Light at the End of the Tunnel
Chapter 1
"Ahhhh! Noooo! He's doing it again!" I screamed.
"Pikaaaa-chuuuu!" shouted the small yellow Pokémon, and my partners and I were bathed with waves of numbing and painful electrical energy.
I awoke shaking and wide-eyed, "Not another one!" I groaned aloud.
Jessie stirred in her sleeping bag next to me, "What is it?" she muttered sleepily.
"Just another very bad dream about that Pikachu," I sighed. "This is getting to be way too much. We've got to take some time off or get a new mission."
Jessie sat up looking annoyed, "We can't quit. If we don't complete this assignment the Boss will *never* give us another one. He may even consider us out of the Team. Who knows? We haven't contacted him in months."
"But what if we could find a way to safely quit and do something else with our lives?" I said, suddenly starting to feel weakly hopeful.
"Yeah sure James. Like *that* will work out! We'd be dead in days, hours even. We need to produce Pikachu at minimum to even consider leaving," Jessie recounted, then she flopped back down and turned away from me. "Enough of your fantasies, I'm getting my beauty sleep."
Jessie had planted a seed in my mind. I did not know it clearly at that point, but sleeping on that shred of an idea set me on a provocative path. I turned over myself and tried to get back to sleep.
I awoke bright and early on a dead perfect, cool, lightly breezy morning. Jessie and Meowth dozed quietly nearby. For some reason I felt all optimistic and jumped quickly out of my bag, and set about pulling breakfast together. As I prepped the fry pan, cracked the eggs, and sliced bits of sausage and vegetables into the large omlette I was concocting my mind slid back to my rude awakening of the previous night. What *could* we do about Pikachu and getting the Boss off our case? I pondered these near imponderables as I prepared our usual dose of extra strong, dark coffee.
Meowth yawned and looked incredulously at me, "You're sure up bright and oily," he observed.
"I didn't sleep all that well, and I've been thinking," I said.
"Oy! Dat's dangerous! Yer head might explode!" he wisecracked.
"Very funny Meowth. But seriously, I think there might be a way to solve our twin problems of Pikachu and the Boss."
"I knew it! You are goin' nuts!"
Jessie had come around, and was eyeing us in an unfocused way as she rested on her elbow in her sleeping bag. "What's the fuss? Can't a gal get sufficient rest with you two around? That's *two* demerits on you James, middle of the night, and too darned early!"
I turned to her excitedly, "I think I've figured it out!" I exclaimed.
"Figured *what* out?" was her surly rejoinder.
"What we were talking about last night. I think we can convince the twerps to help us scam the Boss into thinking we caught Pikachu, then make it *look* like the twerps were able to rescue it."
"You *are* nuts!" screamed Meowth. "How're those brats gonna get dat rat back outta Rocket HQ!"
"With a little help from *us* and our Pokémon," said. "It's dangerous, but I think we can do it!"
Jessie was sitting bolt upright with wide eyes. There was a strange mixture of disbelief, confusion, and admiration in those sapphire windows. "You *are* mad!" she breathed, "But it's mad inspiration! It's just crazy enough that the Boss will never see it coming. He might not ever make the connection, he disrespects us so much."
"Ah no! Not you too Jess!" wailed Meowth. "I sp'ose ya think I'm gonna let youse drag *me* inta dis. Well yer *both* nuts!" he said crossing his paws across his chest.
"Do what you like Top Cat, just don't blow our cover with that big meowth of yours," I replied.
"Now wait a minute!" Jessie interjected, "I didn't give this idea of yours my seal of approval just yet. This requires serious thought, I just think it has a chance to work, that's all."
I felt crestfallen, but tried to put on a good face in spite of cold reason tempering my enthusiasm. "We should talk about this and really see if it *could* work. But I understand if you don't trust any ideas coming from me."
Jessie suddenly became uncharacteristically sympathetic and said softly, "It's not that it's *your* idea James. It's just risky, and we cant' plan on changing our lives so much without taking real care in planning it. I'm all for adventure and getting out of this vicious cycle we're in, but I want us to get through safely."
For a minute I couldn't quite believe it was Jessie to whom I spoke.
Meowth looked open-mouthed at her too. "Yer really serious about dis ain't ya?" he said quietly.
Jessie coloured slightly, composed herself and said, "Why not? I've always wanted to be a free agent. This simpering and grovelling for the Boss is cramping my style. I was born for greater things than being his lackey!"
This was more like the woman I knew, I said, "OK, let's talk. What do you think we should do?"
Meowth looked confused and upset, "Geez, it ain't like da Boss has *really* ever been dis cat's master, I ain't no purrin' lap cat. I *am* wit youse guys. Lemme in on it!"
Over breakfast we started preparing our plan. We would first have to contact the twerps and find out if we could count on their cooperation. The first of *many* places where the plan could fail. *If* we secured Team Twerp's aid, we would need to bolster our own Pokémon. We agreed that a fire Pokémon would greatly aid our cause. Weezing, Victreebell, Sonans, our Pinsirs, and Arbok are all good fighters, but they mostly feature brute force or poison in their attacks. I would have to risk a trip to my parent's winter home to obtain Growlie as Jessie and Meowth stayed behind to plan with the twerps. We still needed to work out the details of springing Pikachu, but we needed the twerp's input on that part of the plan anyway.
When we finished our breakfast meeting it was almost 10:30. We all stared at each other wordlessly. None of us could quite believe what we were planning. We put our right hands and paw together laid atop each other. Jessie, looking agitated, but thrilled, said, "All right Team. This is it! *Glory*, defeat or victory regardless! Let's do it!"
I cleaned up the dishes, as Mewoth broke camp, and Jessie prepared the balloon. We had camped on the lower slopes of the hills outside Pallet Town because Ash Ketchum and his friends Brock and Misty had just wrapped up their adventures in the Jolt League and were visiting Professor Oak, Ash's mom, and Tracey Sketchit before Ash lit out on some other quest. We had positioned ourselves to swoop down on them from the hills and snatch Pikachu and perhaps some of Oak's Pokémon as well. Now we had to think of some way of approaching these potentially hostile people with our offer.
"This is going to be tricky,' I mused.
Jessie nodded,"We'll have to put the balloon down in the forest several miles out of town, don some sort of disguise that will get us close to them, and somehow let them know we're offering a truce and parley."
"Yeah, real eee-zee," Meowth remarked. "Maybe we should paint targets on our heads sayin' "Apply Thundershock hee-ah!" he said pointing to his charm.
