I originally wanted to skip this episode, but then the Gabby Petito incident happened and it ignited something within me after watching the episode multiple times; Jessiebelle clearly abused James (which is what Brian Laundrie did to Gabby before she was killed by the hands of her former fiancé) while James' parents did nothing to help or protect him. So I'm dedicating this chapter to Gabby Petito. May her spirit rest in peace.

If you're in an abusive relationship; verbally, mentally, emotionally, physically, leave immediately! Your partner will never change no matter how many times they promise they will never hurt you again! I've never been a victim of domestic violence, but I've heard stories from my mother about her second husband and her father.

Disclaimer: I do not own any Pokémon characters! I only own my OCs!

Chapter 29: Holy Matrimony

The weather was nice as my brother, friends, and I were heading towards the closest city. We had been out in the wild for a few days and we wanted to get a little break. Of course, our main goal was to reach a harbor city south to catch a ferry to Cinnabar Island.

I was in an extra happy mood because Oliver had decided to finally evolve, so I evolved him with a Leaf Stone after we ate breakfast this morning. He was now a Vileplume, ready to rock the League.

Brock was taking good care of the Pokémon Egg he and Misty found while Ash and I got trapped in that underground cave in Grandpa Canyon. We sometimes took turns to carry and cradle the egg, but it wasn't showing any signs of hatching.

"The Cinnabar Gym Leader, Blaine, is specializing in fire-type Pokémon, so I suggest you use water-type Pokémon against him", Misty explained while we were talking about the upcoming Gym.

"Or rock or ground-type Pokémon", Brock spoke up. "Those are also super-effective against fire-type."

"I guess it means I'll have to go with Wanda, Kabo, Hunter, and maybe Kobra, since he still knows Dig", I said.

"Hunter… That's Aerodactyl, right?" Ash asked nervously.

"Yeah", I nodded.

Ash swallowed nervously. "D-Do you really have to use him, sis…?"

"Well… If I want to get the type advantage", I replied before I figured out why my brother was asking this. "Are you scared Hunter might try eating you again?"

"Y-Yeah, a little bit…", Ash laughed sheepishly.

"Pika pika…", Pikachu mumbled softly.

"Aerodactyls were known to be one of the most fearful predators millions of years ago, so taming one might be quite the challenge", Brock pointed out.

"Hmm… Then how about I'll try taming Hunter separately?" I suggested.

"Well, that would make me more concerned over your safety, Ashley", Brock cold sweated lightly. "Hunter might try hurting you without realizing you are his Trainer."

"But if I have my other Pokémon with me, they can help me stopping Hunter before he can even scratch me", I retorted.

"That's true, but it might be better if one of us is with you, like me", Misty suggested. "My water-type Pokémon might stop him, since he's partially rock-type."

"I appreciate the help, Misty", I smiled softly. "Which Pokémon will you use, Ash?"

Ash thought about it for a moment. "For a full team, I think I'll go with Wartortle, Rhyhorn, Poliwag, Omanyte, Krabby, and one of the Squirtles from the Squirtle Squad. As soon as we get to the next city, I'll switch my Pokémon so I can train them up for the Gym."

"Me too", I nodded.

"Sounds like a plan", Brock said.

"Pika pikachu!" Pikachu suddenly shouted from Ash's shoulder.

We stopped in our tracks and looked at him. "What's wrong, Pikachu?" Ash wondered.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu pointed at something.

We followed his finger and saw a lone bulletin board with a MISSING poster. The picture of the missing person looked like the child version of James from Team Rocket.

"Is that…James?" I mumbled in disbelief.

"It must be", Ash nodded. "The kid in the photo looks strikingly similar to the James we know."

"I never thought I would say this, but he was cute as a kid", Misty commented.

"But why would he be missing?" Brock wondered while cradling the Pokémon Egg.

I took a closer look at the poster, seeing some text under the photo. "It says James Morgan Jr. disappeared ten years ago from his home and hasn't been seen since."

"Did something happen back at home that made him want to run away?" Ash questioned.

