AN: I'm not going to say much here, as I don't want to give away the story.
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.
Warning: You may want to be sitting by a box of kleenex.
Someday
Jessie and James made their way out of the hotel and walked in the sunlight towards the pokemon centre at the end of the street. It was a warm fall day, but to them, it may have well been the middle of winter. What business did the sun have shining when they had such grim business to attend to? They wordlessly entered the Viridian City pokemon centre, for once not with the intent to steal.
"Jessie. James," Nurse Joy greeted them, not with her usual cheeriness, but with an unusually sombre expression.
"Nurse Joy," Jessie replied. James didn't look at either of them, his eyes focused on the pair of chansey that bowed their heads as they stood in front of a door at the back of the centre. He bit his lip.
"Come with me," the nurse directed, and James felt Jessie tug on his hand, forcing him to follow her and Nurse Joy through the door that the chansey guarded. James felt sick as they approached it and even sicker as they went through it.
To his surprise, the door lead outside and once again, he was bathed in sunlight. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust. Joy led them across a beautiful garden, complete with a fountain and hedges until they approached a wrought-iron gate. James felt Jessie clench his hand. He was surprised to see the twerp and his friends standing there.
"We heard the news," Ash Ketchum said, bowing his head.
"Pii," the electric mouse on his shoulder let out a disheartened squeak.
"We're so sorry," Misty said, clutching her azurill to her chest.
"We came to pay our respects," Brock added, and from behind him, May, Max, and Dawn nodded. James didn't know why he was so surprised to see the twerps standing there. It was the type of do-good-thing that they would do. He looked over at Jessie, who sighed tiredly before she nodded. He understood her, as always. While the twerps certainly weren't their favourite people, over the years, Jessie and James had come to view them almost like annoying, goody-two-shoes little cousins. Somehow, this wouldn't feel right without their presence. He caught Jessie's eye and nodded as well.
"Thanks," Jessie said simply. Then Nurse Joy led Jessie, James, and the twerps through the iron gates, passed headstones and memorials to long-gone pokemon, towards a small hill with a great tree on top of it. Two more chansey stood on either side of a small casket about to be lowered into the ground. James felt cold and he couldn't contain the heart-wrenching sob. He barely felt Jessie squeeze his hand or as she leaned on him for support.
The headstone, donated by the pokemon centre, read: MEOWTH, a brave, loyal, loving friend. Always the beloved top cat in our hearts, and on our team, forever.
It was too much, even though they had told Nurse Joy what to engrave it with. Just seeing it reminded Jessie and James that they would never see their friend again. It was final and now they were forced to admit that that day had actually happened.
"Failures! Incompetent fools!" the boss's booming voice thundered as he loomed over the trio of pokemon thieves.
"We're sorry, Sir!" Jessie, James, and Meowth squeaked at the same time, flinching underneath Giovanni's vicious glare.
"I've given you all the chances in the world and THIS is how you repay me?" Giovanni thundered, thrusting a piece of paper at the Rocket agents. They paled, realizing that it was their budget report.
"Forgive us, Boss!" Meowth piped up, "We's needed all dat stuff ta catch dat Pikachu an-"
"SILENCE!" Giovanni roared, his shriek of rage waking up the prized Persian that slept in the corner. It yowled in protest and looked at Meowth with disgust before letting out a disdainful growl.
"What'd ya say ta me, ya overgrown throw-rug!" Meowth suddenly roared, forgetting that he was in the presence of his boss as he unsheathed his claws and glared at his rival. Persian got to its feet and growled hatefully at Meowth.
"Meowth, I don't-" James was cut off by the loud snap of Giovanni's fingers. Persian lunged at Meowth, clawing and biting at the much smaller cat, who was caught off guard.
"MEOWTH!" Jessie and James cried out, starting forwards, but suddenly Giovanni's guards blocked them.
"Maybe that will teach him to hold his tongue for once," Giovanni said coldly, watching as Meowth struggled to fight the Persian.
