Part Three
~ ~ ~
The trail grew slightly steeper on the upward ascent. There was still much moisture from the earlier storm, and the ground remained a little muddy. With Team Rocket behind them, the three friends, along with Pikachu, continued their search.
Misty and Brock were a few steps behind Ash and Pikachu.
"Ah!" Misty cried, slipping on the muddy path. Brock was right behind her in a flash to catch her.
"Oops...be careful, Misty. Don't want you to break and bones or anything. But if you got hurt, you know I'd take care of you." He turned slightly red, simply from the bashful look that Misty gave him.
"I know you would, because your the sweetest, cutest guy in the whole wide world!" she told him, flinging her arms around his neck. He hugged her back.
Brock was still holding her in his arms, more closely now, when Ash turned.
"What the heck are you doing! I swear, there's a magnet pulling you guys together! And...Brock! Why are you holding her like that?"
This was the way it had been for the past few hours as they hiked up the mountain trail. Every time Ash looked back at them, Misty and Brock had inched a little bit closer to each other. Ash was a bit stunned. What had come over them?
'They're playing a joke on me,' Ash thought to himself, 'and it's a pretty sick joke, I think!' He felt like hurling whenever he caught a glimpse of Misty in Brock's arms...sick...he felt sick...
"Stop it!" Ash cried, "you know that's the third time that you've slipped, Misty. The trail isn't that muddy! Geez!"
"Well sorry, Ash, but Brock was...just helping me." She smiled secretly at Brock, who smiled back and squeezed her closer to his chest.
"OK, OK...let's just...hurry." Ash didn't care about them...he just wanted to...find the Carefree. Even his mind seemed to be numbed now by Brock and Misty's constant flakiness. He heaved a sigh, and walked on.
* * * * * *
"You know, Jessie," James said, "we've been lying here for an hour...maybe..."
"Shhh..." Jessie hushed softly, "...that's fine with me. I could lay here forever with you, James." She sighed contentedly and lay her head gently on his chest.
James' heart fluttered. "Ohhh...well, in that case..." He rested his arm on the small of her back, closing his eyes...it must be his dream come true. He had no clue what had come over Jessie, but he was totally thrilled with the change in attitude. He never knew that she felt this way: and he never imagined that he could care for her so much.
Still lying on the muddy path they embraced, both tired and even fatigued from the earlier ordeal. James' head still ached from the fall, but he couldn't even feel it now. He'd forgotten it...there was so much on his mind.
A soft rustling came from the far off bushes. James opened his eyes, though not wanting to move, and wondered what the interruption was. He had been completely oblivious to the surrounding forest, and had forgotten about the grassy clearing: everything around him was a dream; he and Jessie being the only reality.
The noise came closer, and James wanted to sigh with annoyance, but didn't want to disturb Jessie. He could hear something break through the bushes close by and now he couldn't help but turn his head to take a look.
"What the...?!" Meowth cried out from the clearing. He jumped out from the grass, mouth wide open in a gape. "Holy something-er-other! Are you guys dead or something? Hellooooo?!"
"What does it look like, Meowth?" asked James, annoyed.
"It....it looks like there's a giant leech on top of you...with a striking resemblance to Jessie!"
Jessie rose her head, eyeing Meowth. "Oh. It's you, Meowth. You didn't have to ruin the moment."
"Yeah, it's me...and I'm obviously the only one here getting something useful done," he mocked. "Like, uh, you know, we're still on a mission, here...does that ring any bells?"
James sat up, his arm still around Jessie's waist. "Mission? Oh, yeah...that. You mean, that Pokemon we're supposed to catch? It's gone now, anyway."
"So?" Meowth said, "That means we find it again! In case you didn't notice, which I'm sure you didn't, I've been following those kids. They went up the mountain trail, and I think that maybe we should catch them, and get them outta our way...for good! Then, the mountain's ours, and all the Carefrees on it! The boss'll flip, and just imagine the raise we'll get!" He beamed.
"That's nice, Meowth..." Jessie said. She idly twirled a lock of James' hair on her finger.
"Well, since I'm now the brains of this operation...not that I wasn't before...I insist that we get on that trail. Come on...the sooner, the better!" Meowth looked at James and Jessie.
"Well...it does sound tempting, Meowth," James told him. "I guess maybe we should follow them. And at least we should look for another Carefree. It's Team Rocket's duty!"
"Whatever you say, James," Jessie said, "I'll follow you." James clutched her hands, and stood with her.
"OK, then, you lovers. Up this way." Meowth grabbed one of James' hands, and practically dragged him and Jessie up the mountain.
* * * * * *
"Ash..." Brock said from behind, "don't you think it would be a good idea to stop? It's getting dark, and Misty and I are exhausted."
