How was it her fault? How could any of this be her fault? All she had wanted was to save that woman from the drunken gym leader raping her. Instead, she had been the one arrested. She had been the one tried and found guilty.
"I'll sue! Fucking bitch, I'll sue!"
The gym leader's words still rang in her ears. Jessi noire curled on her futon Meowth by her side. Why? Why had the man won? She was the one guilty!
Outside her room, her parents still argued. She could hear their voice.
"Iris, she just tried to do what's right! You can't blame her for that! Look, you know it wasn't even a trial –"
"I don't care' Brendon, Your bitch got us in trouble! Now, we're the talk of the town as the parents of a criminal!"
"My bitch, Iris? You didnt mind when you got with me you knew i had her!. Jessi is as much your child as she is mine, and whoever sued her is an asshole!"
"She is your bitch! Brendan! If you hadn't instilled all those stupid notions in her head, she would have left that woman alone and avoided his mess! In the meantime, rumors are going about us!"
Brendon growled.
"Right, I am the one who instilled those so-called notions. Well, sorry for believing in complicity by inaction! I am proud of what she did, and if I had that man before me, he would get my fist in his face before he knew what hit him! Jessikah is my daughter. What happened to her isn't fair. I will not change my mind on the matter."
May sighed.
"Fine. Keep being so bloody stubborn. But I want her out of my face or I'll fill for divorce. I am your wife, Brendan. The only reason I agreed to adopt the spawn of your former paramour is because I can't have children of my own and adoption simply takes too long."
"Keep using this tone about Jessi and I might just take on your offer. Also, don't forget this house is mine."
"No wonder you got the manners of a bear, then. I called her mother, May she lives on Melemele island in the Aloha region. She agreed to house your daughter until the end of her probation. For the sake of both of you, I hope your wildling of a bitch learns how to behave."
There was a long moment of silence, then the sound of nails scratching the wall echoed. This was Brendon. He often did it when he was frustrated. Eventually, the door of Jessi's room opened. The teen looked at her father.
"…I heard everything." Jessi said weakly.
"I know. You got keen senses, one of the few things you take from me."
He knelt next to his daughter.
"You heard your step mother. You're going to Melemele island next April. This is going to be a big change. Pallet town is a small town, but it is nothing compared to the sprawling metropolis that's on Melemele."
"I'm scared." Jessi whined.
"I know. Me too. Growing up, you spent more time in Pallet town with me than in town with your friends. Look…. I taught you all I know about survival: how to go unnoticed, how to move around, how to duel. It will take you time, but you know how to adapt. You'll adapt to life on Melemele, eventually. I trust you. You're a grown girl, and very brave at that. I don't regret what you did that night. I just regret how justice is so often thrown in the gutter these days."
"There's no justice anymore. Otherwise, the man would have been tried instead of me."
Brendon held his daughter tight.
"You don't say…"