"Meowth!" James called out, anxiously looking over the spears the guards used to separate him and Jessie from their friend. For one shining moment, it looked as it Meowth was going to escape. He blindly swung his paw and connected with Persian's face, dangerously close to the larger cat's eye. Persian yowled as blood dripped from its face. Meowth turned around and looked wildly for his friends, who struggled against the solid bodies of the guards. That second was all Persian needed to lunge onto its pre-evolved form and sink deadly jaws into Meowth's neck.
"MEOWTH!" Jessie and James screamed in horror as they watched Meowth's face contort in pain. Then his knees buckled and Persian was on top of him
There was another audible snap, and suddenly Persian retreated, glaring down at the still form on the floor. The guards moved back and Jessie and James ran to their friend and knelt next to him.
"Meowth!" James cried fearfully, cradling the battered pokemon's head in his lap.
"Say something!" Jessie pleaded, her hand running over the bloodstained fur. Then she looked up at the man who had allowed this to happen, the man who was SMILING down at the scene, "HOW COULD YOU?" she screamed, "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS?"
"MURDERER!" James shouted along with her, hate in his normally warm eyes.
"I see that pest isn't the only one who needs to be taught their place," Giovanni said coldly, cocking his head to observe the agitated young couple, a cruel smirk playing on his features.
"N-No!" a surprisingly weak voice cried and suddenly there was an explosion. Jessie felt herself get hurtled into the air through the glass window before plummeting towards the forest below. She got caught on a branch before she could hit the ground. A small miracle.
"Jessie!" she heard James's fearful voice cry out over the ringing in her ears.
"James!" she called back. There was a sloshing noise and then James was below her, soaked head to toe, helping her down.
"What the hell happened?" she asked, looking at him. Aside from a few cuts he didn't seem that hurt.
"Meowth!" James gasped, "He grabbed the blaster-ball from my belt and threw it at the Boss," he explained. Realization flickered on Jessie's face as she realized what their feline friend had done.
"He saved us," she whispered, "He saved us. Where is he?" she asked frantically, looking up into the scared green eyes of her partner.
"I dunno," James admitted, turning around and calling Meowth's name.
"Meowth!" she called, following her male partner's lead, hoping to get a response.
"OVER HERE!" James cried after a few moments. She ran over to him and saw him, tears streaming down his face as he cradled a small, bloodstained form to his chest. She felt her stomach turn. Meowth was barely recognizable, beaten, scratched, bloodied, and scuffed by the dirt.
"No," she whimpered, her eyes filling up with tears.
James let out a sob in response.
Then, ever so slowly, Jessie saw a blue eye open. Meowth let out a weak moan.
"Meowth?" James questioned.
"We have to get him to a pokemon centre!" Jessie decided.
It was a day that they would always remember, the day they lost their best friend. They had managed to get Meowth to the Viridian City pokemon centre. Nurse Joy had taken him immediately, not even bothering to question them about what happened. Jessie and James were left in the waiting room, staring blankly at the door that lead to the emergency room, hoping against hope that he would come back to them. At some point, Nurse Joy must have called Officer Jenny, who took their statements, obviously thinking that they were the ones responsible for Meowth's state. It hadn't taken Jessie too long to correct her of that. Though they were technically fugitives from the law, Jenny had shown compassion for them as they waited and worried about their friend. She even managed to find them something to wear besides their tattered, bloodstained uniforms and offered them first aid for their minor injuries.
Jessie and James waited in the waiting area for hours. The sun had gone down and the room darkened, Nurse Joy too busy to bother to come out and turn on the lights. Sitting there, in the room lit only by the light of the moon, they were overcome by just how much Meowth's absence would damage them.
No more sarcastic quips in that strange accent.
No more crafty plans or over-the-top mechas.
No more devious laughter to mix with Jessie's.
No more playful ribbing at James's expense.
No more splitting food three ways.
Jessie and James sat in one of the longest and most painful silences in all their history together, waiting for that door to open.
"Jessie? James?" Nurse Joy's soft voice cut through the dimly lit room. They both jumped to their feet.
"How is he?" they asked at the same time, anxious, hopeful, and fearful. The friendly nurse's eyes drooped. Jessie felt her heart sink and James felt his stomach drop.
"I'm afraid we've done all we can," she told them, "His injuries are too severe. Even as we try to operate, his body is shutting down."