Ash hadn't even noticed. He looked up at the sky. The pinks and purples of dusk had already begin to settle, carrying behind them and even greater darkness. The night was taking over the sky, and they would have to stop soon and make camp.
"OK, I guess," Ash told him, "maybe we should stop for the day. We'll get off the trail a little bit and sleep there, under the trees."
They came up to a more level spot on the trail, and went into the trees. There were a few patches of grassless ground, and Ash figured that this was probably the best place to set up their camp.
"We're sleeping here? In these dark trees?" Misty said, shakily.
Brock comforted her. "I'll keep you safe, no matter what." Ash felt like banging his head on a tree.
They stopped, and set down their things. Brock found a place to start a small fire, and Misty and Ash set up the sleeping bags a few feet away.
"Hey, Brock...why don't you cook something?" Ash suggested, hopefully.
"I guess I could," he answered, and opened his pack. "Here...canned soup. I'm too tired to cook anything more involved. Sorry."
Ash shrugged. At least Brock hadn't lost his marbles enough to forget he was hungry.
Ash watched as Misty sat with Brock, slurping their soup, and flirting quietly with each other. He felt sick again, right in the pit of his stomach. No; it wasn't like he was going to lose his lunch or anything--but it was a strange feeling he got. He sighed, realizing he wasn't so hungry any more, and began drawing idly in the dirt with a stick. They just weren't the same, Misty and Brock...even if they seemed like they almost could be sometimes. They seemed the same, but something about how they acted when they were together...it was just unreal. As they sat closer to each other, even to the point where her head was on his shoulder, Ash knew that this joke had gone too far.
Soon after that, they could all feel the exhaustion from the day's events weighing on them.
"I'm going to sleep..." Ash said, and as he saw Brock and Misty rise up to do the same, he added, "...And you're not sleeping together!!!"
It ended up that Ash situated them on opposite sides of himself, just to be safe. It was pathetic, Ash told himself before he nodded off. Maybe tomorrow would be different.
* * * * *
James beamed. He couldn't help it--he had never been so happy. He'd never felt so loved, even when he was a child. The whole way up the trail, the weak-kneed Jessie had been by his side, never letting go of his hand, and whispering in his ear...always at his side. It was definitely too good to be true, but being let down was the last thing on James' mind. In fact, all that was on his mind was...Jessie.
The trail grew steadily steeper. They stumbled up the trail, hoping to come upon more level ground.
James stopped Jessie. "Maybe you shouldn't walk up this trail...it's too steep, and you could get hurt."
"Oh? So what am I supposed to do, then?" She smiled, sensing that he was jesting her.
"This," he told her with a slight smile on his face. He swept under her, and lifter her into his arms.
"Oh!" she cried, "What a good idea...heh heh..." She smiled, looking into his eyes. "You're so thoughtful...and smart...and..." He voice turned more and more serious, her eyes narrowing. She didn't finish. She touched her hand to his cheek, and moved her face closer to his. Their lips nearly met...
"Oh, great!" the voice interrupted, "No more of this! Worry about it later...or not at all, for that matter." Meowth's ever annoying nagging continued. "Sheesh! Get a room!"
James still carried Jessie, though many times he feared that he might slip down the trail himself.
"At least those dumb kids left their footprints. I swear they want to run into us! It's like they plan it!"
"Yeah...sure..." James said, concentrating on the trail.
They passed tall trees, towering over them like a canopy. It was James who first heard the nose coming from the trees above.
"Wait...hear that?"
Meowth and Jessie looked up.
"Hey! Is that...a tail?" Jessie questioned from James' arms.
"It must be a Carefree!"
They heard the noise move into the trees off the trail.
"Let's follow it!" Meowth said, "We can catch one...this is too easy!"
James set Jessie on the ground, and, hand in hand, they walked into the trees, following the noise.
"Still hear it?" Jessie asked.
"Yeah...there it is....over there!" They continued to follow the noise.
"I can't see it anymore!" Meowth complained, examining the trees above. "If we follow it long enough, maybe it will come down eventually."
Team Rocket followed the noise for many minutes, growing more and more intent to see it again. They forgot how far they had strayed from the path, and they wandered farther and farther away with every minute.
They had soon come upon a small meadow in the trees--the sound had vanished. They all gazed up, looking over the clearing, and before their eyes they saw a small house made of logs at the edge of the clearing.
"A cabin!" Meowth exclaimed enthusiastically.
"We can sleep here tonight...as long as nobody lives here, that is...and even so..." James said, hopefully. "It is getting late, anyhow."
"Well, I hope it's abandoned," Jessie said, her hand on James' shoulder.
"Well, let's see."
The Rockets walked up to the cabin, ready for a well deserved rest.
* * * * * *
The three friends awoke early the next morning, to a friendly, sunny sky. They were all in a good mood--well, definitely Brock and Misty. But Ash, on the other hand, still felt a little sick.