Before we could say any more questions, a long limousine braked next to us. It looked like one of those I've seen on television that were owned by rich people. A man dressed like a butler got out of the vehicle in a hurry.

"Excuse me, Trainers, but have you seen that boy in the photo?" he asked.

"Yes, we've seen him", Ash nodded. "But-"

"Splendid!" the butler exclaimed joyfully. "I'm Mr. Hopkins, butler of the Morgan family! Please, come with me to the estate while telling me the details of young master's whereabouts!"

My brother and I looked hesitantly at each other. "What do you think, Ash?" I asked.

"I guess we should go with Mr. Hopkins", Ash replied. "I mean, isn't it our civil duty to tell the family who are looking for their missing one?"

"Well, you're right about that, Ash", Brock said.

"Please, enter the limousine", Mr. Hopkins held the door open for us.

Misty got into the limousine first before Ash, Brock and I followed her. The interior of the limousine screamed luxurious and even had a small but expensive kitchenette where a tea pot was boiling. We placed our backpacks on the floor between our legs while Brock gently put away the Pokémon Egg in his backpack.

Once we all have settled down, the limousine took off. Mr. Hopkins quickly made tea for us with such finesse that you only saw on television. He gave us each a cup of tea before he began explaining the circumstances around James.

"Young master James ran away from home ten years ago without telling his parents why", Mr. Hopkins explained while picking up a handkerchief to wipe his tears. "We've been looking for him ever since with the hopes of finding him alive…" He swiftly changed into joyful mood. "But now you're saying you've seen him, which means he's alive!"

"Yeah, Mr. Hopkins, but he's part of the evil organization of Team Rocket", Ash replied.

"Team Rocket?! The terrorists who dare to cause harm to both humans and Pokémon?!" Mr. Hopkins exclaimed angrily.

I flinched back and held onto my brother's right arm with my left hand. I didn't really like it how Mr. Hopkins suddenly and dramatically switched moods.

"Y-Yes, sir…", Misty stuttered sheepishly. "He and his two companions have been chasing us from time to time to steal our Pokémon, especially Ash's Pikachu."

"Pika pika…", Pikachu sighed in defeat.

"I still find it a little hard to believe that James is coming from a rich family", Brock commented softly. "His parents must've missed him a lot."

Mr. Hopkins' expression fell as his eyes became glassy by tears. "Yes… But… Tragedy struck the estate not long ago…"

There was something really off with this butler. I couldn't put it into words, but my sixth sense was giving me red flags.

XXXXXXXXXX

Half an hour later, we arrived to the Morgan Estate. The estate was bigger than any shopping malls I've ever seen. There was another house, which was a little smaller than the main house.

"Who lives in this building, Mr. Hopkins?" Ash questioned.

"This doghouse belongs to young master's first Pokémon, Growlie the Growlithe", Mr. Hopkins explained. "Growlie was young master's first Pokémon, so Master Morgan had this built for him long before young master ran away."

There was a sudden smack against the twin doors of the doghouse. It soon stopped before a howl came from the building.

"Is Growlie locked inside the house?" I asked.

"Unfortunately, it's due to young master's fiancé's wishes", Mr. Hopkins explained.

"James has a fiancé?!" my brother and our friends exclaimed in shock.

"Pikachu?!" Pikachu did the same.

"Yes, she's like a delicate flower who is very frightened of fire-type Pokémon", Mr. Hopkins explained before he walked to the front of the main building. "Follow me, Trainers."

We followed the butler into the main estate and stopped in our tracks as soon as we stepped inside. The first thing that greeted us was the display of two coffins in a bed of white flowers. On the wall, in between the coffins, was a family portrait of James' parents and himself.

"Coffins?!" Misty exclaimed in shock. "W-Was there a funeral here…?"

I shivered at the sight of the coffins and hid behind Ash. This whole place was giving me the creeps.

"My master and mistress lived with broken hearts over the loss of their son", Mr. Hopkins explained as he wiped his tears with his handkerchief. "Unfortunately, they couldn't take it anymore and passed away this morning by broken heart syndrome. Because young master James is the only heir, this estate now belongs to him."

