"I Need a Hero"
"Now there's no reason to be scared that you're gonna die-that is, unless you cross us. Now here's what you're gonna do." The shadowy man glanced around over the terrified children. "You kids are going to do whatever we say, understood?"
James glanced upwards at the blackness that was the board of the bunk over him, trying to picture Jesse, hoping that those upward shots had kept their distance. He could feel tears of horror swelling up in his eyes, but he kept blinking them back. He had to be strong, neh? In his mind he began to devise a plan that he knew would never work and then started again, hoping that some incredible idea would come.
Jesse kept a close watch on the people who had just broken in and, even through the darkness, recognized the outline of the face of someone of whom she had seen before. She parted her lips and spoke words that were too soft to hear in the dead silence that had arisen after a few bullets whizzed into the ceiling, banging louder than she could remember even a few seconds afterwards. She ducked down under the covers. This is all my fault…I stole that guy's wallet. Jesse kept a close eye on the R-team's guns. If she could see them pointing at anyone… She secretly fingered the cold metal sphere that was hidden under her covers.
"Now we'll make this fast," said the man with turquoise hair that was barely visible in this darkness. "We will come around to every one of your beds, see?" He motioned the first man and a jungle-green haired woman to slowly walk towards each end of the row of bunks. "And then you'll give us your pokémon. Understood?"
Children were shaking and crying, doing as they were told.
"Please, no!" cried a familiar young boy between sobs. "You can't take sandshrew! He's my only- my only family in the world!" The bed was a bunk away from Jesse's, and she watched in horror as the woman snatched away the shiny object that he held next to his heart in protection. "Please…"
James began to whisper in a barely audible voice to Growly, but the dog heard it. He could tell anything that his master wanted him to do. It came with knowing each other from birth. "Hide under my blanket. When I tell you the time is right," James made a gesture with his right hand, tapping the dog on the shoulder, "you'll come out and attack the thieves, okay?" The boy gave the dog a concerned look. "This is the only way that you probably won't get hurt. I'm sorry. Are you willing to do this?"
The dog gave a minute bark of approval as he slipped under the covers and out of sight. It seemed to James that the puppy was happy at the opportunity to show that he was a hero once again.
Now the three people dressed in back met up in front of the two's beds. They were whispering about something and occasionally the leader spun the gun that hung limply at his side. The man obviously knew how to use it, and so it would be a great risk to do anything against his will.
James focused his ears on the words, every once in a while picking up a phrase or sentence spoken by one of them. Even though he couldn't tell who was speaking at the moment when things were said, he could vaguely tell what they were planning.
"…and she deserves to be punished…"
"It was this girl here…"
"…and that's why I say that we take the two…"
"…but what good are kids to us?"
"…we could always…"
James gasped at the next thing that was said, knowing that if it came true their fate was sealed. Unfortunately the gasp was too loud, causing the three to spin back around and glare at him.
James was shaking and he guessed that Jesse was, too. He saw one of the men, the turquoise-haired one, begin to finger his weapon that glistened even in this darkness. James clenched his teeth, trying to brace himself for the ultimate pain that was to come. It all seemed to happen in slow motion to him.
The man raised his gun about his chest and took an aim, straight at James. The boy considered going to the dog for help, but that would mean certain death to his friend, which wasn't worth it, even if it kept the boy living. All he could do was brace for impact. He shut his eyes harder and harder, hoping that not seeing these people would reveal this nightmare as simply that, a nightmare. James heard a click without the boom and began to search for were the pain was on his body, but it didn't come. Quickly, his eyes shot open to see the leader taking his own gun and clicking the barrel of the other's down at the floor.
"We're not here to kill," he reminded the others. "We're here for the…pokémon."
"Yeah, so hand 'em over!" Proclaimed the other man as he reached out to the boy who he had just almost killed.
"And you," said the woman, pointing at Jesse who was curled up in fear in the corner of her bed. "You come with us."
"You want our pokémon?" James asked, slowly pulling up the only courage that he had. He scowled at the outstretched hand.
"Well, obviously," the man, who James now noticed was only about 16, replied in a sarcastic tone. It also now seemed to him that the others were about that age, too.
"Then take 'em if you can!" James cried as he tapped the lump at the end of his bed.
A growlithe launched himself out from under and stood, proud and strong, before everyone. It began to ready itself for an attack, awaiting James's orders. The three 16-year-olds jumped back in surprise from the sudden coming of that pokémon. James smiled as he began to announce the abilities of his pokémon.
"This is the growlithe that I have worked with for years!" His smile grew. "And it know several natural and TM taught attacks. Have fun!" James looked down at the puppy who was obviously ready to attack. "Growlithe, Flamethrower!"
The puppy powered up, and then shot a beam of intensly heated fire at the three of them.
"Maybe we should have…" began the turquoise-haired one.
"…just stayed away today…" continued the woman with jungle-green hair.
"…but that growlithe is quite a prize!" said the black-haired leader, admiring the singes on his clothes.
"You may have one this time!" Cried the woman.
"But next time that growlithe'll be ours!" continued the other man.
The three raced off from the center, dropping the half-full bag of the kids' poké balls to the ground as they retreated.
{[NEXT SECTION]}
"Wow, Growly," began James as the sun rose the next day. "I'm proud of you. You really are a great dog. Which is why…why I'll need to do something, for the good of you."
He gave the growlithe a long hug and whispered something into his ear.
"I love you, Growly."
Author's Notes: So, once again the day is saved by Growly, who happens to be my favorite pokémon to ever be associated in the slightest way to Team Rocket. Now what is James planning on doing? Is he going to go off without Jesse for a bit? Is he going to go home? Back to Pokémon Tech? Is he gonna do something stupid and then return to Jesse? Is he gonna find those people and make them pay (I dunno what for…)? What do you people think? Have a guess and see if you're right when I post the epilogue. I'm sorry that this is sooooooo long. I just have an idea for a novel and here it is… anyway.
I even had music planned for this one. Like when James taps Growly to attack, there's the closing credits to the GBG, and so forth. I hope to see you all for Epilogue and maybe even a new series! I need to thank you all who are really interested in this story and bother to review, I love it when people do that. That is really the one and only reason why I'm posting this chapter. If it weren't for you I probably would have had the prologue and nothing more. Once again, thank you. Now I'm blasting off again!
PokeMaster