"N-No!" Jessie gasped. James couldn't speak as more tears spilled from his eyes.
"I think," Joy said, choosing her words carefully, "That the best thing we can do for him now is to let him go peacefully," she said, her heart breaking as she watched the young man and woman react. Jessie grabbed onto James as a sob of grief wracked her thin frame. James grabbed at the wall for support, looking as though he was going to be physically ill.
"I have the medicine to do that," she explained, "but, before I do anything of the sort, I want you to know that he'll be coming out of the anaesthetic in the next few minutes. I could give him the medicine now before he wakes up, or we could wait until after he wakes up, to give you a chance to say-"
"Goodbye?" Jessie choked out, "We want to say it," she said, not even bothering to consult with James, knowing that he felt the same.
"Alright," Nurse Joy nodded, "Now, he'll be a bit groggy, as he will still be under the pain medication," she explained as she led them deeper into the pokemon centre. She led them to a room. Jessie and James saw their partner lying on the bed, hooked to an IV and covered in bandages from the failed attempts of Nurse Joy and her chansey. Nurse Joy remained by the door as Jessie and James sat in the two chairs that had been prepared for them.
"Oh, Meowth," Jessie moaned, suddenly feeling guilt wash over her. Despite Joy's testament that Meowth would still be under the pain meds, there was no doubt in Jessie's mind that as soon as he woke up, he would be in pain. It seemed selfish of her for wanting to prolong his agony. She felt James grip her hand. They sat and waited some more. Then, they heard a small moan and Meowth's eyes opened. They were glassy as he took in the sights of his friends, slumped in their chairs, tears streaming down their faces.
"It's bad, huh?" Meowth said weakly, his voice hoarse. Jessie reached over to hold his paw. James clenched his eyes shut before he nodded.
"Very bad," Jessie admitted.
"I'm dyin'?" Meowth asked. Jessie felt her heart break.
"Meowth, why'd you do that?" she whimpered, a sob overtaking her.
"Crazy, I suppose," he gasped, "But den, I love youse two."
"We don't want you to go," James protested, his voice weak to his ears.
"Just one of dose tings, Jimmy," Meowth said, "It's okay."
"No."
"No, its not."
Meowth let out a weak chuckle at his humans. Always so stubborn. He felt James stroking his head and Jessie stroking his paw and sighed, "'Sides, dis isn't da end."
"Meowth-"
"We said toggeda foverver," he reminded them.
"But we won't be together," James protested.
"But we will be," Meowth told him, "Someday, again. Dis is just so long for now. It ain't a goodbye. Dis is a see you later… Right?" he asked, and Jessie and James could see that he wanted their assurance that one day, they would meet again.
"Of course, Meowth," Jessie managed.
"Right," James echoed.
"Wish I could hug you guys," Meowth muttered.
"Maybe I can help with that," Nurse Joy said, coming forward. She gently unhooked the IV from his arm and gently picked him up, causing him to wince a little, and offered him to his best friends. James whimpered longingly, yet unsure. Jessie was the one that took Meowth, cradling him with a tenderness she rarely showed. She placed him between her and James and they embraced him, holding him as if he were an infant. Jessie caught Nurse Joy's eye in thanks.
"It's time," Joy told them. If possible more tears streamed from their eyes.
"Tank you guys," Meowth said weakly, not looking at Joy as she prepared the needle, but up at Jessie and James.
"For what?" James asked, stroking his head.
"Dis," Meowth said, "Us. I never thought I'd ever have dis, a family. I was alone on da streets, abandoned. I never thought anyone would care about me and den I met youse two and den it was like I had a purpose, like I actually meant somethin'. Tanks for bein' my family."
"Meowth, we love you," Jessie said, not looking as Nurse Joy gently stuck the needle into the cat.
"More than anything," James added.
"Meowth loves youse two, too," Meowth whispered.
And then, he just closed his eyes like he was going to sleep, leaving his two best friends sobbing and mourning their best friend in the world.