"This whole place is going to belong to James?!" Ash exclaimed in disbelief.

"Yes…", Mr. Hopkins nodded sadly. "It was my master and mistress's last wishes and is clearly written on their will."

My brother and friends grew sad before Ash removed his cap to show his respect to James' deceased parents. I carefully stepped to the side and bowed my head softly to show my respect, even though I was still getting the creeps of the whole place.

"It's such a tragedy…", Misty whimpered softly.

"It was very cruel of James to leave his parents…", Brock nodded.

"I hope he'll come back real soon so he can say…goodbye to his parents…", Ash mumbled.

"Real soon?!" Mr. Hopkins yelled angrily through a megaphone he had grabbed out of nowhere. "According to master's will, young master must return home within twenty-four hours after his parents deceased to marry his fiancé, or else the whole estate will be donated to charity! Therefore, I must find him at once, even if it means I must contact Team Rocket myself to drag young master back home!"

I jumped with a shriek by the sudden loud noise and hid behind Ash again while covering my ears. This was getting too much for me.

Ash noticed how I tugged onto his jacket on his back, knowing the signal. "W-We understand, Mr. Hopkins. Can we go outside to talk about this?"

"Most certainly!" Mr. Hopkins nodded while lowering the megaphone.

Without another word, Ash turned around and grabbed my hand before leading me out of the estate. Misty and Brock followed us so we could talk about what we had just witnessed.

"Is everything okay, Ashley?" my brother asked.

"Y-Yeah…", I nodded softly as we sat down on the porch. "It's just…too much to take in right now."

"Because of the megaphone?" Misty wondered.

"No, not just that…", I shook my head while cradling my hands close to my chest. "I feel…weird. As if nothing in this estate makes any sense."

"What do you mean?" Brock wondered.

"Like… Mr. Hopkins' swiftly changed mood, James' Pokémon being locked inside the doghouse against its will because of his fiancé, and his parents passing away with that will saying that he must marry the fiancé within twenty-four hours or else he'll lose everything…", I counted on my fingers. "I wonder if the weird feelings I have about this place is the reason why James ran away…"

"Well, whatever the reason is, those were his parents and they should want the best for him", Ash shrugged. "That might be why they said in the will that he should marry the fiancée, so he can have a happy life."

"Are you suggesting we should go and find him?" Misty asked confusedly. "He, Jessie, and Meowth are often on our tail wanting to steal Pikachu and our other Pokémon!"

"Pika pika!" Pikachu nodded irritably.

"But James should have a chance to say goodbye to his parents", Brock added. "They're still flesh and blood. No child should lose the chance to say goodbye to their beloved ones. There was a time I thought Dad passed away while going on his so-called 'journey', and I felt really down that I wasn't able to say 'bye' to him."

"I guess you've got a point…", Misty mumbled sadly. "My sisters and I lost both our mom and dad when I was just five years old, but we were able to attend their funeral and wish their souls peace in Heaven."

"Y-You lost your parents so young…?" I gaped in shock. "I'm sorry, Misty…"

"I'm sorry too…", Ash nodded slowly before wrapping an arm around Misty's shoulders. "You and your sisters must miss them a lot."

Misty nodded slowly with a soft hum. "After the funeral, Daisy took both roles as a mother and a father to raise Violet, Lily, and me. She worked so hard to raise us while being the Cerulean City's new Gym Leader. Seeing her struggling made me determined to one day take over the Gym to lessen her burden."

"That's nice of you, Misty", I commented softly. "I'm sure you'll become a great Gym Leader."

"Thanks", Misty smiled sadly.

"Ashley and I can relate to missing a parent too", Ash spoke up. "Our dad left on a journey when we were small and we haven't seen him ever since. He sends letters from time to time, but he's never called to talk to us."

"He's still sending letters, so we know he's alive, but far away from home", I added.

"Chu…", Pikachu whined sadly.

"Looks like we all know what it's like to miss a parent…", Brock mumbled softly.

"C'mon, James! What's the matter with you?!" a familiar feminine voice suddenly shouted from the bushes.

