It was a beautiful day to be walking. I stared at the sidelines of the road. I watch the trees' leaves flutter in their branches. I close my eyes to breathe the fresh air. I open my eyes to a group of 3 standing before a familiar missing person sign. I blinked. The shortest one had a Pikachu on his shoulder and the tallest had an egg in his arms.

I ran up to them, wanting to know who they are.

"Hello there! May I pet your Pikachu? Oh, were my manners, I'm Kagome."

"Uh, I'm Ash and sure?"

"Thanks! Uh, excuse me"

I picked up the Pikachu and cradled it in my arms. I petted it on its head and scratched it behind its ears. The Pikachu seems to enjoy my petting.

"Pika~"

Suddenly, my hand was in another more deep tan one than my light tanned one. I look up to see the tallest with the egg.

"Hello, lovely maiden, my name is Brock. Would you like to be my girlfriend?"

I blushed. I still am not use to compliments, but I did a shy smile. I moved my hand to hold his and looked at him in the eyes.

"I'm sorry, but I can't. At least not right now, you see, I have matters to attend to right now and I don't know the outcome of them will be. I could either be engaged or not, but I'll consider it if I'm not, but I'll make no promises. Okay?"

He turned to goo, figuratively, right then. I started to lightly panic.

"Oh my! Are you alright?!"

The girl I saw earlier pulled on Brock's ear to help straighten him out and he was alive now.

"Oh, yes! Thank you!"

I smiled and turned to the girl when she huffed. I smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry, may I know who you are?"

"Oh, sorry about that! I'm Misty. Nice to meet you!"

"Like wise Misty. Here's your Pikachu, Ash."

"Uh thanks"

I looked to the sign and spotted James' picture when he was young. I grew sad. I miss him. Then I heard that they think they knew him.

I turned to them with hopeful eyes and was about to ask if it was the James I knew and how he was doing until a long and fancy car came speeding to a stop.

They butler to the estate I was going to yelled into a microphone at us,

"Have you seen that boy in the photo?"

Ash replied, "Well, we have if he is James from Team Rocket."

The butler started to cry waterfalls.

"Jolly good Ericka! Quick! To the estate!"

Then he processed to rush us into the limo.

O0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

We entered a gate when Ash decided to ask when the ride was going to be over.

"We're almost at the end of the drive way."

Misty and Brock commented on it too. They also complimented on Growly's (sp?) house until they figured out it wasn't the main house. I remained silent. I wasn't going to speak to these stupid, heartless rich people unless I have to.

We followed the butler into the mansion to see two coffins surrounded by blue, white, and a bit of yellow flowers. The butler was going on about James' parents dyeing that morning and James was to inherit all the money, ONLY if he marries.

I wasn't going to believe that crap. James' parents always did that just to get what they want from him.

The others went outside while the house maids tried to get me into 'proper' clothes. Yeah right, all those skimpy dresses and the ones that are modest are too ichy! They are not my style. I like my blue T-shirt, knee-length jean shorts, and sneakers very much thank you.

But, alas, they at least got me into a comfortable blue silk kimono with small goldeens swimming around it. I had a golden sash to it with the bow in the back. My hair was half up half down with a blue bow and the traditional socks and sandals.

The only thing I was able to get away from was the heavy jewelry and make-up, thank goodness.

I ran away from the maids before they could apply those to me to see a grown up James in a blue suit being gagged and controlled against his will by a meowth and a woman that looked just like Jessebell dressed in black.

That got me mad. I walked right up to them and, as much as I could move in this kimono, kicked them off of him. I untied his gag, took his hand, and ran with him to the door leading outside. I was stopped by the two I kicked.

"Let us go! You have no right to interfere!"

I glared at them. They shriveled a bit but tried to back up what they wanted to say, but all was silenced when James grabbed my shoulders to look at me properly.

"Kagome? Is this really you? You- you've grown, but I don't remember you being this short. I don't remember you liking to wear something like this."

I snorted unlady like and said with an amused smile, "I know I wouldn't have worn this if it was my choice James."

He cried happily, "It is you!"

Then he hugged me tightly. I would have hugged back if it wasn't for Brock.

"You know him?!"

I sighed and closed my eyes in frustration. I pulled back as much as I could since James wasn't going to let me go for one reason or another. I was going to explain when James' parents decided to come out of hiding.

"Yes, you see Kagome and James are betrothed before his other fiancée Jessebell came up. Our dear James has to choose between them for his wife. Kagome there doesn't reach our expectations for a refine lady like Jessebell, but their betrothal was a written agreement so it couldn't be broken. Now, Jessebell came into the picture later and we quite agree to have with for her for our son's wife.

We even made arrangements when James was young to have some quality time with Jessebell for them to like each other, but, alas, Kagome always with her brute came and took away our James from Jessebell and eventually us. We've been searching for him ever since."

I glared at them from James' arms, which tighten with realization that I helped him secretly to escape the first time. The others forgotten.

"I only did it because you people are heartless! Parents are supposed to look out for their children! Not take away their choices and force them into doing something they don't want to do!"

