Morning came, bringing with it sticky, humid air, and a somehow sad feeling over the mountain. James' eyes flickered open slowly, revealing the drab meadow and the ashes of the dead fire. He moved his gaze to the sleeping Meowth, still slumbering peacefully in the grass. James wasn't sure what time it was, but he figured it was late in the morning. He looked down at Jessie, his arm still cradling her. Her head was nestled comfortably in his shoulder, her face was peaceful and serene. He couldn't help but smile--here was the only person who he had ever really loved, and she loved him back; loved him for who he was.
"Jessie, it's time to wake up," he said gently. She stirred, opening one eye, and smiling she opened the other. She looked up into his face.
"That felt like a dream..."
"What was like a dream?" asked James, looking for an answer in her face.
"You, and me--together, watching the fire, you know what I'm talking about. I feel like such an idiot, though."
"Why's that, Jessie?" James asked her, a little surprised.
"Well, you know how I've treated you. I can't believe you still love me after that."
"Yeah, but...why did you change so suddenly? I mean, all of a sudden, you actually...cared about me."
"I'm not sure what it was," Jessie told him, "but...it was so strange. All of a sudden, I saw you, and I felt so...so...different. You know?"
"I guess so," he told her. "But now that you do care, I'd never let you go for anything." "I'd never let you go, either. No matter what!"
"Ah...we've still got this mission...it could be much worse, I think. But...I guess it's not so bad. I mean...I guess you could say we're doing better now than when we started."
"Oh...the mission," Jessie remembered. "Well, let's just get it over with, James. I wonder why we even bother with it. You and I both know we don't want to be here. I mean, it doesn't matter to me anymore." She laughed at herself.
"That's exactly how I feel, but--for Meowth." "I guess. He's just so set on it."
They looked at each other, smiling, and then James rose to his feet, helping Jessie up too. They woke Meowth, who was frantic to realize that he had slept in later than intended, and soon they were back on the weary trail again.
They had walked for a few hours when they realized that the clouds looming above had darkened considerably, and a cool wind had begun to blow .
"It looks like a rain storm," Jessie observed casually, looking up at the sky.
"Yeah, and a big one, too," James said.
"Oh, great, that's just what we need now. This is getting worse and worse, or is it just me?" Meowth moaned. "You know, at the rate we're going, we'll never get a Carefree--or at least it'll take us at least a month to do so!"
"We're not going to stop because of some rain," James assured him, "we can keep walking--for a little while, anyway."
"OK," Meowth said skeptically, "but I'm getting the feeling I'll never take the place of that Persian."
Jessie and James both sighed. They continued to walk, even as the first drops of rain began to fall...
* * * * * *
Ash, Pikachu, Misty and Brock trudged on beneath the gray and darkening sky. The clouds that billowed over the mountain were growing blacker with every minute.
"Ash, I think it's really going to rain--hard!" Brock told him as they continued to walk.
"I was noticing that," Ash said, down hearted. It was like a nightmare--it was getting worse and worse as it went on, seeming farther from reality, and he wasn't sure how it was going to eventually end up.
"Uhm, maybe we should stop, and take cover," Misty suggested, watching the clouds.
"Fine...why not?" Ash said, though honestly he didn't care a bit. He had already informed them that they were going to leave, with little protest from either of them, and they were already heading back to the main trail. Ash felt so useless. He wasn't sure what he'd tell Professor Oak--certainly he'd be very disappointed in him, but...he'd promised Starzia. Ash wasn't sure what he'd do at all--maybe...nothing. Ash just wanted to dig a 20 foot hole, and crawl inside, never to be seen again. Maybe someone could even bury him alive, while he was at it. That might be better than what he was doing.
"Let's set up the tarp, and we can wait for the storm to end," Brock told them.
They set the blue tarp up like a small tent in the trees, and they sturdied it as best they could. It wasn't very spacious inside, but at the very least it was snug, and would keep them dry.
The wind began to whip through the trees, beating on the little tent. Ash sat on one end of their shelter, his arms around his legs. There were Brock and Misty, cuddling, keeping each other warm. He was sure that there was nothing he could do to break their spell. He couldn't stop them.
He was ready to give up hope--they must really, truly love each other. Ash looked down at the ground, breathing in slowly, and releasing it shakily, his lip quivering slightly. A single tear trickled slowly down his cheek, sliding off his chin and splattering in the dirt. He wiped the wetness from his face, denying the fact that something like this could make him cry, but--he shook his head, closing his eyes, trying to forget as he listened as the rhythmic beating of rain began.