The five of us snapped our heads up as we saw Team Rocket, but they weren't in their usual uniforms. James was wearing a navy blue suit while Jessie and Meowth were wearing black outfits that resembled invisible ninjas, except they were as visible as a naked sky.

"You've gotta go and marry your fiancé so we can get the money!" Meowth added.

"I don't want to get married! Nonono!" James shouted hysterically while struggling in Jessie's arms.

"Team Rocket?! How long have you been here?!" Ash shouted as we quickly jumped up on our feet.

"We overheard everything what young master's butler said about the inheritance and money, so we'll force James to return home so we can get the cash!" Jessie explained.

"So, relax, we're not after your Pokémon…today", Meowth added.

"I don't want to! I don't want to!" James repeated, looking very scared.

His reaction of not wanting to return home added more of the suspicious feelings I had about this place.

Jessie was now losing her patience. "Meowth!"

"Right!" Meowth nodded before he jumped up on James and tied a handkerchief around his companion's mouth. "Now, everything is ready!"

"It's time for Operation: Obtain the inheritance!" Jessie announced. "And stay out of this, twerps! It's time for the adults to shine!"

"Um… Okay", Ash sweat dropped before he remembered something. "But show some respect to James' parents! They're still his mother and father!"

"Mmm! Ummumm!" James shook his head, unable to say a word.

We walked off the porch and hid behind a wall as Jessie and Meowth grabbed James' limbs and forced him to knock on the door. Seconds later, Mr. Hopkins opened the door and got so happy for seeing his young master again. Without thinking, he dragged in James, Jessie, and Meowth inside the estate and closed the door.

My brother, our friends, and I were dumbfounded by what we just saw. "Didn't Mr. Hopkins see Jessie and Meowth?" Ash asked confusedly. "They were literally standing right there."

"Pikachu?" Pikachu tilted his head to the side.

"Unless Mr. Hopkins have a really bad eyesight", Misty retorted.

"Let's follow them", Brock suggested. "We might have to step in if Jessie and Meowth mess things up."

I didn't really like the idea, but I was in no position to exactly argue back. Besides, this might sound weird, but I was a little worried about James.

Brock, being the oldest, snuck up to the front doors and felt the knob. It was unlocked, so he carefully opened the door. When he did that, we heard two new voices, so we carefully peeked inside and saw the coffins were open with James' parents alive!

"James' parents were alive this whole time…?!" Misty gasped in a whisper.

"Why would they do such a horrible thing and fake their deaths…?!" Ash said irritably. "That's so low…!"

"Pika pika…!" Pikachu growled softly.

"Maybe they used that trick to get James back home…?" Brock said.

"Hopkins, begin the preparations for the wedding!" Mrs. Morgan told the butler.

"Yes, Mistress!" Mr. Hopkins bowed.

"But before that… There is someone very special waiting for you, James", Mr. Morgan said. "Let us go upstairs!"

James' body language showed clearly that he wanted to turn around, but Jessie and Meowth forced him up the stairs, following the parents and the butler.

I was still quiet and a little stunned over one thing. "Not even the parents have said anything that shows they've seen Jessie and Meowth…", I pointed out.

"Something definitely doesn't feel right, if they ignored Jessie and Meowth", Misty said.

"Let's follow them upstairs and see what happens next", Ash suggested.

"Or we can wait until they come down and see what might happen", Brock said. "This is now a family matter and we shouldn't get involved."

"True…", Ash mumbled before rubbing the back of his head.

XXXXXXXXXX

It didn't take long before James, his parents and butler, Jessie, and Meowth walked down the stairs from the second floor. This time, they were accompanied by a young woman who was like the splitting image of Jessie, except for a few differences, like their hair style and hair color.

"Jessiebelle, dear, why don't you and James head down to the vault in the basement and count the money our boy will inherit as soon as you two get married?" Mrs. Morgan asked.

"Yes, Mother. It will be such a lovely pleasure to spend the time we've lost, my James", Jessiebelle smiled.

James started panicking even more, but Jessie and Meowth had a firm grip on his limbs, preventing him from leaving.