"Oh, and what would you know of that young lady. You never had parents to look after you even if you already inherited from them. We made the mistake of not taking you in to turn you into a refine young lady. You are always rash and a brute. We're surprised to see that you are the number 1 in the business world while we're 2nd!"

I stiffen when they let the truth be known. I never told James of my family predicament. I was always alone to deal with what my parents left behind, to never be able to have friends who understand. I pushed away from James when their underlying hurtful words hit me. My bangs shadowed my eyes, so not to let them see them moisten. I felt tears at the corner of my eyes when James spoke.

"Kagome, is that why you never spoke about them when we were little?"

I had a lump in my throat from trying not to cry and my tongue was thick. I at least spoke as smooth as I could,

"Yeah, we were little. I didn't want you to do anything unnecessary or feel sad for me when we were so young."

I turned away from them all before the tears could fall. I was going to run into the nearest room to cry alone, as always, but I felt arms circle around my waist in a backwards hug. I looked to the sleeves to see it was James'. I swallowed at sob.

'Be strong. Be strong. Be strong. Be-'

"You know you can cry if you want to," he whispered.

I turned to cry, to wail to release the pent up grief and sadness and loneliness.

If the outsider looked at the others, they would find an awkward yet sad group standing there, and crying meowth and Jesse, and James' parent looking somewhat guilty but annoyed mostly.

Then Jessebell came out. She looked down right mad to see Kagome in James's arms. She called out her vileplume.

"Now this won't do! Vileplume use stun spore!"

I heard this and saw the cloud coming for us. I broke the hug to push James away from the attack.

"RUN!"

They did just that, but James hesitated. I gave a watery smile and mouthed, "go" when the cloud finally came and I was paralyzed. But they didn't need to run without me, Growly came barreling in and dispelled the plum with flame thrower.

I couldn't move properly, so I was to be carried by Brock, which the egg seemed to disappear somewhere. Though, he didn't seem fazed by it, so it must be safe. I looked at him and smiled kindly at him.

"Thank you Brock."

*blush* "It was nothing. You know, you're pretty light so it wasn't a big deal." *laughs awkwardly*

I looked to James to see if he was alright, but he looked peeved instead. I was going to ask if he was alright until he turned to Growly and started to pet his fur. I blinked in confusion and furrowed my eyebrows in concern. I moved to get up, but the stun spore attack still had its effects on me. I bore it but fell back to the cushions.

James was next to my side in an instant. I smiled weakly and slowly sat up. I motioned for Growly to get something while the others formed a plan. He came back with a small box and gave it to James.

"Hm, what's this?"

I just smiled and told him to open it to find out. He did and in it were two rings. They were nothing special, but they were silver bands with a small jewel in the metal, so it won't make a lump in the smooth surface. It looked like a pokeball – ruby on top, opal on bottom and button, and the black line of dark smooth metal. He started to freak out. I sighed deeply.

He stopped panicking and just looked at me.

"It's your decision to choose your wife, but it is protocol to give the woman you want to marry the other ring. That's why it's a matching pair."

He nodded slowly and put the now closed box in his pocket. Suddenly the wall came crashing down. Jesse and meaouth were sent flying through the roof along with a plush chair. There standing on the rubble is Jessebell and her vileplum.

"My sweet James dearest, you can't escape me."

"Leave me alone!"

Everyone stood but me, I was still having affects from the stun spore attack, but I bore the pain and stood in front of James. I glared at her. Growly jumped in front of me as well.

Jessebell pointed at us and commanded her pokemon to 'stun us to sleep' by using stun spore again. It almost got us, but growly used fire thrower to disperse it. Ash used his Pikachu to thunder shock it, followed by Growly's flame thrower again.

I didn't want to be useless so I brought out my pokemon. Its pokeball was attached to my necklace. I sent out Kirara, a fire type kitty type pokemon.

"Kirara use flame thrower along with Growly!"

She mewed and did as said. Jessebell and her vileplume are running now to get away from us. James sighed in relief. I nodded in satisfaction, since the stun spore attack from earilier wore off by now.

James asked me to come outside with him. We heard what James' parents said about Jessebell, when she crashed them into the magic crap pond yelling that she couldn't stand James' growlth. I let James have a moment with said growth.

When he turned to me, he kneeled with a blush.

"Ah, mm, *cough* will you marry me Kagome?"

I felt so happy and content that I hugged him and said, "Yes!"

He talked to me about not wanting the high life of a stuffy noblemen. I understood and said,

"James, you may do whatever you want. I love you, for you. I don't want to change to a stuffy noblemen like your parents. If you want to go, that's fine with me as long as you come back when the wedding day comes. When you do want to settle down, I'll teach you the basics, but not the details of the refined living, so that you won't have to change yourself."

I smiled. He hugged me for understanding. He took off in his samurai way of good bye, promising he will come back.

I looked to the ring on my left ring finger; I was betrothed now.

I went back to the manner to change into my normal clothes. When I passed James' parents I waved at them with my left hand and left them in shock. I went back to my business to wait, for my finesse, with a smile.