"Trying to convince people you've fought forever to trust you is never easy Meowth. Try to look on the bright side, they *might* let ten words get out of our mouths before they apply the shock therapy," Jessie retorted.
Thus it was with trepidation we decided to dress up a reporters from our network LCN and knock on Delia Ketchum's door. I put on a fake mustache, Jessie donned horn-rimmed glasses, Meowth added a hat and mustache of his own and manned a minicam as did I. Jessie, ever the star, was to be our anchorwoman. We rented a van, painted our LCN logo on it, and drove to number two Oddish Street. We rehearsed our lines as we strode up the walk, "Um...Hi, were from the LCN...".
We rang the bell and the door was opened by Ms. Ketchum's Mr. Mime. He looked blankly at us, and then threw up his gloved hands, said "mime, mime, mime!" turned on his heel and disappeared into the house.
As fate would have it Ash appeared at the door. "Hi, we're from the LCN, the Lovely Charming Network, we want to do a story on your recent successes in the Jolt League. You are one of the youngest trainers to ever have such a high rate of success," Jessie said in her most sweetly professional voice.
Ash looked at us blankly for a heartbeat, smiled and said, "oh yeah, sure I guess we could talk. Do ya wanna come in?"
Delia Ketchum was now at her son's shoulder, "Haven't we met before?" she said curiously.
"Um, nooo, not that *I* can recall," Jessie denied a bit unconvincingly.
"Could we do our little interview here on the lawn?" asked Jessie.
Ash looked a bit suspicious now, Brock, Misty and Tracey had also materialized from the house's interior. "Y'know, you *do* look familiar," he said stepping onto the doorstep.
We could resist the urge to reveal ourselves no longer. We stepped backwards onto the lawn and threw aside our disguises.
"We don't want trouble!" Jessie proposed.
"Does that burst your bubble?" I asked
"To change our lives of devastation!"
"To unite our teams out of desperation!"
"To renounce our evil when push comes to shove!"
"So that we *will* reach the stars above!"
"Jessie!"
"James!"
"Team Rocket extends it's hands without a fight!"
"We surrender now, so let's not fight!"
"Meee-owth! Dat was humiliatin'!"
"You said it Meowth," I agreed.
Ash stood still Pokéball remaining poised in his cocked hand. "What the heck was that?" he finally said.
Chapter 2
"We're sick and tired of being your punching bags. We want out of this endless round of challenges and agonizing blast offs. But we need some help from you twer...I mean kids to leave the Rocket gang without risking our lives in the bargain," said Jessie managing to sound both imperious and disappointed at the same time.
Ash looked like he had been hit over the head, then frowned. "You gotta be kidding! How could we possibly trust you?"
Misty looked agitated and said, "Jessie once told me she and James could never leave Team Rocket alive if they didn't successfully complete at least this one mission."
Ash turned on his companion, "When did she ever tell you that?"
"She said it after she caught a Pinsir on Murcott Island, the one she used to beat the island's top Scyther. We were talking about her Boss and it came out then," Misty looked a little defensive.
Ash seemed irritated, but pensive. "Pinsir?" he said, "since when does she have a Pinsir? Tracey told me *James* caught one."
I volunteered, "We *both* have Pinsirs. We've been pretty secretive about it actually, but we train them together."
"Why haven't you ever used them against us?" Brock asked.
"We didn't want the Boss to get wind of it, or we would probably have had to give up at least one of them. Besides we love Arbok, Sonans, Weezing, and Victreebell too," I explained. "You once asked me if I thought it necessary to stay on the job Ash, well this is *my* answer."
"When did you talk with this twerp about that?" Jessie growled whipping out her fan menacingly.
"The same time you admitted gang secrets to *this* one," I cringed as I gestured toward Misty.
Jessie looked at the fan in her hand, then at me and said, "Guess I have a double standard when it comes to you James. Forgive me?"
I was surprised, but pleased, "Always," I said.
Tracey chimed in,"Why don't we give Jessie and James the benefit of the doubt. They seem pretty sincere. What's *your* angle Meowth?"
"What's a talkin' Meowth gonna do wit'out dese two? Da Boss'd disown me or feed me to 'is Persian if he ever found out I let dese guys walk. I gotta help 'em out, they're da only *real* friends I got," with that Meowth showed more sentiment than I ever knew he had as he sniffled and blew his nose into a hanky.
It was Jessie's turn to look like someone had clubbed her on the head, "Meowth, I had no idea you felt like that! I thought you'd turn us in the first chance you got."
"Dat's how well ya know *me*," he sniffed. "Da Boss never risked his skin fer me or gave up hard won money like you did. Youse guys earned my loyalty."
I felt a tear well up in the corner of my eye, "Thanks Meowth, I guess I needed to hear that."
"So much for group therapy," said Ash. "What do you want from us?"
"The best way for us to get permission to leave Team Rocket is to successfully complete our current mission. The Boss won't like a team wanting to jump ship, but he'll just hold us to an oath of secrecy and most likely wash his hands of us. He thinks we're utter fools anyway," Jessie recounted.
"To complete your mission you'd need to hand him Pikachu," Ash said warily.
"The beauty of this plan is *we* know where the receiving area is for incoming stolen Pokémon and we're pretty sure we know how to get a Pokémon out of that facility without anyone knowing it. We even believe we can make it look like you bring about the rescue directing suspicion away from us," said Jessie.
"What do *I* get out of this?" the boy said.
"We can pretty much guarantee no one from Team Rocket will ever bother you again. Even if they did you can count on us to help you if you need it," I offered.
"That doesn't sound like much." said Brock appraisingly.
"Well fine!" growled Jessie. "Then we can keep going on until it's *you* guys who finally kill or permanently maim us! You've got no more conscience than *we* do!"
"Now, wait a minute! Of course we have consciences. Ash has risked Pikachu to help others before, and he can do it again. Won't you Ash?" Misty stated.
Ash turned crimson, looked at his shoes, and mumbled something unintelligible.
Ms. Ketchum put her right arm around his shoulders and said, "I barely know these people, but I think it's any right-thinking person's duty to help people reform themselves."
Ash burst out, "I said OK! I just had something caught in my throat."
"All right you've got our cooperation, what do we do now?" Brock asked, arms crossed, feet set firmly.
Ash was still looking a bit shell-shocked, but had recovered his normal colour, "Are you just gonna take Pikachu and tell us what to do?"