"Take as much time as you want to make up for all these years, my soon-to-be daughter-in-law", Mr. Morgan said. "My wife and I shall have our own date in the garden."

With that said, the group split up. The young adults went to the basement while Mr. and Mrs. Morgan walked outside with Mr. Hopkins. We hurried to get out of the way and hid behind the wall, watching the adults heading to the garden.

"Well… It looks like everything is normal", Ash said.

"Maybe we should leave now", Misty suggested.

I was quiet as I thought about Jessiebelle. She did look like she was the perfect woman on the outside, but there was something else about her eyes. They didn't look…normal.

"I still want to check on James", I told my friends and brother.

"Why, sis?" Ash wondered.

"Something about Jessiebelle doesn't seem right", I explained. "My sixth sense is telling me that."

"Are you sure about that?" Brock asked.

"But Ashley's sixth sense has often been right", Misty pointed out. "Maybe a tiny peek won't hurt."

"I believe in Ashley's sixth sense", Ash said. "And like Misty said, a tiny peek is all we need."

"Pikachu", Pikachu nodded.

We snuck into the estate and followed Team Rocket and Jessiebelle down the stairs to the basement. It was dark and cold, and the air was a little thick and humid. It gave me the creeps, but this time it felt even worse than before.

Jessiebelle stopped in front of a vault and pressed a button to open the steel doors. Jessiebelle walked in first before Jessie and Meowth forced James into the vault. The doors were still open, so we hurried inside and ducked behind a big object.

I slowly peeked from the object and felt my gasp get stuck in my throat. This wasn't a vault for the money. The whole room was full of training equipment for sports and even a boxing ring.

"What is this place? Where's the money?!" Jessie spoke out loud.

James finally got the strength to rip his arms out of Jessie's grip and ripped the handkerchief off his mouth. "It's a trap, you imbeciles! Jessiebelle is far from being a noble and gentle lady! She's a-!"

Jessiebelle appeared out of nowhere, but now she had switched her clothes into a jacket and trousers. What made my eyes widen even more was the whip she held in her hands.

"I thank you two ninjas for bringing my James back home, but now I'll take care of the rest", Jessiebelle said.

"She saw us the whole time?!" Meowth exclaimed in disbelief.

"But of course! And so did mother-in-law, father-in-law, and Hopkins", Jessiebelle revealed. "We were just playing along."

"So they did see Jessie and Meowth…", Ash sweat dropped.

"Pika…"

Jessiebelle swung the whip on the floor, frightening James even more. "Oh, James! It's time to pick up the education so you can finally become a gentleman and my husband!"

"J-Jessiebelle…is a sadist…?" Brock mumbled in shock with a soft blush on his cheeks.

"What's a sadist?" I asked.

"It's someone who loves inflicting pain and takes pleasure of it", Brock explained.

"Inflicts pain?!" I gasped in shock.

"Nooo! I refuse! Let me out of here!" James panicked.

"I don't wanna stay here anymore!" Meowth cried as he let go of James' legs.

"She may be my doppelganger, but now I get it why James left his home!" Jessie growled before she turned to James. "You should've told us your parents are screwballs who chose a sadist as your fiancé, James!"

"I tried to tell you, but all you cared about was the money, you selfish idiots!" James argued.

"Now then, let the education begin!" Jessiebelle declared before she swung the whip at James.

James shrieked in fear and quickly dodged the whip that instead hit gym equipment, shattering it into pieces. "No! Please, I want to leave!" he cried.

"We've gotta do something to help out!" Misty shouted.

"Huh?! You twerps are still here?!" Meowth exclaimed when he saw us.

"More people interfering? I believe it's time for my Vileplume to take care of them. Go, my flower!" Jessiebelle called before she threw a Poké Ball.

"Vileplume plume!"

"Oh no, not on my watch! Arbok, help us!" Jessie shouted, throwing her Poké Ball.

"Shaarbok!"

"An Arbok, huh? It suits perfectly for a snake woman like you", Jessiebelle taunted.

"Snake woman?!" Jessie growled. "I'll show you who the real snake is! Arbok, Poison Sting!"

"Vileplume, Petal Dance!" Jessiebelle commanded.

