Attention: Since English is not my mothertongue you might find some spelling mistakes or syntax errors. I apologize in advance. My mothertongue is Swiss-German so I normally imagine a sentence in German and try to translate it as well as possible into English, sometimes there is a lack of vocabulary or I don't find a match or the appropriate idiom but I want to improve my English and become a better writer. Another thing I want to make clear is that I use „..." to introduce direct speech! „ are not commas but the German quotation marks, just to avoid confusion.
This story is a sequel to „Maria's Butler". You might read that fanfiction first, in order to get an overview of the events and pivotal moments.
Agent Sweet in: Kitschy Killing
Chapter 1:
The demolition works for the set of „Maria's Butler" were in full swing. The run-down Schlüter-Manor was only a shadow of its former self. Windows and the conservatory's glass panes were smashed. The owner had consented to wreck his former home, because he was too weak and old to take care of it. Two years ago, a dodgy director had made a stab at producing a mid-range short about a noblewoman who fell in love with her butler. He neither held a licence nor a permission to shoot, but twisted Team Rocket and the twerps around his little finger to fulfill his long-time dream and become a prestigious and eminently respectable movie maker. His plans failed, he got arrested and ended up behind bars.
Two young men, dressed in overalls, applied themselves to Mr. Bergspiel's, alias Al Capello's office. It had been set up provisionally, seemed unstable and threatened to collapse. Fred, one of the men, entered the tin hut and cringed immediately. A well-fed rat crossed his path. Fred jumped into Günther's arms. His blonde friend caught him and roared with laughter.
„You're such a fraidy cat! It's just a rat, it won't mob you", Günther tried to calm down his partner, but Fred experienced a light trembling in his whole body.
„You can talk. Rats carry diseases, just like birds and squirrels. They might not be affected by the illness, but they can still transmit it and cause an epidemic", Fred replied.
Günther rolled his eyes. „You've seen too many disaster movies. I told you to stay away from that genre. You can't bear them", he said.
The two men released each other from their mutual embrace and stepped into the office. It was dark, there were no light sources. The room was dusty and filthy, a smell of decay soared in their noses. It was empty and abandoned, no documents or recordings, only a rumpled poster was lying on the floor. The faces of the actors were covered in mud and earth, it was impossible for Fred and Günther to recognize them.
„Do you think ‚Maria's Butler' would have been a blockbuster?", Fred asked.
Günther sweeped the room for traces of the short. He opened all cupboard doors and drawers, but there were no signs of a successful production.
„I hardly doubt it. Al Capello worked with laymen, as far as I'm aware. They weren't able to perform creditably, they were absolute beginners, far away from professional actors", Günther answered.
„Let's go, we won't find anything in here. He might have gotten away with the rolls of film", he assumed, but Fred put a stop to his friend and hinted at another drawer under the desk.
„We haven't checked this one", he noticed. Fred unclipped the tight drawer and pulled a yellowed portfolio out. It was full of loose sheets. A picture of a youthful lady with magenta-colored hair was attached to the files. Fred looked quite surprised. His jaw dropped, a silent „Wow!" escaped him. Günther looked over his shoulder to sneak a peak at the woman on the photo.
„Her name is Jessie", Fred said. „She has extraordinarily good references. She's considered dainty, proud and confident and she can rely on experiences gathered in the show business", he read. Both scrutinized the picture.
„Do you think what I think?", Fred asked.
Günther made his well-known nod with the head.
„Yeah, she's handsome. I would totally date her too", he replied, nudging his friend with his elbow, winking at him.
„No! I mean, she could be the one", his partner believed.
„The one for what?", Günther had no idea what his friend was talking about.
„I've been working on a small project for an action film and I'm still looking for someone who could impersonate the main character. She should be very well built, lithe and lissom and have a sympathetic aura", Fred was convinced that Jessie would meet his requirements.
„What's your movie about?", Günther wondered. He was the one who liked to write scripts for dramas and tragedies. Günther wanted to join his exemplary screenwriter idols right from the craddle. As a kid, he took creative writing classes in order to improve his skills and gain rich experience in the field of telling stories and moving people to tears with his films.
„The movie is about a gorgeous, but unfortunately clumsy agent who's in charge of freeing hostages. An evil opponent kidnapped little kids from school and Agent Sweet, that's the name of the main character, wants to prove that she can handle this misery. No one thinks she is capable of rescuing the children, but she shows courage and saves them from the worst", his friend told.
Günther was wide-eyed. He could deliver the script for this story and he sure would have the eagerly awaited prize in the bag.
„I've got three questions. First: Does Agent Sweet have a partner? Second: Do you want me to write the screenplay? And third: Where are we going to find Jessie?", he asked.
Fred was relieved that his friend offered him to support his movie. He could use someone with writing experience to create a magnificent story. Fred was an expert for settings and stunning camera angles, but he lacked narrative art and logical links.
„First: Yes, Agent Sweet does have a partner", Fred answered.
„Can I play this major role?", Günther begged. He wasn't a professional actor, but along with his successful career as a screenwriter, he starred as Peter Pan in a school production and enjoyed slipping into different roles and entertain the audience. Günther wanted to impersonate Agent Sweet's partner, not least because he found Jessie very attractive and wished to become more familiar with her.
Fred was responsive to his pleas. „Fine with me. Second: I would be more than honored to have you as my screenplay writer. And third: Where do you think someone like Jessie would while away her time?", he wondered.
Jessie, James and Meowth made themselves comfortable on turquoise deckchairs. Jessie was wearing her coral red bikini, Meowth was sipping a delicious cocktail and James read every wish from his best friend's lips.