* * * * * *
Jessie and James ran, hand in hand, through the rain. There were smiles on their faces, though, and they laughed as the rain soaked them completely.
Meowth trotted along frantically after the two, just as soaked as they were, and then some since he had a fur coat. "Waaaait!" He yelped as he tried to catch up, "Your having way too much fun, and your scaring me! I can't keep up with you!"
"What's not to be happy about?" James cried out, smiling.
"You're making us search in the rain, Meowth! We might as well have fun doing it!" Jessie said.
"You call this searching? You have no idea where your even going!" Meowth sighed. The rain beat down mercilessly over the forest. The once dry trail had transformed into a slippery mud hole, and water dripped down from the trees. The rain was getting harder, too, and the wind wailed amidst the downpour.
Jessie slipped in the mud as she ran, though James tightened his grip on her hand and she didn't fall.
"Whoa! Maybe we do need to slow down a little bit," Jessie admitted.
They slowed to a walk, and Meowth finally joined them as they æsearched'.
"Meowth, maybe it's just me, but...do you seriously think that we'll find a Carefree romping around during a downpour?" James asked, panting.
Meowth looked a little enlightened. "Hmmm. Ya may have a point their, James. Maybe we should find some kinda cover."
James considered. "Well, the thing is, there's no cover here, really--mostly little trees. I bet the trees grow thicker up the path a little. We could see."
"I'm for it," Jessie said, brushing a wet strand of reddish hair from her forehead.
"OK, then, you guys. Let's hurry. I'm freezin'!" Meowth shivered.
James and Jessie began walking faster, as if they'd already forgotten why they had slowed down in the first place.
"Hey! Slow down!" Meowth yowled, "So sue me for have short legs!"
They hurried through the ceaseless wind and rain down the wet trail.
* * * * * *
Underneath the blue tarp the friends were waiting out the fierce storm. The rigid wind whipped at their little tent, and the driving rain beat on it like rocks. There was a kind of chill in the air, and Ash shivered in his corner of the tent.
"Brock--how much longer could this last?" Misty asked him in a shaky voice.
"I'm not sure, Mist. It may be several minutes. It could go on for an hour, for all I know. But don't worry too hard." He tightened his grip around her waist slightly.
Several minutes went by. They were all tired of waiting, and even Pikachu fidgeted nervously as he waited.
Then, like a huge wave crashing unexpectedly on the shore of a beach, the wind fiercely picked up force, and without warning, blew through the tent, rattling the tarp violently.
"Aaaaah! Help!!" cried Misty, hugging onto Brock frantically. Ash held onto Pikachu, his own heart pounding quickly.
The wind tossed the tarp around, and then blew it out of the trees, carrying it into the raging storm. Brock reached up to grab onto it, but the wind whipped it up over the trees, flying out of his grasp and way out of reach.
"Our cover!" Brock yelled over the wind, "It flew way over the trees!"
The driving rain fell over the helpless group--they were without cover, and were cold and wet.
"Let's find something to cover us!" Misty yelled, "I'm sooo cold!"
They trudged through the mud and grass among the small trees, the grass slapping at their legs as they stumbled through it, Brock's arm around Misty, and Ash still carrying Pikachu closely.
"Piiiika!" Pikachu cried nervously.
"We're...trying to...find cover..." Ash panted, running through the course grass.
Ash looked upward at the slope of trees that rose up the mountain. It seemed like the trees grew denser up there a little, but they couldn't get up there...it would be too slippery. There had to be something down here...
Ash's foot suddenly tangled in the lengthy grass, caught, and he landed hard on the ground, flinging Pikachu several feet through the air.
"Oof! Ah..." he looked up. "Oh, Pikachu!" He yelled immediately. He quickly untangled his foot and ran to his Pokemon.
"Pikachu! Are you OK?" he questioned nervously.
"Piii...Kachu." Pikachu answered, jumping into his arms.
"Good...you'll be fine." Ash struggled to his feet, and waded through the grass to catch up to the unnoticing Misty and Brock.
The downpour continued, not ceasing to slow the drenched group down.
"Hey...Brock...Misty...let's get...onto the trail," Ash puffed from behind.
"Oh, Ash! You fell--you're all scratched up!" Misty noticed.
Brock nodded. "That's a good idea, I guess...the trail might be easier to travel on at this point. This grass is tough to get through" He thought for another moment, then added, "I could look for that plastic tarp while you guys wait under a tree--I bet it didn't blow off too far."
