfits - their sleeveless black undershirts and a pair of casual, non-uniform pants. Meowth lay in a tightly curled ball of fur on Jessie's lap, purring softly in his sleep as she stroked him occasionally, her eyes focused on something only she could see. The scene might have looked odd to anyone watching, but tonight they seemed to be drawing strength from their closeness.

James took the rare opportunity to study his partner's relaxed face; it wasn't often he could let his eyes linger on her profile without the fear that she would take offense, or worse yet, beat him within an inch of his life. He also wasn't used to seeing her gentle side, petting Meowth instead of fighting with him, sitting quietly and contemplating rather than being rash and excitable. But he felt it wasn't her fault, and had always chalked it up to the intense pressure to succeed that they had been under lately. Right now he was unsure as to why she was acting this way - she had even apologized for slapping him earlier. But it didn't bother him terribly, so he let it go without questioning.

Eventually, she noticed his gaze and returned the look, trying to her best to give him a decent smile, but only ending up barely curving her lips. He had to look back down at his folded hands in his lap before he could speak, thankful for the dim light hiding his flushed and nervous face.

"Thinking about something?"

"Yes... I suppose," she answered with a sigh, leaning her head back up against the rough wall of the cabin. "Thinking about how nice it would be to win for once... We would be rich, famous, Team Rocket's top agents, maybe even legends, and we would all be so happy... Meowth... you... me..." She trailed off for a moment wistfully, her eyes gazing up at the tiny pinpoints of stars beginning to finally poke through the veil of night. "That's quite a dream, isn't it?" she concluded with a short laugh, turning her eyes back to him again.

"Yes..." he agreed, mostly to humor her. He was afraid that he knew the truth of the situation, and that was that they would most likely never know true happiness while remaining a part of Team Rocket. But telling her so would probably only earn him one of her infamous lectures. Still, he wished she and Meowth would realize that sometime, even though he had only just begun to realize it himself.

"You're doubting," he heard her scold lightly; this forced him to smile, as he should have known she would read his thoughts.

"Sorry, Jess," he simply said, which she seemed to accept, resting her head down on his shoulder in an unusual display of affection.

"Just you wait, James..." she whispered to him before she drifted off into sleep. "We'll be happy together someday... you and me both..."

The word "together" seemed to echo in his brain as he stared up at the sky by himself, his heart swelling with an emotion he wasn't too accustomed to feeling. While his eyes drifted among the stars, his thoughts drifted from one thing to another: Jessie, Meowth, being truly happy all together... Yet those thoughts always seemed to return to Jessie and the things she had just said, much in the same way his eyes went back to the same bright star many times. That star seemed different from the rest, twinkling and pulsing with a faintly pinkish glow.

God, James, he thought to himself, shaking his head in mock dismay. Wishing on a star must be the biggest cliché in the book, but... I really do wish for us to all be happy... truly happy like we've never been before...

It wasn't long before he too was asleep, lulled gently by the sound of Jessie's breathing and the star, winking now in a rhythmic and soothing way.

*****

He awoke again with a start, seeing Jessie now curled up on the ground with Meowth close by her side. After smiling for a moment, he rose slowly, thinking to perhaps bring out a few blankets since it had gotten so chilly.

Something suddenly froze him in place, the unmistakable feeling of eyes somewhere, watching him. His own eyes traveled nervously around the perimeter of the cabin, scanning everything from the roofline to the edge of the forest beyond. Nothing could be seen, but the feeling couldn't be shaken so easily. He thought of quietly waking Jessie and Meowth, but no amount of whispering worked.

Quickly walking to kneel beside them, he wondered whether this sudden paranoia justified waking up his friends, who would more than likely be rather upset at being disturbed. But as the feeling grew even stronger, he figured there was no other choice.

He gently shook Jessie, but to no avail; she simply would not awaken. Panicked, he felt for a pulse to discover it was still there, if faint. Meowth was the same way. He sat back, feeling more frightened than he could remember being in a long time. What was happening...

He didn't have to wonder long.

"Your friends are fine, but they will not awaken until morning." The soft female voice came from everywhere and nowhere in a way that made James wonder whether it was just inside his own head.

