It was late in the afternoon now: the gang were going on a walk in the county side. As they got to a hill, a blue laser rope tied them together and threw them to the floor. It came from nowhere along with the familiar sound of:
"Prepare for trouble, and accept your fate."
"And make it double: for I HAVE A DATE!"
"To denounce the evils of truth - wait WHAT?!"
"To be honest with you, he's kinda hot!"
"JAMES?!"
"NO THAT'S ME - YOU'RE JESSIE!"
"NO, I - HANG ON, WHAT THE HECK?!"
"I'LL TELL YOU IN A MINUTE JUST HOLD ON A SEC!"
"Meowth: dat's - eh you know what?! Dis card's leavin' the deck..."
As Serena and Bonnie practically wet themselves at how badly Team Rocket messed up their motto, Ash looked at Clemont whispered furiously:
"Why does James have a date with a boy on the exact time you do?!"
Clemont started to sweat nervously and said quietly:
"He was romantic..." Ash cried suddenly: "What does... OMG! CLEMONT WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!" He waited for an answer until Clemont said almost inaudibly,
"I love him."
James grinned and ran up to Clemont, saying:
"Look - I love you to pieces but for the motto and routine to work, I need my rose! Can I please borrow it back?" Clemont sighed and then burst out laughing uncontrollably as James walked closer and fell over a rock. He stared at the twerps and held up the rock, saying; "A rock type?! Well that's Onix-pected."
As they fell about laughing, Ash grew angry, yelling: "How did you blackmail him?! Come on: nobody would ever fall for YOU willingly!" James looked upset and Clemont yelled at Ash: "WELL I DID! I'm sorry that I wasn't supposed to but I did."
Jessie suddenly glared at them, yelling,
"WAIT. You're going on a date with the SCIENCE TWERP James?!" He nodded and Jessie slowly walked up to Clemont, saying angrily:
"You think... you think you can just go and STEAL MY MAN?! I love James and he should love ME AND NOT YOU! You know what you are?? A FREAK! A LOSER! He can do better than you - you don't deserve him! You deserved to be left alone in the big truck with Xerosic, unable to move, unable to speak, feel, see, or just BE. You deserve to SUFFER! I'm going to MAKE YOU SUFFER!"
Clemont was shaking now as Bonnie said confused: "Are you in love with... James?" The science twerp nodded hesitantly and James, seeing Jessie's rage, quickly pressed a button undoing the electrical rope biding the twerps. Clemont stood up and desperately tried to run but the woman got to him first, fire blazing in her eyes as she aggressively began pinning him against a tree. Serena screamed as James ran at Jessie and pushed the pink haired girl out of the way, picking up Clemont bridal style and running down the hill, yelling to the twerps:
"I'LL RETURN HIM BEFORE BEDTIME!"
"Oh my god... THAT WAS AWESOME!" Bonnie yelled. Serena nodded slightly and tried to hide a grin. Ash shook his head and said angrily to Jessie:
"WHY DID YOU TRY TO HURT HIM?!"
She laughed at him and shook her head, saying:
"I love James. I try to show him the I care, that I've loved him almost 5 years now, and then what? He's head over heels for a twerp. How do you think that feels?! I just want to see the boy upset for taking my James - the one boy I ever loved. I wasn't going to hurt him badly; I just wanted to hear him scream a little. And that's why I regret absolutely nothing. The science twerp deserves more than a little beating, but I'm playing nice. So just let me have my fun, and I'll be out of your hair. Or else I'll try to make him suffer by other means. I mean it."
She looked at them angrily and smiled thinly, stroking her hair and walking away from them. Bonnie looked rather scared now and asked: "Is she gonna hurt my big brother?" Serena shook her head and said comfortingly: "No, we won't let that happen."
Meowth looked at the twerps, then to a retreating Jessie and then yelled as he sprinted after her:
"HEY JESS: WHAT DE FU-"
Meanwhile, Clemont and James - having successfully fled to the city - were sat outside a small coffee shop holding hands. The scientist looked at the purple haired boy and smiled, saying hesitantly: "W-what do you want to do?"