"Not at all," Jessie reassured. "We need to plan the details of delivery and rescue, and establish our role *and* yours in this thing. We already decided that we need a fire Pokémon to help with this operation, because you have freed Charizard and none of the rest of us have one, we're sending James to bring his Growlithe from his parent's estate."
"Isn't that a bit risky for James? What if his parents and Jessiebelle grab him and force marriage on him?" said Misty looking surprisingly concerned for me.
"It is, but if we want this plan to succeed, and we fervently *do*, I'll have to take that chance," I said trying to sound resolute.
"Maybe someone should go along with James to help out," said Tracey. "I'll volunteer!"
"I suppose you *could* tag along, your Scyther might come in handy," said Jessie. What say you James?"
I looked at the young artist and saw he really wanted to help, "Um, sure, glad to have a helping hand."
Ash's mom looked over our crowd and said, "All you folks must be hungry, and you'll need full stomachs to plan something so difficult. I'll whip up a little something for you all. C'mon in."
We all were a bit quieter than usual as we ate that well prepared meal. As a lover of good food and a full stomach I was happy to finally partake of Delia Ketchum's artistry, but it was hard to feel hungry when visions of Jessiebelle crept into my thoughts. We all quietly talked over what needed to be done. The twerps proved more mature and intelligent than I had thought them, especially Brock. I guess Jessie, Meowth and I lost a lot of fights because we lacked sufficient respect for them. At least that was behind us now.
At the end of lunch I pushed back my chair and stated, "I really shouldn't delay my mission if we're to get this show on the road, are you ready Tracey?"
"Ready when you are," he said with surprising eagerness.
We stepped onto the lawn and went down the walk into the street. It was still a beautiful afternoon with the surrounding hills in sharp definition. I guess this kept me from being as apprehensive as I ought to have been. As we got into the van to go to the balloon Tracey asked, "What's the big deal about this Jessiebelle? I've never heard her name before but Brock, Misty and Ash all seemed spooked by the name when it came up today."
"She's the girl my parents hand-picked to tame me into a gentleman, and to wed her family's fortune to ours. She's easily the most brutal control freak and obsessive witch I ever met. She'll stop at nothing to have her way, her idea of discipline is terrifying."
"Whew, that's saying a lot for someone who hangs out with Jessie."
"Jessie usually lets me be myself, she just won't tolerate lack of resolve or losing sight of the mission," I observed.
"Seems to me she just ditched the mission," Tracey offered.
"Hmmmm. No, not really, her main mission has always been to be her own boss and become notorious and respected, if not admired. I think she's being entirely consistent. I'd follow her anywhere."
"You really love her don't you?", Tracey said.
I jerked the van onto the shoulder and blinked a couple of times, "Now that you put it that way...yes, I do. Thanks for telling me, but what am I to do about it? Am I worthy?"
"Why not?" said Tracey. "She's a tough one, but she's put up with you all this time. I'd bet she loves you too."
"I don't think she's conscious of it. How could I tell her?"
"You're a good old fashioned sentimental romantic, James. You'll come up with a sweet way of breaking it to her."
"I hope you're right," I remarked as I started driving again with a newfound confidence I didn't quite understand.
We got to the balloon, started the gas flame and had it inflated and airborne in less than an hour. We drifted along watching a fiery sunset over the hills, and I reflected on my bleak past, and, possibly, a brighter future. We turned west as the Viridian Forest began to thin, and soon saw the eminence of my parent's winter estate catching the first rays of a rising full moon in the distance. "We'll put down by the duck pond (really a lake) in that little stand of trees, and approach Growlie's doghouse on foot under cover of trees," I remarked feeling the butterflies bouncing off the walls of my stomach.
We managed a soft enough landing, as we pulled ourselves up off the floor of the basket and hopped out. "Let's go in by the back door, if I know my parents we'll have to pick the lock, and the one on the back door has a less secure design," I whispered.
We proceeded cautiously through the trees, "Drat this full moon it's casting way too dark shadows!" I quietly remarked, "Ahhhh! Don't bump into me like that!"
"Sorry, you really *are* nervous."
"Of course I am, Jessiebelle sleeps lightly and has the sharpened senses of a ferret. You don't want to see her out here with her bullwhip and Vileplume in tow!"
We got to the door, and, as I said the lock gave way easily. We crept into the dark rear hallway and soon heard the click of canine claws on the floor ahead. They increased from a walk to a gallop, and Growlie slid out of control on the waxed floor smack into me bowling me over. He licked my face saying, "Growl-grow-growww-lith!"
"Be quiet Growlie!" I whispered. "You mustn't awaken Jessiebelle!"
"Too late fo' that, James darlin'!" a terrifying voice proclaimed.
Chapter 3
I scrambled to my feet to see Jessiebelle in a shocking pink robe and nightshirt reflexively flicking her whip with Vileplume at her side.
"Your folks are away on a trip and left me in charge deah James. What a lovely surprise to have you heah on one of your all too infrequent visits."
The hair stood up on Growlie's back as Tracey and I reached for Pokéballs. "Vileplume, stun spoah!" cackled Jessiebelle.
Tracey was too close to the noxious flower and keeled over. Growlie burned the spores out of the air with a firespin. I flung my Pokéball in Jessiebelle's general direction, "Smokescreen Weezing!" I desperately shouted. Weezing obliged with a first rate, foul smelling, impenetrable haze.
Jessiebelle started coughing giving me a spot to aim for in the fog. I leapt forward and found myself with my arms locked around her shoulders. She was furious and fought back with all the strength she had. She was all sharp elbows, clawing fingernails, and knees as I somehow got around behind her and slipped my hand down her right arm to the wrist of her whip hand and wrenched hard. She cried out in pain, let go of the whip, and sank to her knees.
I quickly picked up the whip and wrapped it around my waist like a belt. I turned to look back at Jessiebelle and Tracey. She was still on her knees, rubbing her wrist and weeping copiously. I had *never* seen the woman cry before, not even when she was a little girl.
She spoke, her words coming out in gasps between sobs, "I..have..nevah..been treated...that way...in...mah...life!" she moaned. "You ah no gentleman James Morgan! I sweah I shall make you one yet when we ah married."
"You're too late Jessiebelle, I've found the woman I want to live out my days with and it's not you," I confidently stated.
"Who's the tramp? Ah will kill her with mah bare hands!"
"She's my partner Jessie."
"That little strumpet?" she shrieked through her sobs. "How *dare* she?"
