The world was theirs. They had joined Team Rocket, they were the rising stars of the organisation and the white tomorrow was within reach.

    And then they attacked the Viridian Pokemon Centre and their lives went to hell for four long years.

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Sweet Poison: a tale of relationships

 Chapter 8

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The cell door was opened, and Jessie span round, her eyes blazing with rage and her face contorted into a snarl. And then she relaxed- it wasn't the guards, it was James.

   And she found herself caught up into a tight embrace, tears running down the side of her neck.

   "Oh god, I've missed you… I've missed you…"

   And to his horror she pushed him away.

   "Don't look at me!" she snapped. "Not at my face!"
   "Jess?"
   "My face. She destroyed my face. I-" She turned away, the shame consuming her. "I look ugly now. I don't want to be looked at. I'm ugly. Just… don't."

    He looked at her face. He looked at the scabbed-over tear across her left side. And still crying, he shook his head and said: "You could never look ugly to me."
   She tried to remain strong. But then all the pain and grief and horror of the last few days come rushing up and hit her, and she grabbed hold of him and she began to cry along with him. And they both fell to their knees, remaining in the embrace and crying like they would never stop. Neither wanted to break the moment- they'd spent too long apart, and they didn't want to again. They wanted to stay together, embraced and sobbing like this until the end of the world.

    Jessie was the one who stopped crying first. She grinned weakly and gently head-butted James.

    "Now you get me going, you bastard,"
    "I-I-I'm suh-sorry. I-It's just… Jesus, I thought I'd n-never see you again…" He tried to choke back the sobs, and failed miserably. "I just can't take it up there. Not without you. I need you. I-I-I… I have to fucking sleep with Jessebelle, it's…"
     "You what?" Red mist obscured her vision. "That utter fucking bitch. Oh, she's gonna pay for that. She puts me through all this, and then she rapes my friends?! Fuck that, fuck her, when I get out-"

    And then she paused, and she stopped.

   "Who am I kidding? I'm not getting out of here ever."
   "Don't talk like that."
   "It's the truth. We've failed. Story of our lives, isn't it? Failure and pain."
   "That's bullshit. There were some good times throughout all of that."
   "Oh yeah. And they were because we were together. You think that's gonna happen any more? How often do you think the bitch'll let you come down here? I mean, she hates the idea, she-"

    Jessie fell silent. She didn't want him to know what was going on. But the silence only confirmed his fears.

    "She's been having them rape you still, isn't she," he said dully. "Even though we made a deal that you wouldn't."
    "Yeah. They did it a lot today- trying to make me suffer so she feels better about letting me see you. No, don't look like that, it's not your fault this happened, and I'll smash your fucking face in if you say that."
   There was brief silence, and then James gently pulled out from the embrace. He walked over to the far wall, muscles tense and his mind a searing flame, and then smashes his fist into the wall.

    "So did that make you feel better?" asked Jessie sardonically.

    "No."

    She got up and started to pace. "I can't deal with this shit. Not any longer. We can't get out of this and it's not going to get better. So tomorrow I'm going to attack the guards and make it so they have to shoot me. Go down fighting." And her voice did not tremble, but stayed neutral, resolute. She looked over to him as he stood in fear, and her face was expressionless. "You'll make your own arrangements?"
   He swallowed. "Yeah."

   "That's good. The final blast off, off to the stars above and all that."

    "Jessie?"
    "Yeah?"
    "Please hold me."

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The dinner party was in full swing, and death crept towards the mansion in his trenchcoat and Desert Eagle guns.

   A great serpent came silently through the grass. He looked towards the figure, jerked his head towards the mansion walls and nodded. The figure smiled and turned to the others. They stood, frightened but ready.

   "We move in three minutes, guys. Take positions."

   The group dispersed, and he began to load his guns.

    "Prepare for trouble, youse bastards. Prepare for trouble."