„It's nice to see that you're still fulfilling your role as a butler", Jessie was teasing James by referring to Johann, the character James had played in Al Capello's short.
„Be a dear and move the parasol so I can get a suntan", she ordered. James stood up and snorted angrily. He wasn't able to enjoy his holidays. Jessie and Meowth bustled him around without stopping. He had to get fresh beach towels, rub his friend with sun cream, spray her face with cool water and fan her. She relished his attention, because she knew that James would do everything to make her life easier and worry-free. She hadn't forgotten about his devotion on the set of „Maria's Butler". Was she exploiting him? Maybe a little, but Jessie hoped that James wouldn't hold these chicaneries against her.
„Could you two please grant me a timeout?", James was irritated. He was tired of their commands and wanted to take a rest under the cloudless blue sky. Jessie nodded in agreement. She didn't want him to go crazy.
Two men converged to Team Rocket's place, blocking out the sun with their heads. Jessie noticed that she was lying in the shadow.
„James! I told you to move the parasol! How am I supposed to get a nice suntan in the dark?", she got impatient.
One of the men sat down on her deckchair. Jessie removed her sunglasses and gazed into two steel-blue eyes. She jumped up and covered her body with the striped towel.
„Who are you?", she asked. The men bowed down. Fred grasped her hand, placing a tender kiss on her fingers. Günther waved at her.
„We found your picture in Al Capello's drawer", Fred showed her the photo.
„Are you Miss Jessie?", he wondered.
„Well, that's an unflattering picture, it's not my best side", Jessie crumpled the photo and approached the two men.
„What do you want?", she asked.
„We're two ambitious movie makers and wanted to ask you if you're willing to star in another film", Fred wanted to beat about the bush. James turned around. Jessie flashed her eyes at the two guys.
„A movie?! The last time someone asked me to perform on stage, I acted with much blood, sweat and tears. I was overwhelming, it was an excellence, a fantastic finale that people would have talked about it for the next twenty to thirty years. Was I thanked for it? No! Not a single Poké-Dollar, no fame, no reputation. The director got handcuffed and they walked him off. It was all a waste of time, but believe me, if I ever meet Al-Capello again, I'm going to hold a knife to his throat for spoiling my acting career!", Jessie grabbed Fred by the throat and rocked him. James had to intervene and retained her. She was wild with anger.
„Please, listen to me, Miss Jessie", Fred gasped and wheezed. She released him.
„We're professionals, no dodgy dealings, I promise", he panted for breath. „You're acting career isn't over yet. We can help you to become famous with a decent and elaborate film", he said.
Jessie lifted an eyebrow. She liked the thought of starring in an official movie, she could still win fame and earn much money and besides, she and her team mates were on vacation, this film and her job as a Team Rocket agent wouldn't get in each other's way.
„Tell me more about your idea", she demanded. James moped. It happened all over again. Jessie would suffer from airs and graces, her assistants would experience the worst time of their lives and Meowth would toady to the director until the policemen would blow the two men's cover.
Fred and Günther smiled. They were sure that Jessie had already changed her mind.
„The movie is called ‚Agent Sweet in: Kitschy Killing', Fred began.
James burst out laughing.
„That's the dumbest title I've ever heard", he held his belly, tears welled in his eyes. He couldn't calm down. Jessie hit his head with the fan.
„You want me to star as Agent Sweet?", she asked, a strand of her long magenta-colored hair had fallen into her face, she blew it away. Günther was taken with her poise. He couldn't take his eyes off her. James noticed his piercing looks and harrumphed extra loudly.
„Yes, please", Fred pleaded. „You're so beautiful and this role would fit you like a glove", he overwhelmed her with compliments.
Jessie blushed, trying to hide her embarrassment, but she didn't want them to throw her a red herring.
„How much?", she wanted to know.
„Let's say 5000 Poké-Dollars as an advance and 400 Poké-Dollars per shooting day", he proposed. Jessie bandied meaningful looks with her team mates. She apologized and dragged James and Meowth along to the pool.
„5000 Poké-Dollars and 400 per shooting day. Let's assume that it takes ten days to make that movie, that would be...", Jessie wasn't very good at maths, but James gave her a helping hand.
„9000 Poké-Dollars", he said. „That's a pretty sum. We could finally buy new traps and use the money to construct machines with power of resistance. I'd say, if you really want to give this whole acting-business another chance, you should do it! We're behind you. Do it for the boss", James encouraged her to earn money in order catch Pokémon for their superior Giovanni.
„And, there will be many rare Pokémon on set", she winked at her team mates.
„Jessie, again? You know exactly what happened last time. That twerp got in our way, we didn't manage it to steal any of those Pokémon, blasting off eventually...", James voiced his suspicion and sighed. Jessie laid a hand on his shoulder.
„Then we'll try again!", she felt confident about her plans.
Jessie briefly considered her options. They could either starve and sleep outside on slides and benches or they could have a cosy and fluffy bed in their private rooms and going to sleep on a full stomach.
„I accept your proposal", Jessie decided. Günther and Fred high-fived each other.
„We bring you and your friends to the set, we'll show you your accomodation, tell you everything you need to know about the movie and introduce you to the cast.
How does that sound?", Fred suggested.
Jessie smlied and linked arms with Günther.
„Wait a minute!", James stopped them. He wasn't happy to see that tall man with blonde hair making a pass at his friend.
„Do you have a licence?", James wanted to know. Günther reared up in front of him, trying to intimidate James. Fred emerged from behind and took out a pell. He showed James the warrant to legally shoot a movie. Jessie gave a laugh and ran past James. She was already in the diva-mode.