The purple haired boy grinned mischievously and laughed:
"Anything you want! Although... there is something..."
The scientist smiled and asked: "What?"
"I want to challenge the Lumious Gym leader. I heard that he's REALLY strong. And REALLY brave, but a REALLY good gym leader too! I want to see him in action."
Clemont blushed and nodded, standing up and linking his arms in James'.
"Lets go!"
The walk there was peaceful - the sun shone, the Pokémon frolicked happily and every now and then, James would randomly bend down and kiss Clemont lightly on the check. The scientist would blush and try to jump and reach James' cheek in return but the male Rocket was too tall!
"Couldn't you have been born shorter?!" He asked incredulously as yet again he failed to reach the cheek of James. As they got to the gym, Clemont pulled away from the purple haired boy and shook his head. Moving so it looked like they were conveniently going in the same direction, he stopped dead as a loud voice exclaimed:
"Clemont? What are you doing here my son? ARE YOU HERE WITH A GIRLFRIEND?! Tell me EVERYTHING!"
"Hello father." Clemont sighed flatly as he was tackled into a bear hug, James looking confused as the scientist shuffled away.
"So why are you here? Where's Bonnie? DO you have a girlfriend?" He pressured Clemont who went red and said:
"Well... I am meant to be meeting someone but -"
"Great!" Meyer exclaimed, putting his hands on the science twerp's shoulders, loudly exclaimed: "I'LL COME TOO!"
"NO - I mean - please don't! It would be awkward and I need to know them first!" Clemont stammered. James looked at him in exasperation and Clemont wriggled out of his father's grasp, calling as he ran off;
"BYE FATHER!"
As he sprinted towards Prism Tower, James found himself struggling to match the scientist's pace! For once, Clemont was actually the faster person!
"Slow... down!" James panted as he got to the blond boy; Clemont going red and abruptly halting.
"What happened there?!" James said angrily. "I was right there - you MIGHT'VE introduced me as your date!" Clemont shook his head nervously and whispered: "I haven't been brave enough to come out to my family yet. He's so obsessed about having a daughter in law that it intimidates me... I'm so sorry James! I'm a coward..."
Burying his face in his hands, Clemont began to cry quietly: James pulled him into a hug and lead him to a nearby bench.
"Do you remember the day your Luxio evolved?" He asked him: the scientist nodded and James continued:
"You nearly KILLED yourself because you used yourself as a ground to charge electricity into in order to save Lumious city, countless Pokémon and your friends. You didn't think - you threw yourself in harms way. Now, if Meyer doesn't see you as the amazing person that did that, and only as a tool for reproduction then he's not a god father! And again with Xerosic: you put everything you are on the line to save innocent people and Pokémon. That's the Clemont I fell in love with coming though, that dauntless, fearless scientist. But you know what?! We can't always be that version of us. I can't always be this 'well-behaved' citizen that abides by the law. You can't always be fearless and confident. That's not how humans are made! It's your weaknesses that bring out your strengths. And it's ok not to be ok! I'm going to love you anyway. I love every single part of you - flaws and all."
The scientist, wooed by the romantic speech, stared into James' eyes and pulled him into a deep passionate kiss. The purple haired boy responded enthusiastically; holding him romantically until a passer by sneered:
"Get a room fagots."
James abruptly stopped kissing Clemont, pulled away from him and stood up in a rage, yelling: "What did you just say?!" Clemont nervously took his hand and whispered sadly:
"Leave it..."
Again, James pulled away from Clemont and marched up to the man, getting in his face aggressively. Clemont ran up and pulled James away before saying quietly: "I'm sorry to disturb you Sir." And with that, he dragged James away.
"WHY DID YOU STOP ME?!" James yelled once they were in the Gym battlefield. "I could've taken him!"
"And that's why!" Clemont snapped, folding his arms and glaring at James.
"You'd have gotten in serious trouble and I'm not dating someone from prison! I love you and that's why I get mad when you do stupid stuff like this that jeopardise your future!"
The purple haired boy frowned and said quietly: "Just because the future is now thanks to science, you don't have to be a huge burden over mine!" Clemont stared at him and replied angrily:
"I had no idea I was just a security blanket to you that now seems to be better as a noose. I'm sorry."