They trudged up the grassy slope and to the muddy trail, walking fast and scanning the forest for cover.
"Hey--stop! This tree is pretty big..." Brock pointed to a large tree just a few feet off the trail. It's foliage sheltered over several feet of ground, and it's leaves hung low near the grass. It seemed to be the driest spot around.
"Here, you guys--get under!" Brock told them, "I'll be back soon. I think I can get that tarp back in a hurry, and then we'll definantly be dry."
He ushered Misty and Ash with Pikachu under the tree's foliage. Misty clutched onto his vest as he turned to go. "Be careful, Brock..." she warned, the worry obvious on her face. "I'll be fine, Mist...you know me. You just stay here, and you'll be safe." He leaned back to kiss her on the cheek, and rushed into the storm.
"Hurry..." Misty's voice faded into the wind. She sighed, leaning against the tree's large trunk, and watched Brock's figure vanish in the rain.
She looked over at Ash a moment later. "Ash...what if lightening strikes this tree while we're under it?"
Ash hadn't thought that over. "Uhm--I doubt it would. This tree isn't very tall...lightening strikes the highest thing."
He leaned against the trunk too, not far from her. Brock was gone...he remembered what Starzia had explained to him. He imagined leaning over and kissing her on her soft, pink lips, suddenly shocking her. Then he imagined her slugging him in the face. Ash shook the thought from his mind--he couldn't...--he COULDN'T kiss her like that. It was just a thought, but still, it couldn't work. She must truly love Brock.
He just sat there, staring into the endless rain. He was beyond sadness, even beyond anger. The girl who he truly loved, and had liked as long as he could remember, was sitting there, just inches from him, scared and shivering, wanting for someone to comfort her--the one she loved. She wanted someone to tell her she would be OK, and everything would turn out right. Ash wished that he could be wrapping his arm around her, and talk to her gently. He wanted to apologize for all those fights and outbursts, for being so immature all this time, but...no. The girl he loved wouldn't understand now. She only understood Brock. She was so close to Ash now, but it felt like she was miles away. He couldn't get to her, no matter how much he wanted to.
Ash's gaze was broken suddenly, and he kinked his head, hearing a splashing, sloshing noise in the distance. Ash crawled toward the long grass edging the trail, and peered over onto the path. He looked on both sides of the trail, hearing the noise grow louder. "What's that?" asked Misty from behind.
Ash gazed to the left, determining that as the direction of the noise. "I'm not sure...It's not Brock, he couldn't be back so soon."
He saw then a white blur coming over the trail. He peered harder. Three figures, two in white uniforms. There was a splotch of red on the front of the uniforms...Ash couldn't make it out. Then, a small Pokemon following the two taller figures . Wait...Ash could see the red better...red R's?
Ash gasped in realization. "Oh SHOOT! Team Rocket's coming after us!" He stumbled down to the tree's trunk.
"Oh, no!! What'll we..."
"Come on! We'll...hide. We have to get away from the trail before they see us!" Ash cried.
He took Misty by the hand and dashed into the woods behind the tree, Pikachu following them.
They wove through the trees, hoping Team Rocket wouldn't notice them. Ash pulled Misty through the long grass.
"Piii..." the Pokemon cried from behind.
"Oh, look!" cried Misty, turning. "He's stuck!"
Ash spun around, seeing Pikachu caught in the muddy grass.
He ran back, furiously tearing away the turf and pulling Pikachu away. He clutched him in his arms, and grasped Misty's hand once again, walking quickly.
"I can...barely see...the trail now..." Misty panted.
They dashed through the grass and into a clump of bushes. Suddenly, Ash felt the earth give way beneath him...
There was a ledge which the bushes had covered, hiding it, and Ash had nearly ran right off of it. He was losing balance...he dropped Pikachu down into the grass, and he grappled for the bushes, using them for support as he wavered at the edge of the muddy cliff. But Misty hadn't seen the ledge soon enough.
She plunged toward the ledge, crying out as she tumbled over the edge. Ash tightened his grip on Misty's wet hand, stopping her from falling the 40 feet to the rocks and mud below.
"Ash!! Oh, help me! I'm...slipping...Ash..." she bawled, hanging over the muddy edge. She tried to grasp the side of the ledge, but the muddy edge slid through her fingers. She desperately rose her muddy hand and held on to Ash's arm.
"Please..." she pleaded, tears streaming down her face.
Ash could barely hold on and keep his balance. He gripped the bushes with one hand, and Misty with the other. He could feel himself slipping...
PART 7 COMING SOON!