Night's I can't remember, friends I'll never forget
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.
Note from the author, that's me: This fanfiction has a prequel. Please read my oneshot „You're the thorns to my rose" first in order to get an idea of the content.
Chapter 1: Going back to the roots
James was shocked by her reaction. She didn't recognize him. Jessie, who had spent the last couple of years at his side, didn't recognize him. The woman, with whom he had been chasing Pikachu for so long, had no idea who he was.
„Jessie, don't you know who I am?", he asked. James was unsettled. Was this of a temporary nature only or was her amnesia a long term condition?
Jessie looked at him confusedly, shaking her head cluelessly.
„It's me, James", he tried to fake a grin but failed. He was overtaxed by this situation.
Jessie set up her softest smile.
„Are we married?", she wondered.
„No, we're not", he replied, visibly surprised.
„Are we dating?", she wanted to know.
James put a hand behind his head and chuckled.
„No, we are not dating, Jessie", these unexpected questions embarrassed him.
‚What a pity', Jessie thought. ‚He's looking an absolute knockout, especially that haircut and those emeraldgreen eyes.'
„Then why are you here?"
James squeezed her hand gently.
„I'm your best friend and I wanted to make sure that everything's okay with you", he answered.
Jessie sat up and glanced around. Suddenly, she noticed lying on a bed in a hospital.
„Why am I here? What happened?", she wanted to know.
Jessie's arm had been so badly damaged by the fall that it had to be put in plaster. In addition, she suffered from a brain concussion and had several abrasions and cuts.
The display on the monitor informed James that her heartbeat accelerated.
„Tell me what happened?", she demanded briskly.
James sighted.
„You had an accident. You fell from a self-built machine, built by me. You slipped and you hit your head against the steering lever and eventually you fell down. I'm sorry, Jess", he looked at the floor.
James expected the magenta-haired woman to shout and get abusive, calling him names and swearing at him, but she remained silent.
„ Oh", was the only thing she said. „That must have hurt. It's my fault, don't feel guilty about it", she assured James.
The lavender-haired man was quite taken aback. No punching, no slaps.
All at once, they heard screams coming from outside the patient room. James stood up and looked through the small barred window. There was a stirred Chansey, nurse Joy and another Pokémon fighting one another. He was able to identify the cat, unrestrictedly baring his claws. James had to intervene. He pushed open the door and ran outside.
„Pokémon are not allowed in hospital wards, except for Chansey", Nurse Joy exclaimed. James held her back.
„It's fine, Meowth is a friend", he explained.
Nurse Joy was tired of fending Meowth off.
„You take charge of it! No destruction, no scratched furniture!", she ordered.
„Sorry, buddy, I came as soon as possible", Meowth said.
James nodded and accompanied the cat Pokémon inside the patient room.
„Jessie, look who's here", James helped Meowth on the bed.
„Hello", Jessie greeted.
„Do you remember this little ball of fur? It's Meowth", James sat down on the edge of the bed.
„No, I don't, but it's really nice to meet you, Meowth", she replied, shaking its paw.
„What a turn-up! Jessie seems to be tamed. She's calm and decent", Meowth observed.
Jessie cried out, sitting bolt upright.
„It can talk?", she asked.
„She doesn't remember anything, does she?", Meowth wanted to know.
„Unfortunately not", James was devastated.
„What did da doctor's say? Will she get back to normal again?", it wondered.
„I don't know. We need to find a way to bring back her memory, and quickly!", James decided. His friend agreed. Jessie was much kinder and bearable, but it wasn't the Jessie he knew and secretly loved.
„Guys, I'm starving", Jessie moaned.
James listened attentively.
„At least one of her traits remained", Meowth said.
„I would like to eat a juicy steak with a large portion of rice, in addition a home made fruit salad with these little chocolate chip cookies", she licked her lips.
„The appetite is still there, that's a good sign, isn't it?", James assumed.
„I want to get out of this apron, it's so tight", she tugged the piece of cloth.
James walked over to the line and took down her uniform.
„Why don't you try this on?", he proposed. Jessie looked at the short skirt and the tummy t-shirt.
„What's that? It's not carnival, right?", she wrinkled her nose.
„Jessie, this is your Team Rocket uniform", he laid the wear on the bed.
„What is Team Rocket? A sports team?", she had no linking of her past life.
„Team Rocket is a criminal organisation that steals other trainer's Pokémon. We used to be extremly successful, just you, Meowth and me. We were an unbeatable trio, feared by all. Your mother was a renowned and well-known Team Rocket agent and you followed her footsteps", James stated.
Jessie looked at him doubtfully.
„I don't remember. Strangers know my story, know everything about me, know where I worked, who my parents are and what I'm supposed to wear", her eyes filled with tears, she was shaking all over. James crawled over to her and gave her a hug.
„How can we help her remembering who she is? This cordiality is unbearable", Meowth asked.
James came up with an idea.
„Why don't we take her on a journey through the past, show her places and people from yesterdays, helping memory on its way", he suggested.
Jessie wiped the tears away. „Do you think this is going to work out?", she asked.
James failed to answer the question. He didn't want to disappoint her but he didn't want to promise her the moon either.
„We should give it a try."
„Bring her to the headquarters. That's where we met for the first time", Meowth said.
‚This is so sweet of James. Even though he's a stranger I feel connected to him, like an old acquaintance. He makes all efforts to support me', Jessie thought.
They stowed her belongings into a backpack and disappeared off into the night.