"Is... is someone there? Where are you?" he asked shakily, afraid that he might only be talking to himself.

"I am here," the voice replied soothingly. "You just cannot see me now." That did little to calm his fears.

"But you... have to be somewhere... why can't I see you... what are you?"

"This may seem extraordinary to you right now, but I am a Pokémon. The reason you cannot see me is because I have no solid physical form. I usually appear as a star to humans, although that is not what I really am. I may also appear as a human, if you would prefer that." James was still largely uncomprehending as to what the implications of this meeting were, but he nodded anyway. Maybe seeing what was speaking would help him relax somewhat.

But he was unprepared to see a swirling pink ball appear, spinning about quickly before expanding into a human shape, it's features slowly coming into existence. Then there was a woman standing there, a woman with long blond hair flowing around her gentle face with it's kind green eyes. Her pink and white robes moved about her as though there were a breeze, although James could feel no air stirring now. The only thing that was really unsettling about her now was the fact that he could see right through her to the trees behind. He swallowed hard.

"So you... were that star... and you're a Pokémon? Some kind of psychic type?" The woman smiled, apparently finding amusement in his questions.

"My name is Yume. Although I have psychic abilities, I am not really of a certain type. I am a creature created by the wishes of people."

"Wishes...? What do you want with me... with us?"

"You had a wish, didn't you?" Then he realized.

"Just because I wished on... on a star...? No, this is a joke. This is some kind of dream. That wishing on a star junk isn't for real."

"Perhaps it isn't real... if you are wishing on a real star." She looked totally serious, but James was still in a state of disbelief.

"Why me?" was all he could think to ask.

"Well, you were the first to wish on me tonight. Beyond that, you have a very noble wish. It is not just for yourself, but for others as well."

"So I suppose you're just gonna grant my wish, just like that?" he asked skeptically.

"No."

"See?" James began angrily. "What did I say? I knew this couldn't be real... This is just some kind of expensive trick. Well, you know... if this is a joke, it's not even funny! I suppose any minute now Jessie and Meowth are gonna wake up and... laugh..." As he turned to stare at his friends' still barely moving forms, it began to sink in a little. Maybe this wasn't a dream after all. It might be all too real...

Yume's voice cut into his scared thoughts. "You did not let me finish. I may not be able to instantly grant your wish, but I am able to put you on the right path to attaining the wish yourself. This is what you must do." She paused briefly to be sure that the blue haired boy was listening before continuing.

"Before dawn, you must have taken your things and been gone from here for some time. You must travel the long road that serious Pokémon trainers must travel, and that is the road that leads to the Pokémon League. There you must compete and win to become a master. Then you will be able to grant your own wish." She made it sound so simple... but then...

"Leave? I can't leave them now!" James nearly yelled as the realization of what this would mean hit him fully. "Didn't you see us tonight... We're closer now than we've ever been! And you want me to leave now?! When I'm so close to... to..." He sank to his knees, the burning rush of anger subsiding. Getting to the Pokémon League could take a year, at the least. Going that long without...

"Was your wish false?" Yume interrupted again. "Look inside. This is the only chance I can give you. Is the wish true or not?"

"I... I want it... more than anything... but at least can't I tell them what I'm doing? That I'll have to leave them? They'll be worried... They'll think I abandoned them. I don't want that... to happen."

Yume shook her head very slowly. "You may not have contact with them in any way until you have completed your journey. It is the only way they will understand in the end; you must make that sacrifice."

James' face fell and he hugged himself tightly, as though to ward off the chill that seemed to be creeping over his body. Seeing his expression, Yume hastened to speak again.

There is one thing I may do for you. I can put a small link between your mind and the mind of the girl. You will be able to feel how distant she is from you, and also her emotions. You need only think of her, and you will know these things.

He nodded stiffly, still unsure but willing to go through with it if it would somehow make his friends happy.

"And there is one more thing. I know that right now you have certain criminal tendencies which will need to be kept in check; in order to be sure that you control them, I will provide you with this." She waved her hand slightly, and James felt the sudden coolness of metal encircling his left wrist. Looking down, he saw that there was indeed a band of golden material there, a sort of bracelet which, when he inspected it, would not slip off and had no clasp visible anywhere.