James stared at him and then said with a competitive smile,
"RIGHT! Whoever wins this one on one battle is right. Ok?!" Clemont grinned and nodded, pushing his glasses up and smiled, exclaiming: "You're going down!"
They took there places until a mechanical voice said:
"This is a one on one battle between a challenge and the Lumious Gym Leader Clemont. You are allowed one Pokémon: no substitutions allowed. The aim of this is for you and your Pokémon to be the last ones able to battle - fairly. Are we clear?"
"Yes. Thank you Clembot!" James smiled. The robot raised his arm and said:
"Choose your Pokémon now."
As James sent out Inkay, Clemont sent out Luxray and the purple haired boy grinned. It was going to be a good battle! Clembot then declared:
"MAY THE BATTLE BEGIN!"
Serena was starting to panic as it was well past tea time and yet Clemont hadn't returned. Ash said angrily: "You know what I think? James and Jessie blackmailed Clem to fake dating James so they could stage this and kidnap him! It's possibly you know - it's Team Rocket. Maybe they want him for his scientific knowledge and are torturing him in a secret basement somewhere..."
Serena shook her head and said quietly: "No, or else Clemont would have gotten a message through. I know what a genuine crush looks like, and Clemont and James have one on each other. They're in love!" Ash punched the table in frustration and Bonnie screamed suddenly: "JESSIE!"
They turned around to see the female rocket stood there, glaring at them as she said aggressively:
"Where's your brother Bonnie?!" The little girl shook her head and said shocked: "I don't know! He's meant to be back now but he's not!" Ash stood up and said angrily: "GET LOST!"
She cackled and sneered:
"Not without getting a message to Clemont. So you can let me wait in his tent, or I'll pass the message on through one of you!"
Bonnie quickly said in confusion:
"Why didn't you say so?! I'll pass on the message!"
Jessie walked up to her and grabbed the little girl's arm: Bonnie screamed and Ash stood up with Serena. In the next minute, a knife was in Bonnie's arm - the girl twisting and yelling in agony as Jessie quickly wrote a message in her arm:
"There...we...GO! All done!" The pink haired girl sneered. As she let the kid go, Bonnie clutched her arm in pain and Serena ran to her: Ash yelled furiously: "PIKACHU - THUNDERBOLT!"
The electric mouse sent Jessie blasting off and for a moment there was silence; at least until Bonnie began sobbing hysterically. Serena held the girl close and shook her head saying quietly: "I didn't know that would happen or else I swear, I'd have taken the message."
The little girl gave a shadow of her normal smile as she whispered in pain: "It's ok."
"The battle was electrifying! It really sparked my energy!" James laughed, holding Clemont's hand as they were to the gang's camp - Clemont shook his head and said "Let's be real James: I've heard a lot of bad electric puns in my life but watt you just said was shocking!" They both fell into hysterics at this and kissed each other on the lips. Eventually, they broke apart as James whispered: "Bedtime! Do you want me to tuck you in?" The scientist smacked him over the head jokingly and the laughed as he shook his head, saying: "Maybe give it some time before we get there - Ash in particular needs time to adjust." James nodded respectfully and began walking away, calling; "LOVE YOU LOTS, SEE YOU TOMORROW!" Clemont nodded and smiled at him as he disappeared from his view. Walking into his tent, he was shocked to see everyone else already in it!
"Look: I get that you guys don't like James, but I'm sorry! The heart feels as it feels. And I don't need an intervention..."
Serena shook her head and whispered: "That's not why we're here. There was an incident today..." Clemont looked shocked as Bonnie revealed her left arm. Carved in it was the message in very small handwriting - the scientist had to squint to read it.
'Break up with him. Or else you can expect a lot worse, I swear.'
"Oh god - Bonnie I'm so sorry!" Clemont exclaimed as Ash glared at him and yelled: "YOU COULD'VE STOPPED THIS!" Clemont began to cry as he said quietly: "I know."