Arbok's poison barbs and Vileplume's rose petals collided with each other and caused an explosion. I dodged behind the equipment with my brother and our friends, hearing James screaming desperately for help.

"I can't watch this anymore! We've got to help James now!" Ash said.

"Right! But the problem is that Vileplume! It looks very well trained", Brock said.

"But if Ash or Ashley calls out their Charizard, they can help out!" Misty suggested.

"But they're too big to fit in here! And what happens if they burn the whole place down?!" Ash argued.

"Growlie! Growlie, help me!" James screamed.

Growlie… Who was that again?

James' Growlithe that was locked inside its doghouse because Jessiebelle hated it!

Without saying a word, I ran out of the vault and away from the chaos.

"Ashley, wait!" Ash yelled.

I ran all the way out of the estate to the doghouse. I grabbed the handles on the twin doors and tried opening them, but they were locked. I could hear how Growlie was desperate to get out by how it tackled the doors from inside.

"Grooowl!" Growlie howled.

"I'll get you out soon, Growlie!" I told him.

"Ashley, what are you doing?!" Ash yelled as he, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu ran to me.

"James' Growlithe is the only Pokémon that can slow Jessiebelle down!" I told them while still pulling on the doors. "We have to get it out!"

"I've got this!" Brock said before grabbing a Poké Ball. "Geodude, I choose you!"

"Geodude!"

"Geodude, try open these doors for us to let out the Pokémon that's locked inside!" Brock said.

"Geo!" Geodude nodded.

I stepped back from the twin doors and let Geodude give it a try. He grabbed the handles and pulled everything he could while Growlie kept tackling the door. Seconds later, the twin doors opened up and a Growlithe ran out with a happy howl.

"Alright, Growlie's out!" Ash cheered.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cheered.

Growlie didn't hesitate to run to the estate. This time, we decided to wait outside and wait whether we should go back and help Team Rocket.

Minutes later, Growlie ran out of the main building with an exhausted James, and Jessie and Meowth behind him. "G-Get in the doghouse! Fast!" James yelled.

We listened to him and hurried into Growlie's house and shut the doors as soon as Team Rocket and Growlie were inside. James collapsed on the human-sized couch with a tired sigh. "F-Finally, I can catch a breath", he said before he looked at Growlie with a happy smile. "Thank you, Growlie."

"Growl!" Growlie barked before licking James' face.

"Well, James, your fiancé sure is despicable", Jessie commented.

"Like Jessie", Meowth added.

"What was that?!" Jessie growled at the talking Pokémon.

"Is Jessiebelle the reason why you left your home, James?" Ash wondered.

James sighed softly. "Yes… She's the main reason why I left. Before I turned ten, my parents and I went to a party where we met Jessiebelle and her parents. I admit I liked her first, but as soon as the engagement was announced and she often came over to 'play', she turned out to be extremely bossy and controlling. She tried her best to change me into being a true gentleman, like what my parents want me to be, and she followed me everywhere, not giving me a break and kept correcting me for everything I did wrong. On my tenth birthday, which was a winter day, I had enough and ran away from home. Growlie followed me for a while, so I was never alone. One night, after not eating properly for days, I was about to pass out when I was found by a Team Rocket grunt who gave me a choice to join the organization and give a roof over my head and enough food to keep my belly full. Knowing what my future would look like if I returned home, I decided to accept the offer. But I still cared about my parents, so I told Growlie to go back home and look after them."

"Oh dear…", Misty mumbled sadly.

"That explains everything", Brock said.

"I don't care nor want the money. I just want my freedom and do whatever I want!" James exclaimed angrily as he pounced his fists on his lap. "I've never liked this luxurious life!"

"Guess even the rich people have problems", Ash commented.

"We are all human, no matter how rich or poor we are", I said.

"Chu…"

"Well, if that's what you want, James, then we won't force you back to your home", Jessie said while crossing her arms. "But… I'm sorry for forcing you into this. If you've told us the truth from the beginning, we wouldn't have done it."

"That's because you never listen to me!" James exploded angrily.