Ash just didn't know what was wrong with him. He could only try to choke down the way he felt when he woke up the next morning to find that Brock and Misty were still playing their little game. It was really starting to bother him somehow, but he pretended he didn't feel anything, like he would just keep on playing along with them. They packed up and were gone in an hour.
The mud on the path was for the most part gone, and the weather was quite favorable. Ash stepped out onto the trail, and, hand in hand, Misty and Brock followed.
"The weather is really nice today," Misty said, "and it's hardly even wet anymore!" She looked up at Brock, and they smiled at each other.
"It's a beautiful day," he said, and kissed her on the cheek.
The trail wasn't quite as steep as it had been before, though they were pretty high up now. Ash hoped it wouldn't get steep again--it would only slow them down. They moved on until Ash noticed a fork in the trail ahead.
"Hey, look! There's another way we can go, instead of straight up!" Ash said. "The trail forks out to the left--on a side trail. It looks like it's more level, too."
"That could be good," Brock offered, "maybe we should go that way instead of right up the mountain."
"OK--let's do it! The more places we search, the more likely we are to find a Carefree!"
They turned left at the fork and followed the side path.
Well, Ash was right--the path was far more level than it had been, and less strenuous. Even Pikachu seemed happier with the smoother traveling. They happily treaded down the path, well rested, shaded by the green foliage.
"Hey...it's getting kind of rocky, don't you think?" Brock commented as the path grew a bit bumpier.
"Yeah, I guess it is," Ash commented, "but, just the same--I wonder where it leads?"
They soon realized that all around them the trees grew less densely, and less foliage loomed over them. More grass grew along the side of the path.
"Oof!" Brock cried, tripping, and nearly falling to the ground, "It really is a lot bumpier--this is bad!" Misty held onto his arm.
"Be careful, Brocky," she warned him sweetly.
Ash sighed. Pikachu looked up at him. "Piiika," he agreed. Ash didn't stop.
"Hey...ASH! Watch out!!" Brock and Misty cried out from behind.
"Huh?...Wha...!" Ash tripped on a large rock lodged in the trail, and fell, tumbling into the grass below. He rolled a couple yards through the long grass before he stopped, scratched and bruised, face down in the grass.
"Uh...*cough*...owww," he sputtered, painfully looking up from the ground. He was a little below the trail now, and he looked back and saw that Misty and Brock were running down to him.
Ash turned back, looking down at the ground for a moment in his pain, then looked up to see a dead tree before him. And there, on a branch just feet up from where he lay, sat a Carefree. Ash gasped.
* * * * * *
Team Rocket stopped at the door of the log cabin. James walked to the doorstep, and hesitantly knocked on the wooden door.
"Hello-o?" He called. There was nothing but silence from within.
"Well...is it locked?" Asked Jessie, squeezing his hand.
"Let's find out."
James lowered his hand and clutched onto the knob. He turned it. The door creaked open slightly. James swung it open completely, and peered inside the dark room.
"What are you waiting for," Meowth questioned, "a Slowpoke to bite you in the leg? Hurry up! Don't be scared of the dark. Geez!" He nudged James.
"OK...you could calm down a little!" James hissed. He stepped in to the room. Jessie followed him, and Meowth hopped inside after her.
The door closed behind them, and they turned.
"Huh?"
Suddenly, something fell from the ceiling, and landed on top of Team Rocket. The lights flashed on.
"What the...? Hey!" James wailed, squirming around his confinement.
Jessie covered her eyes. "Oh, no..."
"Ha ha! Yes! I gotcha!" A voice said triumphantly.
"Ah! James, I'm scared! Hold me!" Jessie cried, burying her face in his shoulder.
"Err, calm down...it'll be OK..." He held her in his arms, appalled.
"Who's there?" asked Meowth, annoyed. They looked up to see who their captor was.
Before them stood a girl, about 13, with long, shiny black hair that was pulled back in a pony tail, and two strands of her bangs that hung onto her face. She wore a green T-shirt and slacks, and her arms were folded in an aggravated way, a smirk on her face. Her brown eyes looked menacing as she stared at them.
"Ha! I knew there would be someone stupid enough to fall for my little trap!" She laughed. "I'm Starzia, and for your information, I was the only person who knew that Carefrees existed...until you had to trespass on this mountain and try to catch them all!" She shook her head hotly. "Your just so greedy, taking over a Pokemon's home like this, trying to ruin their peaceful existence! I've lived here for years, and when I discovered Carefree, I decided that I would keep them a secret, and make sure no one tried to capture them for battling! They don't want to be captured!" She stopped her outburst, and looked around the cabin. She whistled. "Hey...Carefree! Come here!"
A carefree suddenly ran up to her from a dark corner of the room.
