The third installment of this JAJRN takes a look at Jamie Fauntleroy, the son of Jessie and James. Will his parents be able to hide the sad truth behind the picture of a bright future, or will lies destroy them all? Find out in "The Truth Is Before Me".
The Truth Is Before Me
[Author's notes in brackets]
by Tap M.
Jessie Fauntleroy was filling cardboard boxes with china while on the first floor of the grand house she shared with her husband James and newborn son, Jamie. The decision to move away had come with great pain and stress, but it was imperative to Jamie's well being to leave Viridian City. They would have to abandon the luxury that was customary to them. Their empire was built on corruption, evil and greed. Even though she and James had followed that path, they wanted to give Jamie a clean slate to work with. Nothing was more important to them than their beloved son; not their vast fortune, not their success, not their status as the most powerful heads of the most powerful evil organization in the world. She was going to miss that clout she had as President of Team Rocket. She cast her gaze at little Jamie, who was reclining in his baby swing. He was laughing that great gurgly baby laugh. "My sweet baby," she said, lifting him out of the swing. She cuddled him. She heard a commotion outside. Ever since she and James announced that they had resigned, there was an angry mob outside their house twenty-four hours a day. Some of the mob was comprised of Rocket grunts, angry because their departure meant Team Rocket was handed over to Gianna Torres, the illegitimate daughter of Giovanni Noire, the former leader of Team Rocket who was currently serving time in Indigo Maximum Security Prison. From what Jessie understood, Gianna was just as cruel and ruthless as her father. The rest of the crowd was the media. They were frothing at the mouth over this. Not much had happened news-wise in Viridian until this. They huddled around the house, hoping for a sound byte, a quote, anything they could use to make a story. She stood on her toes to peer out the peephole on the front door. Sure enough, the mob was still camped out on the lawn. Suddenly, there was bedlam. Screaming and shoving ensued. "Stop it," someone shouted. "Please, leave me alone. Get off me! Jessie!"
Jessie secured Jamie in his baby swing and threw open the door to see James in the middle of the throng, people pulling on him, pushing, stomping, yelling. "Help," James yelled.
Jessie fought through to her husband's rescue. She fended the mob off with a roll of masking tape she had in her hand. She managed to catch James' arm and pull him inside. She slammed the door and locked it. James's clothes were torn, his arm was cut, and there was already a bruise forming on his forehead. "James, what did they do to you," Jessie cried. She ran into the kitchen to retrieve a cold washcloth. She put it on his bruise.
"I was bringing back some more boxes, but as I tried to get up the walk, the mob got a hold of me," he said. "I tried to get free, but they had me! Why is everyone in such a frenzy about all this?"
"I don't know," Jessie sighed. "But it's okay that the boxes didn't survive. I think we have enough. All we need to pack is the rest of the china, and the linens on the first floor here. The moving vans are coming in the morning, aren't they?"
"Yes," he replied. They had chosen to move to Azalea Town, a sleepy little town in Johto. Azalea was a million miles away from Viridian in every way; there, they could raise Jamie and live a peaceful, normal life. It wasn't too far away from the largest city in Johto, Goldenrod City, where they would work, but far away enough to be low-key.
The vans arrived in the cool of the early morning. The movers loaded boxes onto the trucks quickly, and before long, Jessie and James were ready to close the book on this chapter of their lives. "This is it," James said quietly. His words echoed in the still dawn. He turned away to get in his car. He'd traded in his Ferrari for a Volkswagen Passat. No more fast cars, no more elaborate dinners, no more servants for them. They fastened Jamie in his car seat and drove to greet their new lives.
Their house in Azalea was medium-sized, but it had a quaint charm. Jessie could see building a happy family within the walls. They stashed all the fine things they brought with them. Someday, when Jamie was old enough to understand, they'd explain it all to him, and leave their vast fortune to him. To avoid drawing attention to themselves, they would live within means-which meant a normal, humble lifestyle. They knew it would be hard to dodge the public eye, but they would behave like law-abiding citizens. No more acts of evil. They were everyday Joes and Janes now.
The first few weeks of living in Azalea they got lots of "Hey, weren't you in Team Rocket?" and "Are you still evil?" They had no choice but to smile and explain that yes, they were once part of the corrupt operation, but now they had chosen to build a good life for their son, and put the past behind them. It was grueling.
Life in the city was kinder to them. Most of Goldenrod was too busy to notice them. They relished going to work and leaving the unkind whispers of their neighbors behind. Jessie toted Jamie with her everywhere she went. Jamie, too, seemed to enjoy Goldenrod's bustle. He always had his eyes wide open, taking everything in. Jessie swore he was very smart. James was employed with First National Bank of Goldenrod as a financial consultant. Jessie's cutthroat business style had impressed the CEO of Goldenrod Department Store, so he added her to his staff of executives. They had soon built themselves a cozy niche.
After a while, the residents of Azalea calmed down and accepted the Fauntleroys. This allowed Jamie to play with other kids in the neighborhood. His parents doted on him. He returned their great love. Anyone who had known them before the move wouldn't recognize them now. One day, on a day she had off from work, Jessie had taken Jamie into the city to shop for school clothes. He held his mother's hand as they walked down the crowded streets. They chattered back and forth about the upcoming school year. "Oops." Someone had bumped into Jessie. She drew back and looked at a tall dark-haired man with his daughter. "Oh, I'm sorry I bumped into you," he said. Why does he look so familiar, Jessie asked herself. The man noticed her peering at him. "Is there, uh, anything I can do for you," he asked uncertainly.