"Geez, we get it!" Meowth covered his ears for a second. "We were blinded by the money you could've gotten, but who cares about it anyway? We might be poor, but we're rich as long as we have each other."

"For once, you sound wise, Meowth", Jessie said.

Growlie barked softly before he grew stiff and suddenly started growling, which caught our attention. "What's up with Growlie?" Misty wondered.

A bright light slowly grew outside of the window, which James noticed and started panicking. "Everyone, get down!"

We hit the floor just before a Solar Beam broke through the wall and window, destroying part of the floor. A familiar voice crackled as Jessiebelle stepped inside with her Vileplume.

"Oh, James dear, the break is over!" Jessiebelle called. "Let's continue the education!"

"Never! Leave me alone!" James quickly jumped up on his feet. "We're no longer engaged, Jessiebelle! I choose my freedom before this marriage!"

"I know you don't mean it, James!" Jessiebelle laughed. "Vileplume, use Stun Spore!"

"Growlie, use Flamethrower!" James shouted.

Vileplume fired a cloud of yellow spore, but Growlie's Flamethrower canceled it and even put Vileplume on fire.

"VILEPLUME VILE!"

Vileplume ran back and forth before it ran to Jessiebelle with the hopes of her helping it. Jessiebelle shrieked loudly in fear and disgust and ran away from her Pokémon.

"Stay away from me!" she cried.

"VILE VILE PLUME!" Vileplume didn't listen and kept running after Jessiebelle.

"Great! That'll give us time to escape!" James exclaimed. "Jessie, Meowth, we're leaving!"

"It's about time too!" Jessie nodded.

"We should leave too!" Ash said.

"Right!" Misty, Brock, and I nodded.

XXXXXXXXXX – James' POV

The twerps ran out of the doghouse first before Jessie and Meowth followed them. Once they were outside, I crouched down in front of Growlie and scratched the back of his ear.

"Thank you for helping me, Growlie", I smiled. "But… I'm afraid I can't return home. I can't live with Jessiebelle as my wife nor have my parents bossing me around to become the perfect gentleman. I want my freedom."

"Ooowl", Growlie barked.

"But promise me you'll continue looking after my parents", I told him. "And maybe one day… One day, I'll come back for you and we'll go on adventures together. Will you wait for me?"

"Growl!" Growlie nodded.

I nodded with a sad smile and gave Growlie one last pat on top of his head before straightening up. I turned around and walked through the hole in the house with Growlie. I took one last glance at my former home. The cold house where I never once felt like I truly belonged in, but I was still very grateful to my parents and I loved them, even though they weren't the best.

"Goodbye… I shall live my life…as a grunt of Team Rocket!"

I ran away from the estate while I heard Growlie howl behind me. Tears flew from my closed eyes as his howls slowly faded away.

Goodbye, my past!

XXXXXXXXXX

Ashley's party:

Firered the Charizard (male)

Oliver the Vileplume (male)

Volt the Jolteon (male)

Kobra the Arbok (male)

Wanda the Gyarados (female)

Chanchan the Hitmonchan (male)

XXXXXXXXXX

Ashley's Pokémon at the Lab:

Rina the Nidorina (female)

Luna the Clefairy (female)

Kabo the Kabuto (male)

Hunter the Aerodactyl (male)

XXXXXXXXXX

Ash's party:

Bulbasaur (male)

Charizard (male)

Pidgeotto (male)

Pikachu (male)

Wartortle (male)

Hitmonlee (male)

XXXXXXXXXX

Ash's Pokémon at the Lab:

Squirtle x4 (males)

Krabby (male)

Muk (male)

Beedrill (male)

Tauros (male)

Rhyhorn (male)

Exeggcute (male)

Nidorino (male)

Poliwag (male)

Dratini (female)

Gengar (male)

Omanyte (male)

XXXXXXXXXX

Misty's party:

Goldeen (female)

Staryu (genderless)

Starmie (genderless)

Horsea (female)

Psyduck (male)

XXXXXXXXXX

Brock's party:

Geodude (male)

Onix (male)

Zubat (male)

Vulpix (female)

Rhyhorn (male)