Pulling out his phone, he went to text James and put:
(C) Jessie carved a message in Bonnie's arm with a knife when we were gone. I'm sorry to do this but my sister's safety comes before my happiness - and I'm afraid yours too. We need to break up in order for me to save her. If there was any way around it then I would take it but there was a threat too, saying that worse would happen. I can't put Bonnie on the line: you know that. I'm sorry James, but we need to go back to the times where you're Team Rocket and I'm just a dumb twerp. Please? If anything happened to her then I'd kill myself - my whole journey has been about protecting Bonnie from harm and if breaking up with you does that then I'm sorry, but that's what I'm going to do. I love you, and today was the most amazing day of my life, but we need to forget it ever happened. Go on a date with Jessie maybe - that might help you move on. She loves you, and she's ALLOWED to love you, which I'm not. My apologies for ending it so soon, but I'm not taking any chances. Always remember that you're an incredible person, a great train, and most of all, a great friend. You're smart, funny, charming, and I'm sure that one day, you'll find somebody able to give you all the love you deserve, but that person sadly isn't me. Goodbye James.
Tears streaming down his face, Clemont put his phone away and hugged Bonnie tight, saying: "I fixed it. You won't get hurt again."
"But what about James?!" She said incredulously. "You really loved each other - he was THE keeper! I knew it! You can't give him up!"
Clemont sighed and smiled, saying hesitantly: "I can for you."
As Bonnie began to cry again, Serena picked her up and smiled, saying quietly:
"Shh, it's past bedtime. I'll put you to sleep, I'll tell you a good story!" This seemed to cheer up Bonnie considerably and she went happily to her tent. Clemont looked at Ash and said quietly: "Are you happy?!" Ash frowned and said sadly, "Suppose he didn't really love you and was using you. What then - would you have gone on another date?" Clemont smiled and said through tears,
"Absolutely. I love him, and for a chance to date him, I'd believe any lie. Even if I knew it was a lie." The raven haired boy grinned and smiled, saying: "Well then: let's help get you two back together!"
"Back toge- Ask no! It'll kill Bonnie and I'm not taking that risk. There... there are more people out there! I'll never forget James, but we only went on one date and we ended up in a fight which we resolved through a Pokémon battle!" Ash looked at Clemont as the scientist stared to sob, crying; "I realised that he was such a good trainer - the bond he shared with Inkay was phenomenal! I beat him (barely) and then we got tea - he payed, and we had dessert! He was so sweet, and caring - he made me feel like a better version of me! I love him, but I shouldn't. There was a price to pay and Bonnie ended up paying it..."
The scientist collapsed into Ash's arms and lay there, sobbing uncontrollably. Ash just sat there, glaring to himself as he knew who was to blame...
Meanwhile, James heard a vibration from his phone and happily picked it up. Reading the message, his face went from happy to shocked to incredulous to mortified to rage. Standing up, he screamed: "JESSIE?! WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
The pink haired girl walked up to him and shook his head angrily, saying in a sassy tone - "Nothing the twerp didn't deserve. I realised that he'd not budge due to physical or mental pain BUT if I hurt his SISTER then I'd have him exactly where I wanted him!" To which James smacked her hard and yelled: "BONNIE'S 9! SHE DIDN'T DESERVE TO PAY THE PRICE FOR ME BEING GAY. AND YOU DID THIS FOR WHAT?! TO GET US TOGETHER?! YOU KNOW WHAT I SAY TO ALL OF THAT?!
FAT. CHANCE. I HATE YOU JESSIE, AND I QUIT THE TEAM!"
With that, he picked up some casual clothes and pyjamas, a small food supply, a bit of money and threw them all in his backpack that had his Rocket Gear in it. Storming out, he looked at Meowth and said quietly:
"You coming?" The cat Pokémon shook his head and James sighed in defeat, fleeing into the night.
It wasn't until he'd gotten into the city that he realised that he had nowhere to go! Jessie was evil, Clemont probably secretly hated him for getting Bonnie hurt, he didn't know where the Pokémon Center was, and it was almost midnight by then! Giving up, he sat under a shop door and curled up into a ball, shivering from the breeze. The wind howled at him as he tried to sleep, but he awake with the only thought in his head being:
'I let him down...'