Meowth and Jessie stayed up all night, both terrified of what Giovanni was doing to hurt their friend. But, of course, neither of them was willing to admit they were worried about James. Both were hatching half-baked plans in their head about how to save James, however it seemed impossible. They were outnumbered two to probably about a thousand. And besides Giovanni was a military genius where as they couldn't even catch a Pikachu.

Jessie for a short time even considered snatching a phone and calling the police but it would be impossible to send all of the rockets to jail and such a thing would not be taken lightly. Giovanni would probably find a way to have all three of them killed if they did so. And James sacrifice would be in vain.

So, eventually, feeling completely hopeless they both fell into a restless sleep. Their dreams were filled with black colors and blood and their James in the middle of it all in a great amount of pain.

In the morning a guard entered Jessie and Meowth's small cold room and took them to an even smaller colder room to have breakfast. It was a horrible breakfast with gray substances which looked like eggs but tasted horrible and bread which was just days from rotting.

"Maybe he's tryin' ta torture us wit' da food." Meowth said, poking at his food.

"Don't be ridiculous. You know because of James they'll only torture hi-" Jesse was cut off and her mouth was hanging open.

There were three guards standing in the hallway. The all looked identical. Jessie was confused why were three guards here? What did they have to say? Were they sent to take them to James? She hoped so this was the longest since she was sixteen and she joined the team that she had gone without seeing James. Even though she scolded herself for the weak emotions she missed him.

Then all of a sudden:

"You have half an hour." The guard said.

Everything snapped in Jessie's world and it was like a picture that you spent five minutes looking at thinking it was perfectly normal only to realize you were actually looking at it upside down. Oh my God. This…this beyond gorgeous man was James, her James.

"We have security cameras so behave or else the boss will have something special in store for you." The other guard growled at him, raising his fist and almost hitting James. James whimpered involuntary and the guards left.

Jessie's mouth still hung open in pure shock. There was no way of possibly denying it. This was James. Meowth gasped. Now Jessie, of course, knew James was beautiful. Heck he was more attractive a good ninety percent of men she knew but this…he… He was a better looking than the pictures of models Jessie used to droll over in Junior High School.

He was wearing tight black leather pants that made his legs look firm and magnificent. He was wearing a slim fitting short sleeve shirt silk shirt that show cased huge muscles no one could have guessed he had when he wore his typical baggy white shirt. Jessie had no idea James worked out but now she wondered why she had never noticed before.

He was wearing tasteful make-up that made him look more desirable than ever. They made his lips look luscious, his beautiful black eyes stand out and his complexion look perfect. Clad on his feet were expensive diamond studded platform shoes. He also had a black bracelet with the number "28357" engraved on it with silver numbers. His left ear and nose were pierced. This was odd considering that one of James's biggest fear was needles and he went out of his way to avoid them.

Jessie felt a wave of jealousy wash over her. The new clothes, the make over, the obviously real silver bracelet and the 24 carrot gold ear and nose rings. Why did James get all of this new stuff while she didn't get anything? The boss was mad at them so James got beautified while she and Meowth had to sleep in a small room and eat God only knows what for breakfast. She wanted justice.

All of a sudden, like a clock striking twelve on the night of Cinderella's ball, the spell Jessie was under for a brief moment wore off and Jessie saw James's real condition.

There was a myriad of untreated large bruises and cuts covering his arms, promising the area of his body under his shirt would look just as bad if not more. His skin was ripped and chapped in the shape of handcuffs on both of his wrists, which served as heart breaking proof of the previous night's struggle. Jessie suddenly felt sick for being envious of James just a few minutes ago.

He had a bruise in the shape of a boot on his left check, a black eye and a large long but skinny cut which ran from the top of his forehead to his nose to his chin, and bruises in the shape of hand-prints, none of which had not even been tried to be covered by the concealer that covered his face.

The worst part of all of this was that his trade mark beautiful hair was ruined. It was buzz cut and dyed black. So this was why none of the Rockets who worked at the head quarters had black hair. The worst part of it was that the natural silky softness of James's hair was destroyed by the hair dye and it now looked brittle and was not soft.

Jessie knew to James, who was as vain as she was losing his hair, having it shortened, dyed and damaged was a worse fate than hours of torture.

His beautiful silk shirt read in red letters "Prop. Of Giovanni." Jessie couldn't believe she hadn't noticed that before. But it made her beyond mad. James was no one's property.

Jessie wanted to take back thinking this new version of him was beautiful. He was indeed beautiful but not like this, never like this. She wanted her confident and stylish, yet seemingly weak boy back. She didn't want to see the muscles he carefully hid from everyone for some unexplainable reason. She wanted her James, her handsome, quirky, free James back.