"No," she said. "Come on, Jamie." She pulled him down the street. The man stood on the sidewalk, puzzled. I've got one for Misty, he thought.
The Truth Is Before Me
[Author's notes in brackets]
by Tap M.
Jessie Fauntleroy was filling cardboard boxes with china while on the first floor of the grand house she shared with her husband James and newborn son, Jamie. The decision to move away had come with great pain and stress, but it was imperative to Jamie's well being to leave Viridian City. They would have to abandon the luxury that was customary to them. Their empire was built on corruption, evil and greed. Even though she and James had followed that path, they wanted to give Jamie a clean slate to work with. Nothing was more important to them than their beloved son; not their vast fortune, not their success, not their status as the most powerful heads of the most powerful evil organization in the world. She was going to miss that clout she had as President of Team Rocket. She cast her gaze at little Jamie, who was reclining in his baby swing. He was laughing that great gurgly baby laugh. "My sweet baby," she said, lifting him out of the swing. She cuddled him. She heard a commotion outside. Ever since she and James announced that they had resigned, there was an angry mob outside their house twenty-four hours a day. Some of the mob was comprised of Rocket grunts, angry because their departure meant Team Rocket was handed over to Gianna Torres, the illegitimate daughter of Giovanni Noire, the former leader of Team Rocket who was currently serving time in Indigo Maximum Security Prison. From what Jessie understood, Gianna was just as cruel and ruthless as her father. The rest of the crowd was the media. They were frothing at the mouth over this. Not much had happened news-wise in Viridian until this. They huddled around the house, hoping for a sound byte, a quote, anything they could use to make a story. She stood on her toes to peer out the peephole on the front door. Sure enough, the mob was still camped out on the lawn. Suddenly, there was bedlam. Screaming and shoving ensued. "Stop it," someone shouted. "Please, leave me alone. Get off me! Jessie!"
Jessie secured Jamie in his baby swing and threw open the door to see James in the middle of the throng, people pulling on him, pushing, stomping, yelling. "Help," James yelled.
Jessie fought through to her husband's rescue. She fended the mob off with a roll of masking tape she had in her hand. She managed to catch James' arm and pull him inside. She slammed the door and locked it. James's clothes were torn, his arm was cut, and there was already a bruise forming on his forehead. "James, what did they do to you," Jessie cried. She ran into the kitchen to retrieve a cold washcloth. She put it on his bruise.
"I was bringing back some more boxes, but as I tried to get up the walk, the mob got a hold of me," he said. "I tried to get free, but they had me! Why is everyone in such a frenzy about all this?"
"I don't know," Jessie sighed. "But it's okay that the boxes didn't survive. I think we have enough. All we need to pack is the rest of the china, and the linens on the first floor here. The moving vans are coming in the morning, aren't they?"
"Yes," he replied. They had chosen to move to Azalea Town, a sleepy little town in Johto. Azalea was a million miles away from Viridian in every way; there, they could raise Jamie and live a peaceful, normal life. It wasn't too far away from the largest city in Johto, Goldenrod City, where they would work, but far away enough to be low-key.
The vans arrived in the cool of the early morning. The movers loaded boxes onto the trucks quickly, and before long, Jessie and James were ready to close the book on this chapter of their lives. "This is it," James said quietly. His words echoed in the still dawn. He turned away to get in his car. He'd traded in his Ferrari for a Volkswagen Passat. No more fast cars, no more elaborate dinners, no more servants for them. They fastened Jamie in his car seat and drove to greet their new lives.
Their house in Azalea was medium-sized, but it had a quaint charm. Jessie could see building a happy family within the walls. They stashed all the fine things they brought with them. Someday, when Jamie was old enough to understand, they'd explain it all to him, and leave their vast fortune to him. To avoid drawing attention to themselves, they would live within means-which meant a normal, humble lifestyle. They knew it would be hard to dodge the public eye, but they would behave like law-abiding citizens. No more acts of evil. They were everyday Joes and Janes now.
The first few weeks of living in Azalea they got lots of "Hey, weren't you in Team Rocket?" and "Are you still evil?" They had no choice but to smile and explain that yes, they were once part of the corrupt operation, but now they had chosen to build a good life for their son, and put the past behind them. It was grueling.
Life in the city was kinder to them. Most of Goldenrod was too busy to notice them. They relished going to work and leaving the unkind whispers of their neighbors behind. Jessie toted Jamie with her everywhere she went. Jamie, too, seemed to enjoy Goldenrod's bustle. He always had his eyes wide open, taking everything in. Jessie swore he was very smart. James was employed with First National Bank of Goldenrod as a financial consultant. Jessie's cutthroat business style had impressed the CEO of Goldenrod Department Store, so he added her to his staff of executives. They had soon built themselves a cozy niche.
After a while, the residents of Azalea calmed down and accepted the Fauntleroys. This allowed Jamie to play with other kids in the neighborhood. His parents doted on him. He returned their great love. Anyone who had known them before the move wouldn't recognize them now. One day, on a day she had off from work, Jessie had taken Jamie into the city to shop for school clothes. He held his mother's hand as they walked down the crowded streets. They chattered back and forth about the upcoming school year. "Oops." Someone had bumped into Jessie. She drew back and looked at a tall dark-haired man with his daughter. "Oh, I'm sorry I bumped into you," he said. Why does he look so familiar, Jessie asked herself. The man noticed her peering at him. "Is there, uh, anything I can do for you," he asked uncertainly.
"No," she said. "Come on, Jamie." She pulled him down the street. The man stood on the sidewalk, puzzled. I've got one for Misty, he thought.