"How dare you assume I *ever* loved *you*?" I said angrily. "You've given me nothing but disrespect and pain since I first met you."
She looked into my face, saw the truth, and wept harder than ever, "You're cruel James, how *could* you take away mah dream? What shall I do? Where shall I go?"
"Frankly my dear I don't give a damn. I came here to take Growlie from the estate and change my life forever. I'm leaving Team Rocket."
She stood up unsteadily, still rubbing her wrist. She took on a strange look of resignation but determination, "If'n it's not too much trouble could you take me with you all? They-ahs nothin' fo me heah anymoah. Maybe you *could* love me if'n I helped you."
"Never Jessiebelle, I couldn't love you. You've got to be up to no good, what sort of help could you offer a couple of seasoned criminals and a bunch of experienced Pokémon trainers?"
"I kin do *somethin'* I *know* ah can. You cain't jus' *leave* me, I'll jus' wither away and die lahk an untended Gloom. *Please* help me get out of heah, I don't know *what* I'd tell your folks. They might jus' pitch me out lahk so much trash. I promise I won't give you no trouble," she said wiping her face with her fist and sleeve.
I guess I'm just too soft-hearted. I sighed and said, "OK, you can come along, but you've got to help Jessie, Meowth, the kids, and I execute our plan. You can't be dead weight."
She clapped her hands like a little girl, "You won't regret it James! This could be a new start fo' me too!"
"The first thing you need to do is help me get Tracey back on his feet, and back to the balloon."
She recalled her Vileplume, as I warily recalled Weezing a heartbeat later. She then knelt next to Tracey and produced a bottle of smelling salts. "Fo' mah faintin' spells," she said. Tracey's head jerked back and he looked a bit frightened, then relaxed after I reassured him that Jessiebelle was pacified for the time being.
Tracey got up, and we all eyed each other for a minute. I seemed to be in charge, so I said, "Alright let's get back to the balloon," as authoritatively as I could.
Jessiebelle was staring at me very strangely, both appraising me, and looking a bit awestruck. "James, when did you evah become so strong and commandin'?" she enquired.
"When I decided I'd had enough of losing to the twerps and determined to leave Team Rocket I guess. Maybe hanging around Jessie has given me some her confidence," I answered.
"She must be purty special to replace me," she pouted.
"She didn't have to replace anyone Jessiebelle," I sighed impatiently.
At that point we arrived at the balloon. We hopped into the basket, fired up the gas, and prayed that we had enough lift to carry the extra weight. We flew lower than usual, but we still rode above the treetops. I unwrapped the whip from around my waist and let it quietly fall spiralling into the Viridian Forest below. I was now glad for the full moon because it helped us find our way over the benighted landscape.
We arrived in Pallet Town at an ungodly hour past midnight. We decided to put the balloon down on the Ketchum lawn, and to fetch the van the next day. We just missed landing on Jessie and Meowth camping out in the yard. Meowth awoke to the commotion, "Hey! Watch where yer goin' Sunday drivah!"
"Sorry Meowth," I said as I leapt from the basket. "We've got Growlie and an uninvited guest." I gestured toward Jessiebelle as she gingerly disembarked with Tracey's aid.
Jessie had just roused and shifted around in her bag saying very slowly, "Oh...my...God! Why did you bring that beastly girl with you!"
I felt horribly awkward, "Because she asked to?" I quavered.
Jessiebelle looked dismissively at the tense and poised Jessie, "Ah insisted deah. I was quite lost. James bein a gentleman could *not* refuse mah entreaties."
If looks could disintegrate then Jessiebelle would have disappeared in a puff of pink smoke. Jessie merely made a wordless throaty animal sound, and got out of her sleeping bag. "Well this...this vicious overpriced wench better do us some good! Are you planning to collect a ransom for little miss heiress?"
"What evah are you talkin' about? Jessie, I b'lieve that's your name isn't it? I offered to help you all with your plan," said the target of Jessie's wrath ever so snippily.
"She did, did she?" said Jessie wheeling on me. Her fan flashed out and caught me flush on the side of my face.
"My, my, this is the way you two carry on? And I thought *I* was such a vicious wench!" Jessiebelle clucked. "Tch, tch."
Jessie flushed crimson, then slackened, "You don't even belong here! This is just too awful!"
"How awful do you think I find it?" I finally got out as I rubbed the burning spot on my cheek.
They both turned and looked sympathetically at me, and I now realized what a terrible time I was in for over the next couple of days.
"Great goin' lover boy!" Meowth remarked, "Be careful of da fury swipes Jimmy!"
Somehow we got settled down again, sent Tracey off to Professor Oak's lab, and wound up giving Jessiebelle my sleeping bag. It was bad enough for that spoiled woman to sleep on the ground of some commoner's lawn. I wasn't comfortable, but I managed to sleep surprisingly well. It had been a shockingly eventful day, and the days ahead were unlikely to be much less exciting.
I got up early, but found that Delia Ketchum had usurped my role of breakfast cook as I wandered through the back door. "You're up bright and early!" she observed just about as brightly.
"Ummm, yes, I lost a sleeping bag to an unexpected guest last night," I muttered.
"Yes, I awoke to the fuss last night for a few minutes. Why on earth did you let that Jessiebelle girl come along with you?" She said looking sweet and concerned.
"Bad judgement, and a too forgiving nature," I sighed.
She peered out the window over the kitchen sink at the still sleeping Jessie and Jessiebelle. "They certainly are remarkably similar," she remarked.
"Except one forgives my mistakes eventually, and the other wants to sculpt me like clay. I prefer the former," I noted sipping the coffee Ms. Ketchum had set before me.
"Well it's your decision, dear," she said smiling again. "I just hope they survive the next few days trying to put up with each other."
"I hope *I* survive trying to referee that match," I groaned.
Just then Ash wandered in, he looked reproachfully at me and said, "I thought we discussed that fianceé of yours a long time ago. What is she doing sleeping out there?" He jerked his thumb in the direction of the yard.
"She got all upset and insisted she wanted to help, and *I* got too soft," I explained.
"I'll tell you one thing she *can* do," Ash said looking out the window, "Pass for Jessie."
I swallowed a little too much hot coffee and coughed, looked at him and exclaimed, "You're right! That's how that overbearing woman can help us. We can do a *lot* more around Rocket HQ with TWO Jessies instead of one!"
I recovered a bit, and gave Ash a thumbs up, he said, "That's *if* she cooperates."