"I don't understand... how will this..."

"You will find that out for yourself," Yume said with a small smile. "But now I must go, for you have a ways to go tonight. Do you have any more questions?"

"How... how will becoming a Pokémon master make us happy...?"

"You must also discover that on your own. Farewell, for now. This is not the last time you will see me." Before he had the chance to question her further, she returned to the form of the swirling pink ball again, then dissolved into nothingness. James remained where he was, even though the feeling of being watched was gone.

Despite the presence of his friends, he felt alone.

*****

It had taken barely ten minutes for him to gather up his few possessions in the smallest pack he could find; he didn't want to take too much from his partners. Leaving them was hard, but he only let himself look at them one more brief moment before he plunged into the forest in what he thought was the general direction of Viridian City, walking fast so that he wouldn't lose his nerve. If this was the only way...

A thousand questions still crowded his mind, maybe more. Am I a good enough trainer? How will I get more Pokémon? And money? What about this weird bracelet? What if...what if someone recognizes...

He stopped abruptly, looking down at himself. In his haste to leave, he had thrown on his uniform again, probably out of habit. And he had left all his other clothes behind. He silently cursed his own stupidity. Perfect. I choose to act the idiot now, of all times.

Before continuing any further, he stripped off his uniform top with the incriminating red 'R' and shoved it in the pack. That would have to do for now, but later he would need to find some other clothes. Somehow.

Slinging the pack back over his shoulder again, he continued trudging through the thick trees, his feet beginning to feel as heavy as his heart. What if he couldn't do it... what then?

The scuffling of leaves behind him made him stop once again, straining his ears to hear if the sound repeated. When nothing happened, he shrugged and continued walking. The next time he heard it, he didn't stop, hoping whatever it was would just go away.

Yet as time went on, he began to get annoyed. Scooping up a rock he could see in the dim predawn light, he whirled around to hurl it angrily at the offending noise. "Why don't you just go away?!" he yelled.

He could see it hop to one side, partially hidden by a tree. One small black eye and a round blue ear could still be faintly seen. "Mar?" it squeaked nervously.

"Whatever. I don't need company. So get lost already." James began to stalk away, but stopped again, one leg still stretched out in front of him. "Wait... wait a minute. That was a... It couldn't be. But what am I doing? I need Pokémon... What an idiot I am."

He turned back to search for the creature, hoping it couldn't have gone far. "Hey... you can come out now. I didn't mean what I said before." He crouched down in the grass, extending a hand out. "Come on."

What he had thought was a shadow turned into the round shape of a Pokémon, it's mouse-like features easily distinguishable. "Marril?" it seemed to question him.

"A Marril..." he whispered in awe. What one could be doing in a place like this was beyond him, but he thought it better not to wonder about it now. "Yes, it's alright. I won't hurt you." The mouse Pokémon sniffed the air tentatively, then jumped into his arms, squeaking it's name happily.

"There now... see? I won't really hurt you." James actually smiled at this stroke of good fortune. "I don't have a Pokéball with me right now... You must have been abandoned or something. Gosh, wait until the Boss..." he trailed off, shaking his head hard. No, he no longer had to report to anyone. Even if it was a Pokémon the Boss might not have looked down on... His spirits lowered again, he let his new friend climb up onto his shoulder to continue on his way.

Hours later, the sun was up and shining through the trees in dappled patterns, yet those trees had shown no sign of thinning out, and if anything had seemed to become thicker. He had just about reached the point of total exhaustion, using all his remaining energy to continue putting one foot in front of another. The world appeared to be getting blurry, spinning around so dizzyingly that he couldn't quite stand up straight anymore. The Marril was squeaking repeatedly in his ear, but he didn't really hear it as he fell to the ground at last, emotionally and physically drained.

He rolled onto his back to stare at the fluttering leaves above when another sound did come through to him: the loud buzzing of a swarm of Beedrill overhead. But this barely had time to register before the world went from blurry to black.