Jessie and James felt numb as they watched the casket holding their friend get lowered into the ground. Things were said over his grave. Joy commended Meowth on his will and love. Each of the twerps had something to say about Meowth's spirit. Even Pikachu chattered down at the grave, no one knowing what the electric mouse was saying, but everyone knew that while they were enemies, Meowth and Pikachu thought very highly of each other.
When it came to Jessie and James's turn to speak, they stood together in front of the tombstone. They were momentarily speechless, forcing words to form.
"What can we say that hasn't already been said?" Jessie wondered, "You were a brave, loyal, unique pokemon and I wish I could have told you all that, but then, I think you knew all along how I felt. I know we butted heads all the time, but deep down, I think we always knew that we loved each other."
"I think fighting was your guys' own demented way of showing affection," James added, smiling, "Meowth, you were the best friend that anyone could have asked for. You made our little trio complete and I know that you'll always hold a place in out hearts. It was an honour and a privilege to be your friends, and most importantly, your family."
"Together forever, that's what we said," Jessie continued, "And that's how it'll always stay. Someday, we'll se each other again, like you said."
"So we'll see you later," Jessie and James said together.
And then the funeral was over. Jessie and James stood for a moment, looking at the grave as red, orange, and yellow leaves fell from the tree to the ground. They stood there for a long time, remembering all of the times they shared with their fallen friend. They remembered fighting and reuniting, scheming, dressing up in disguises, battling together, hugging each other…it felt so wrong to leave him there.
Finally, they felt the autumn chill and were forced to go inside the pokemon centre, where Joy and the twerps invited them to eat supper with them. They talked for a while, slowly (and perhaps grudgingly) realizing that the twerps weren't so bad. They listened as the twerps recounted the good times they had with Meowth and they even shared a couple stories of their own. At one point, Jessie noticed that James had gotten to his feet and moved away from the group.
"James?" she questioned, sitting beside him on the same bench that they had sat on when waiting for news about Meowth's condition.
"I have a headache," he told her.
"Me too," she admitted, leaning into him, understanding that all the mourning and crying was taking a toll.
"Wanna go?" he asked. He felt her nod and then the two of them got to their feet, said goodbye to the twerps, and walked together back to the hotel room.
James flopped down on the bed, not even bothering to undress. Jessie lay down beside him; each feeling as if they had just ran a marathon.
"Long day," he commented.
"Very," she agreed, closing her eyes. She felt him take her hand in his. She responded by rolling on her side, using his chest as a pillow, letting him know that she was there. For a moment she focused on the slow rhythm of his heartbeat, a newfound appreciation for the sound.
"Jess?"
"Hmm?"
"I'm glad you're here with me," he said.
"Me too," she replied, opening her eyes to look up at him, "I don't know what I'd do without you," she told him truthfully. She cursed the little tear that escaped at the thought of him not being with her. He noticed her wiping it away. He frowned a little and suddenly moved, surprising her. Then she felt his soft lips on her cheek, placing little kisses down her face, down the same path that that tear had taken towards the corner of her mouth. Then his lips found hers. There was no hesitation on her part as she responded to him, her hands reaching up to rake through his hair. She felt him caress her cheek, as he kissed her. She longed for more. Then he pulled away.
"I love you, you know," he told her in a whisper, "More than a friend."
"I love you too, James," she responded, reaching up to push that little strand of blue hair from his eyes, "More than a friend."
"It kills me that it took something like this," he said, "to make me realize that life's so short…too short to be wasting chances."
"Maybe we ought to start taking them," she replied, her hand caressing him down his neck and coming to rest just above his heart, feeling it accelerate to her touch.
"Together," he agreed, leaning in to kiss her more passionately than before, for the first time that day feeling as if there was some light at the end of the tunnel.
AN: So...reviews? And don't worry, I'm totally prepared for the understandable indignation for writing Meowth's death. See, this is a story about loss and finding a way to carry on when all you want to do is curl up and cry. The reason that I chose Meowth is not because I wanted Jessie and James to have a moment, but because he is a big part of their lives and it's easy for readers to connect with Jessie and James as they mourn that loss. I'm sure than many readers have a valued pet friend in their lives and the sad part of life is that someday, you have to say goodbye to them, your loving companion. You never forget them, but you have to find a way to start over.