"Quite so," I agreed, "I *do* hope she's more sincere about helping us than she's been about other things."
Chapter 4
I looked out the window again, and saw a sight that flummoxed me. Jessie was out of her sleeping bag arranging her hair and deep in conversation with Misty, of all people. "What's with those two?" I asked Ash.
He glanced outside, "Dunno," he said. "They've been acting like that ever since you left yesterday afternoon. You'd think they actually *liked* each other."
"After the second trip to Murcott Island she informed me she thought Misty was OK. In spite of all the fights and blast offs since then, I guess she still thinks so. What could they be talking about?" I mused.
They were now walking in a relaxed way side-by-side to the back door, they were smiling and laughing. This situation continued to mystify and fascinate me. As they came through the door I couldn't resist a question, "What are you two talking about, and what's so funny?"
"If you don't find bringing the one woman Misty and I can agree upon as the nastiest piece of work we've ever seen into our plan a little bit funny, you've lost that cute sense of humour of yours James," Jessie teasingly tossed off.
I guess I *could* laugh, but she's out there sleeping on the lawn," I sighed.
"Speaking of Jessiebelle," I said screwing up some courage, "Ash and I thought of what her role could be in our operation."
"What's that?" queried Misty.
"She could impersonate Jessie, we could have two Jessies in different parts of Rocket HQ. It could cover some of our tracks, and buy us some time to execute our rescue plan," I said proudly.
"That's very clever James," Jessie cynically noted, "And of *course* we can trust her implicitly especially *me*."
"She said she wanted to help," I said more tentatively, "I think she will, even if she's got some ulterior motive like staying close to me. My thought is to separate her from us at HQ, if she's still anxious to have me she won't bring trouble on us as long as she's apart from me."
"You might have something there," Jessie said thoughtfully.
"I have another big favour to ask," I said swallowing a lump in my throat. "You are going to have to do Jessiebelle's makeover into you."
A dark look passed over Jessie's face, but it passed, "I guess I *am* the logical choice in spite of your skill with makeup and hair styling," she sighed, "OK, I'll do it, but I won't like it!"
"I didn't expect you would. Try not to let the scissors slip," I said.
Before long Brock had joined us for breakfast and we continued our planning. "We'll need to get you Team Rocket uniforms, preferably lower level thug outfits to help you get into and around HQ," Jessie said.
"It's going to get complicated obtaining the uniforms, getting Jessie and Jessiebelle into the building at separate times, and getting by the security perimeter," I ruminated.
"We'll haveta split up at different times and places ta get dat done," Meowth said.
After an hour and a half of this Jessiebelle came in yawning, "Sleepin' on the ground has got me up at an ungodly hour," she complained.
"It's 10 O'clock Jessiebelle. Welcome to reality," I stated curtly.
Jessie looked at her as if she were an insect and said, "James thinks you can pass for me. For all you lack in elegance and style, you might fool *some* people. It's my unpleasant duty to attempt to effect that change," she observed haughtily.
Jessiebelle looked shocked but said, "Whatevah is necessary fo' the cause, I am up to the sacrifice. If ah must look lahk you ah guess I kin stoop to your level."
Jessie just made a soft growling sound deep in her throat but managed an almost sweet, "Then please step into the bathroom and I'll see if I can manage this."
About two hours later they stepped out of the room, and to tell the truth I was amazed at their almost identical appearence. Jessie looked rather strangely at me and left the room. Jessiebelle looked a bit smug, but also unsatisifed. I had no idea what had passed between them, but I was to find out soon enough.
After another splendid meal from Ash's mom, I sauntered into the living room to lie down on the sofa. Jessie was there, and she grabbed me painfully by the upper arm. "What's the big idea of telling Jessiebelle that I'm gonna marry you!" she hissed.
"Owww! You know how persistent she is. I was trying to discourage her," I yelped.
"She doesn't know the meaning of 'discouraged'! She thought she could upset me by insisting that I was undeserving of you. I told her I didn't know what she was talking about. But she kept trying to tell me how bad I would be for you. Where do you get off using *me* to get her off your back?" Jessie groused.
"I had no idea she would insist on coming along, it just came out," I said a bit weakly.
"Well think twice about using me as a shield again. I would not give her the satisfaction of telling her I don't love you, but I don't like being used this way!" Jessie said irritably.
I flushed and felt a bit sick, "Thanks I'm in your debt, and I'm very sorry."
How in God's name was I ever going to tell Jessie about my true feelings now? I had really stuck my foot in it this time. It wasn't as if I had burned all my connections to Jessie, but my fondest hopes now seemed very hard to achieve. I let out a heavy sigh, and said, "I suppose it's up to you to provide a twin uniform for Jessiebelle. In the meantime I won't ask you to share clothes with her, she can use some of my old disguises."
"Oh sure I'll give her one of my spare suits, and *you* watch yourself around her," Jessie said worriedly.
"I will," I said.
I finally laid down on the sofa feeling a heavy weight on my chest. My attempt at rest was short-lived as Jessiebelle swept into the room still clad in night clothes.
"That, ahem, friend of yours tells me *you* will be providin' mah wardrobe 'ceptin' that tacky Team Rocket uniform."
I rolled over and closed my eyes to her arrogant pout, "Yeah, I've got some old things I've worn as disguises in my stuff."
"Your little missy says you aren't engaged after all, you lied tah me James, tsk, tsk," she chided.
"I didn't say we were engaged *yet*, I told you my *intentions* toward her," I pointed out impatiently, "She's not the sort of person on which you simply spring such a question."
"Ohhh, I seee," she said slowly, "You love her, but she doesn't love you. Poor James!"
"Did she tell you that?" I demanded.
"Well, not in so many words," she noted, "But she didn't exactly say she *did* either."
"If you truly love me Jessiebelle, even though I emphatically don't love you, you will drop this topic and not bother either of us with it again!"
Aren't we touchy? All right I won't bring it up again any time soon, but I shan't forget it either," she cooed.
"If that's the best you can do, I'll have to accept it. Right now I just want this plan to succeed," with that we went out to the balloon and found a flashy gown I wore when Jessie and I ran 'Salon Roquet', and handed it to Jessiebelle.
I walked across the yard and knelt next to Growlie, and threw my arms around his neck, "Just now you're the only one who truly understands me old friend," I groaned.
"Growww-lith." he said and licked my face.
"Still havin' goil troubles, eh Jim?" Meowth remarked from seemingly out of nowhere.