"Sit down an' have som' food buddy," Meowth said, in a falsely cheery voice.

James avoided eye contact with both of his friends and sat down.

"Are you ok," Jessie asked. She mentally slapped herself, of course he wasn't he had just lost his hair.

James didn't answer. He didn't even look up.

"Are you ok?" Jessie asked again, unable to stop herself.

James didn't react this annoyed Jessie a lot, so out of years of practice she instinctually pulled her mallet out and prepared to hit James over the head with it.

"I SAID ARE YOU OK?" Jessie asked, holding the mallet over his head, seconds away from hitting him.

James involuntary flinched. He looked up at Jessie and Meowth for the first time since he had been with Giovanni. Jessie shivered. She dropped her mallet and the sound of a dull echo surrounded them, which went unnoticed. Meowth and Jessie were frozen on the spot.

"Wh-what did they do to you?" Jessie said, her voice shaking.

James eyes were dead they lacked the usual sparkle of mischievous they had even when he was sad. His eyes looked haunted. His soul must have been broken but Jessie needed to know how this happened, what they had done to him so she could try to undo the damage. She prayed it wasn't permanent.

After a few awkward seconds of Jessie and Meowth looking at James eyes they both looked away. Jessie felt like she had seen something embarrassing, something she shouldn't have.

"Have some food ya must be starvin'," Meowth said.

James just moved his eyes up so he could see the food then sadly let his eyes drop again.

Jessie was stunned James had never refused food. She had a creepy feeling that Giovanni was forcing him not to eat. She was just so mad at everything right now but mostly at one thing in particular.

"Your shirt is seriously ticking me off James! How the heck does Giovanni think he is anyway? You do not belong to anyone!" Jessie said, wishing she could hit Giovanni over the head with the mallet she had just almost hit James with. She felt James eyes on her but he still didn't respond or even lift his head up.

Jessie wished for a moment that things were different. That she wasn't Jessie. That he wasn't James. She wished her world and their relationship was different because at that moment all she wanted to do was throw away the uncaring bad girl image she had been striving to achieve since she was four and wrap James tightly and firmly into her arms.

She wanted to hold him and cry. She needed to tell him it would be ok, that they would get out of here together. She wished she could thank him for taking her place although she would rather cut her hair than have his be cut.

But she was Jessie. He was James. And something like that just couldn't and wouldn't be allowed to happen. A few minutes passed, with Jessie longing to hold her James like a teddy bear, until Giovanni flashed on another large screen that Jessie hadn't even noticed before now.

Upon seeing this James started shaking really hard and tried to hide behind Jessie. Jessie tensed and prepared to do whatever she could to defend James. Meowth bared his claws in annoyance. He hated Giovanni. Sure, James annoyed the cat Pokemon on occasion but he never deserved to get hurt.

"Number two eight three five seven." Giovanni said.

James continued looking at the ground but his shaking had intensified. Giovanni smirked, clearly enjoying the fact that James was afraid of him.

"Coward bow to me," Giovanni ordered.

James instantly got on the floor and started bowing. Jessie's body tensed in anger.

"Tell your friends what I am to you," Giovanni ordered.

James bent his head in shame. He whispered something that no one heard.

"Louder," Giovanni said.

James got redder and whispered something this time a little louder but still a little too quiet to hear.

"James," Giovanni said in a warning voice.

James head snapped up, but he still didn't look directly at anyone.

"You're my master," James said.

Jessie gasped. Meowth hissed. How dare he make James say such a thing?

"And what are you to me?" Giovanni asked.

"An object with no feelings or pain," James said. He sounded so conquered, so crushed.

Giovanni leered.

"Much better now take off your shirt. I know your friends have seen last night's marks on your arms, now let them enjoy the full effect." Giovanni hissed.

All the suffering and humiliation was obvious in James face. Tears welled up in his eyes. His hands shook as he began to unbotton his silk shirt.

"STOP IT!" Jessie yelled, before James had even unbuttoned the second button.

"You're hurting him." She wished she hadn't added the last part, as it made them both sound weak.

Giovanni lowered his eyebrows in furry.

"Aw Jessie you still have yet to learn to respect your betters. Very well but the boy will pay for your insolence." Giovanni said.

Giovanni snapped his fingers and two guards appeared.

"Send him to the Venusaur whipping rack for fifty lashings."

James paled. Than before Jessie or Meowth had time to react James was gone. They heard Giovanni laugh and than suddenly the screen turned black and they were alone again.

Hey thanks for reading. If anyone can guess what Giovanni is doing to James I'll dedicate the next chapter to you.