"This Carefree is my friend--we've been working together to catch people like you by luring them here. And I hope you learn your lesson for coming up here and bothering these Carefrees!"
"What's your problem, PokePreacher?" Asked Meowth, "How do you even know that we were trying to catch your precious little Carefrees?"
Starzia smiled. "Because you followed one here...hey, wait...did you just...talk?"
"Yeah, I tend to do that. OK, look--so what if we do want to capture a Carefree? What're you gonna do about it?"
"You really shouldn't talk anymore," James warned.
"Well, your friend's right," Starzia said, "maybe it would be better if you'd be quiet. Here...this should do the trick."
Starzia lifted a small pouch from her pocket and from it removed a white powder, which she powdered onto Meowth's face.
"By the way...that powder will put you to sleep in a minute. So...do you two want to find out for yourselves, or will you cooperate?" Jessie shivered, and James shook his head, very surprised at what was going on.
"Hey..." Meowth said, beginning to drift off into sleep.
"Hm. Well, since your here, and you've already made me mad...I guess I'll have to punish you for being so heartless."
James' eyes grew wide. "But...hey, can't you just let us off with a warning? Pleeease?"
He wasn't sure what else he could do besides beg this girl to let them free.
"I'm sorry, but maybe you'll finally realize what it's like to be captured and confined, whether you like it or not. You should learn that Pokemon have feelings, too!"
After that, Starzia tied them up with rope, and placed Jessie, James and the sleeping Meowth in the corner of the cabin.
"Well, have fun," she said mockingly, and walked into another room, closing the door, and leaving the captives to darkness.
James looked at Jessie next to him in the moonlight that poured in through the window, his face puzzled. "Well...was that ever odd. I don't know if anything stranger has ever happened to me! What a crazy person!" He couldn't believe what had just happened. "I mean...wow!"
Jessie looked at him, a pleading look on her face. "What're we going to do now, James? We're stuck here with some crazy girl and I'm...I'm scared!" She paused. "I would feel so much safer if..if you...could hold me."
James only wished he could comfort her--he would do anything to take the fear out of her face. He sighed. "We'll get out of this, Jessie...we've been through far worse."
"Maybe..." she said, her voice trailing off.
"Please...don't be afraid...I can't stand to see you afraid," James pleaded. He looked up, facing her. She looked at him.
As he saw her eyes, he looked into them--deep into her. She must trust him--he hoped she did. He loved her so much then, suddenly, and something inside of his heart was telling him something, admitting that he really loved her more than anything else. He only wanted to comfort her, to hold her in his arms. All he could do now was look into her eyes. Yes, he truly loved her. His eyes still gazed into hers, as his mind raced. He loved her so much...but what was it about her...something vague, something unsure deep inside of her heart. He couldn't quite pick out what it was, exactly, but...oh, maybe it didn't matter.
James couldn't take his eyes away from hers--there was something there, something asking him to reach into her, pleading with him to do the one thing he could do to comfort her. And then, all James could do was lean over and, slowly and delicately, moved his lips to meet hers. They touched. Time froze, James' racing mind seemed to cease for that moment, like all of his questions had been answered, and all his problems solved. He didn't want to leave the moment.
Jessie suddenly felt entranced in James' kiss...she felt so refreshed, forgetting her plight, and something about it was so intense, she forgot where she was, lost in a dream...something within in her suddenly changed, and she didn't want the moment to fade away...
Abruptly, the kiss ended. James and Jessie looked at each other in surprise, but were somewhat satisfied. Jessie opened her mouth to speak.
"Wha...what was that...?"
James looked down for a moment, a bit frazzled.
"I'm...not sure, myself," he gasped. Then, a moment later, he ventured, "Did you...like it?"
Jessie smiled. "Yes...more than anything..." she told him, truthfully.
They smiled at each other, somewhat embarrassed, but also satisfied.
"I...I guess we should get some sleep, at least," James suggested, not knowing what else to say at the moment.
Jessie nodded slowly. "I guess so...but, not until...you give me another kiss goodnight..." she told him, gazing into his face.
He was nervous, but only because he was so astounded. He leaned over once more, closing his eyes, and kissing her as meaningfully as he could. He knew that the vague place he sensed in her heart was no longer empty, but her heart was filled with pure, true love...she felt something for him now, certainly.
They slowly pulled away from the kiss, opening their eyes.
James smiled after a moment, and said, "So...now shall we try to get some rest?"
Jessie smiled, shakily. "Yeah, I guess so." For another moment they gazed at each other, and then Jessie finally said, "Goodnight, then...I love you, James." She turned, closed her eyes, and whispered, "And...thank you."
"Goodnight," James whispered back. He then closed his eyes, and slowly surrendered to sleep.
Part 4 coming soon!