I jumped, "What's the big idea you sneaky furball?"
"Nothin', just enjoyin' dis scene wit you and 'Old Yeller' here. Look Jimmy I s'pose it's none of my bizness, but I been watchin' ya around Jess a long time. I know how ya feel, and I think I know *she* feels. I been around youse two dat long."
"And?" I queried.
"And I think ya both would be crazy ta avoid da truth any longer, especially wit da Cotton Rat hangin' around like dis."
"Sage advice, but what about you Meowth?" I asked.
"I was gettin' ta dat, if ya can arrange fer my old age so ta speak, ya know, keep me around in whatever youse guys do, I'll do my best ta help ya out Jimmy-boy. Deal?" he held out his paw to me.
"I wouldn't have abandoned you anyway Top Cat, but you have my solemn word on it," and I shook his paw firmly.
"Dat's great. You have fun wit yer pup there and I'll get back to ya," with that he sauntered into the house.
I spent a fair amount of time hanging out with Growlie, puttering around in the balloon, and going over my role in the operation. We were to get started before dawn. We would all get in the van and drive to within a mile of Rocket HQ about midway between Viridian City and Pallet Town. Ash would then hand Pikachu to Jessie, Meowth and I, and we would take the Pokémon into HQ. We would insist on hand delivery to the Boss, make our announcement after making the transfer and leave. Jessie and Meowth would secrete themselves in our usual bunkroom, and pinch some uniforms, scout out the holding facility, and note when Pikachu arrived. Jessie would send Meowth out to the twerps, Jessiebelle, and I. I would then reenter the building with Jessiebelle posing as Jessie. Meowth would conduct the twerps to the back door. I would leave Jessiebelle in the rec room and lounge and head to the back door to let Meowth and the twerps in, now in their Rocket thug uniforms. From there we would spring Pikachu using our Pokémon. There were weaknesses here and there, no one had thought of how Jessiebelle would leave HQ, but we believed the plan should still succeed.
By the time I went in for dinner I felt I had the plan, and my role in it, down pretty well. As we ate the meal, we all were rather quiet, even Jessiebelle. I looked up at one point and caught Jessie staring intently at me, apparently thinking very hard, but when I caught her eye she coloured and looked down at her plate. My heart started beating faster, but I forced myself to calm down, now was not the time. Ms. Ketchum managed to dig up a futon from somewhere and bade me sleep in the living room. I thanked her profusely and went to bed early. I had a very big day coming up. It didn't hurt thinking of Jessiebelle having to sleep in my bag on the ground for another night.
Chapter 5
I awoke to my alarm going "Pidgey-Pidgey-Pidgey..." shut it off, almost drifted back to sleep in the predawn darkness but was jolted awake by a screech like an enraged cat. Jessie sauntered into the living room to see if I had come around. "What was *that*?" I asked. "Did you step on Meowth?"
"Oh no, it wasn't Meowth. I shook Jessiebelle to get her up and she said something most unladylike about getting up so I gave her one of my little kicks in the rear," Jessie said smugly.
The subject of conversation came into the kitchen rubbing her hindquarters. "Oh you shall pay foah this you, you, you...," she whined, but stopped short due to Jessie's and my amused faces. "You ah both *too* unkind," she fussed.
"Oh, grow up!" Jessie said tersely. "We'd appreciate it if you got the uniform on, please."
"You said 'please'?" I said incredulously.
"Oh, why not? We want her help don't we?"
Jessiebelle disappeared into the bathroom and emerged about ten minutes later. I had to admit she looked almost as good in it as Jessie. "Well, heah ah am. Will I pass?"
"You're passable," said Jessie.
In the meantime everyone else had gotten up, and they were shuffling about the kitchen rattling breakfast dishes, utensils, cupboard doors, and taking turns in the bathroom. Even Delia Ketchum was up bustling around with the makings of the meal. Jessie surprised me by offering to help, I had already dived in given that's my role in our team. We wound up relaying food to the table, almost bumping into each other a couple of times. I smiled at her, and she smiled back and coloured slightly.
After breakfast we got organized on the lawn, and waited for Tracey to arrive. He showed up a few minutes later and took the news that we had selected him to guard the back door rather well. Jessie looked over everybody and said, "Thank you all of you for your help. James, Mewoth and I won't *ever* forget you helped us attempt this job!" She looked remarkably emotional as she turned around and jumped into the passenger seat of the van.
"What's with *her*?" Ash wondered.
"I don't think she ever expected so much help from people she hated and was sure hated her," I offered. "She's had a very tough road all her days."
"Yeah," he responded, and he went around to say a word to Jessie before getting in the back.
Jessiebelle was the last to get in, she clearly didn't look forward to being packed in with all those youngsters and Pokémon. She looked a bit pale, "Tell you the truth James, ah'm scared. I ain't nevah done anythin' lahk this befoah."
"I don't think I said thank you for helping out, even if I can guess at your motive. So thanks. I promise we'll get you out of there. Have you got Vileplume on you?" She nodded. "That weed ought to help out if you get into any tight spots." With that she stepped into the back of the van and sat down next to Misty for want of any better companion.
The drive was awfully quiet, even Meowth didn't have much to say. "What's with you Meowth? You act like you just saw a Haunter," I said.
"Aw, what's ta talk about when dere's so much ta think about."
"Mmmm, know what you mean. After all these years this is it, we are either off the Team or....well I don't want to contemplate the alternative."
"Me neither, it's bad enough thinkin' about it, so I guess dat's just what I'll do," said the feisty feline falling into silence again.
I tried to talk to Jessie but every response was monosyllabic or nonexistent. I finally decided that her concentration was too intense to penetrate. Damn, I hate being stuck with serious thoughts so I started to hum 'Ren and Stimpie's' "Happy Happy Joy" ditty to myself.
Jessie glared at me, "Would you please cut that out?"
"Ah, an intelligible thought," I quipped, "It seems to me you're not happy enough!"
"Stop trying to cheer me up! Greater minds than yours have failed at such times," she growled.
"All right I'll stop, glad to hear you're still with us," I said feeling chastened.
We pulled into an overgrown dirt road near the perimeter of the Rocket Compound. The crickets made a singing racket in the trees as our feet crunched in the gravel of the road shoulder. Everyone tumbled out of the van and stood silently listening to the pre-dawn night sounds. A bird started to sing on our left, a sure sign the sun would be up in less than an hour. Jessie looked expectantly at Ash and Pikachu, "Are you ready?"
Ash and Pikachu nodded. "We have ta make dis look good," said Meowth, "So we're gonna put Pikachu inta dis non-conducting plastic sphere. Sorry ta do dis little fella."
Pikachu gave Meowth a light shock before submitting, but it was clear that this defiance was put on for show and old time's sake. Meowth scowled at the yellow mouse, but broke into a cackle after an explanation. "Youse gotta sick sensa humour Pikachu!"
We started off as a group for the north gate. We split up near the gate house and Jessie, Meowth and I approached the guard's window. Jessie engaged the gatekeeper with light conversation after he checked our credentials. "Hmmm, I seem to have misplaced my address dex could you tell me the room number for the people we're meeting inside? Let's see their names are Butch and Cassidy." The gatekeepr went into the back room and we rushed the kids and Jessiebelle by the gate while he was occupied.
Fortunately the guard was bored and somnambulant, nothing really ever happens around HQ with the police effectively bought off and freelance Pokémon thieves scared of the Boss. So he never really noticed our little gang as he rummaged around and shuffled back out to the gatehouse window. "Ummm, here it is, Room number 52. I thought you guys had something to do with them getting jailed. Why look for trouble?"
"Oh, umm, I guess it's about time we apologized," I offered.
"Yeah, we feel reeeal bad about dem takin' over *my* brain and Jess and Jim's Pokémon. Heh, no hard feelin's," Meowth said sarcastically, looking nonchalantly at his extended claws.
"Heh, I get your drift," the guard muttered conspiratorially.
"You sure do," said Jessie acting equally conspiratorial.
As we moved away form the guard house I whispered, "Are they *really* here? Don't you think it's risky having those two around?"
"I am almost certain they're in the field," Jessie said, "But *he* doesn't know that, the Boss never tells underlings about upper level operative's missions and whereabouts. No use having too many weak minds carrying around details of Team business."
We got Ash and company into a dark alcove not far from the main entrance. The Boss's own secretiveness allowed us to walk up to the main building mostly in the dark. No well-lit compound to help aerial spies, no that wouldn't do at all, so we passed unseen by prying eyes.
"This is going to take some time," said Jessie, "So please stay out of sight behind the plantings here and be patient. James will come out first, try to look relaxed James, you're even making *me* nervous. Then Meowth will be out with your uniforms when we can manage it."
We inserted our ID cards and punched-in our manual passwords at the door, and slipped into Team Rocket Headquarters. We walked down the light yellow and sage painted hallways listening to our own footsteps echoing and our heartbeats, which seemed preternaturally loud. We finally reached the waiting room for the Boss's office. There was no receptionist at the corner desk, but there was an intercom on the wall for business at odd hours. It was still only about 5:30 AM. However, the Boss lives on a diet of caffeine, nicotine, and amphetamines and is such a controlling personality we had little doubt he was awake and hatching plans at his desk. So it was with some real anxiety we pushed the button and spoke into the intercom.
"Prepare for trouble!" said Jessie.
"What do you idiots want?" came back the angry reply from within the sanctum.
"We finally captured the Ketchum kid's Pikachu. We'd like to show it to you," she offered.
"Go away, and hand it to Adrian in receiving! Don't bother me with the capture of one insignificant Pokémon!"
"Well...we also wanted to discuss, uh... business," I said trying to sound confident.
"Such as?" Giovanni said menacingly.
"Such as leaving the Team. We've completed this miserable and humiliating mission and just want to quit. I'm sure you would be glad to be shed of us, but we should really take the Oath of Permanent Secrecy from you. Seeing as it's still early, how much time could that take?" Jessie replied.
"Because you *are* such an embarassment and irritation to me I suppose I *will* take your resignations and the Pikachu as token of your faithful service. I'll buzz you in."
I never get used to the Boss's baronial offices, even though they are always windowless in deference to his paranoia, they have fine carpets, old masters on the walls, and mementoes of his control of the dark side of the Pokémon world. We shuffled in feeling like Dorothy and her pals in the "Wizard of Oz". The Boss turned around in his overstuffed swivel chair and stared malevolently at us. "Ah, you do indeed have the Pikachu. It surely took you long enough!" he evinced no pleasure whatsoever.
"It can produce thundershocks nearly as powerful as a Raichu, it is by far the swiftest and most agile Pikachu we've seen. and it is clearly the most intelligent. It has often devised plans of its own to aid the Ketchum boy in winning matches," I said.
"I am still not impressed. I *will* accept this parting gift, and your resignations," this statement brought a very slight smile to his lips but it disappeared in an instant. "Do you still know the oath?" he asked.
"Of course," said Jessie. "We were hoping you would allow us to retain Meowth's services given you have Persian as your favourite," she stated gesturing toward the languid, sleeping big cat on a cushion in the far corner of the office.
He looked briefly at Meowth, "Do *you* want to continue with these pathetic half-wits?" he queried.
Meowth looked a bit anxious, but composed himself and said, "Yeah, I guess I like da road, and dey'll go ta pieces wit'out me."
"Oh, all right. I release you in trade for this Pikachu," he said dismissively. "Now for the oath."
We all raised our left hands (bad guys never use their right hands in such solemn instances) and said, "In the name of the great, powerful, and mysterious force Team Rocket, we swear to never divulge the secrets and plans of the organization nor the identity of its leader and operatives under pain of death, we solemnly swear." Of course we had our fingers crossed behind our backs on our *right* hands.
"Fine, now get out of my sight!' he spat with finality.
"May we go to our old quarters and gather the personal effects we have stored there?" I asked.
"Go on, get out of here, of course you may!"
"Thank you sir," we said in unison, and bowed deeply, backing out of the office door.
Chapter 6
Once outside the Boss's office we heaved a collective sigh and looked at each other uncertainly. "Well that's done," I couldn't think of anything else to say.
Jessie looked straight into my eyes and smiled thinly, "Let's check out."
"Yeah, let's blow dis pop stand," Meowth agreed.
We took the familiar trek to our bunkroom, Number 81, unlocked the door with our ID cards and went inside. We really didn't have much stuff stored in the room, we never had that much in the way of material possessions. Money pretty much went into *joie de vivre*. Still there was enough there to make our excuse plausible including our old black Rocket thug uniforms. My old uniform would fit Brock, but Jessie's would never fit Misty.
"I suppose I should wear this old thing and put my hair up," said Jessie doffing her earrings. "Let's leave Jessiebelle as the only 'Jessie' here."
She looked impatiently at me, "Well!" she smirked, "Avert your eyes groom!"
"Wha...?" I said, "Oh yes, cute joke Jess."
I stepped into the hall and sorted through my effects, the old uniform, some bottle caps, dried rose petals, a couple of pictures of myself, a group picture of the three of us, and a picture I'd kept of Jessie when she was a 14-year-old hell raiser. "Big Jess," I sighed. I had never let on I kept this old photo. She wouldn't have liked the way she looked in it, but I thought it caught her ungovernable spirit quite well. She was scowling menacingly at the photographer, and reaching out toward him (it was me). I sighed again, and wondered if I could ever tell her how I felt about her.
She stepped into the hall looking quite smart in basic black, with the cap perched jauntily on her tightly wound hair, she had a pigtail off to the side, and horn-rimmed glasses on. "I guess you'd better go out and see if those twerps have gotten themselves caught yet."
"Jessica?" I said.
"Huh? You never call me that. What is it?"
"Take care."
"Why wouldn't I?" she asked.
"Just do," I said, and with that I turned and strode down the hall with her looking quizzically at my retreating back.
I emerged from the building in full sunlight, and felt relieved that Jessie's prediction was not true as I found our crew where we left them. I handed Brock my old uniform, "See if this fits you well enough."
"OK," said Brock as he went behind a large bush. When he stepped out he looked passably like a pretty tough Rocket lower level operative. "I feel pretty dangerous in these," Brock joked.
"Funny you just look pretty, not dangerous," scoffed Misty and Jessiebelle giggled.
"What's gotten into you?" I asked Jessiebelle.
She just blushed and said, "Misty has been tradin' insults with me foah the last hour, they're gettin' purty funny."
"She's been loosening up most of the time we've been here," observed Tracey.
"Yeah, we don't know what's gotten into her," noted Ash.
"Don't mind me, bein' nervous makes me all giddy," Jessiebelle smiled.
"Makes her almost human," said Misty.
Just then Meowth interrupted us, "That was quick," I said startled.
"Da Boss got Pikachu down ta receivin' real quick, so I just ran off and pinched dese duds," Meowth said.
We quickly got Ash, Misty, and, for good measure, Tracey into the black suits. I turned to Jessiebelle and found her still blushing and smiling excitedly, "Not scared anymore?" I enquired.
"Not so's you'd notice," she said a bit shakily. "I'll try to su-press this accent o' mine, okey dokey?"
"Sure," I said. "Let's head on inside. You take these guys to the back loading bay Meowth."
"Sure t'ing Jimmy," Meowth said saluting.
We went inside with the ID cards and passwords getting us by the door one last time. When we got to the Rec Room entrance I looked into Jessiebelle's grey eyes, "Break a leg," I said.
"I surely hope I don't, how about break a fingernail?" she almost sounded like Jessie.
"Whatever," I answered.
I found Jessie near the elevator adjacent to the receiving area, "What's up?" I asked.
"Pikachu's been here for about a half hour, we'll need to move quickly to avoid him getting reassigned, although I imagine he will cause them severe trouble after they breach that shock-proof bubble."
"You stay here and I'll go get the kids at the back door, and change into the fifth uniform Meowth obtained." With that I was off down the hall.
Opening the back door was easy enough, there is less security around it than the front door because there is usually some rough fellow around the loading bay, but and Meowth came in with Tracey manning the watch at the back entrance.
"Make sure you guys put up a high profile in the rescue, it's got to look like you did it with no inside help," I reminded them.
"Yeah, we know," said Ash. "You just stay out of the way and watch *real* trainers go to work."
We reached the receiving area, and found the room littered with the thunder shocked prostrate forms of Adrian and his staff.
"Pikachu has made this a lot easier," said Brock.
"I knew he'd come through," said an admiring Ash.
The kids went into the room and there was a joyous reunion between Ash and Pikachu, "Pika-pika-pii!" enthused the yellow mouse. There was a quick discussion about six other Pokéballs lying on the reception desk, and it was decided to rescue these Pokémon as well.
Jessie turned around and looked urgently at me as I covered the doorway, "The Boss and...Jessiebelle are coming this way!" she hissed.
The Boss must have heard about the disturbance his newest Pokémon was causing in receiving.
"We can't let him recognize us!" I whispered.
"Well duh! But I don't see how we can stop him!" Jessie replied.
Suddenly the other "Jessie" called forth a Pokémon from a ball at her waist, it was Vileplume. She said, "Boss, let me knock out the Pikachu with this Vileplume."
Giovanni spun round and said, "*You* have a Vileplume?" just as the stun spore hit him.
"Oops," said the faux "Jessie", as the Boss passed out.
I ran down the hall as soon as the spore had dissipated, and looked gratefully at Jessiebelle. "You're handier in a pinch than I thought you'd be," I noted admiringly.
"Well, he found me alone in the Rec Room and recruited me to help pacify Pikachu, he asked after you, but I said you were still back at the room and I was waitin' fer you," she explained. By now Jessie had joined us, and was looking with amazement from the unconscious Giovanni to Jessiebelle and her Vileplume.
"Not bad...uh, Jessiebelle," Jessie stammered.
"Thanks fer noticin' Jessie," she smirked.
"Are you ready to get out of here?" Jessie asked.
"Actually...I was thinkin'," Jessiebelle said coyly, "This here handsome fellah's gonna need some help wakin' up from the stun spore, and I know the purty gal who's gonna do it."
"What?" said Jessie incredulously.
"I had a nice li'l conversation with him as we ran down the hall. This here fellah's one commandin' cool operator if'n I do say so myself. I want to see if I can, shall we say, insinuate myself into his life, if you catch my drift?"
"Are you *sure*?" I asked disbelievingly.
"Yes, ah am *sure*," she said. "He'll be befuddled enough comin' out of the stun spore to not really care whether it was a mistake or not, and he'll need nursin'. and I *do* know a thing or two about nursin' folks who have been exposed to stun spore."
We looked back and saw the kids awaiting us impatiently, "OK Jessiebelle, the best of luck to you," I said.
"Why James, I don't need luck, ah have all the skill I need," she said blushing with a smug smile.
"Déjà vu," I said.
"What?" said Jessiebelle.
"Huh?" said Jessie.
"Just seems like I've heard that somewhere before," I noted. "So long Jessiebelle."
We ran to the back door, and got out quickly. We jumped onto the lawn and sprinted for the fence. Pikachu disabled the electric fence, Growlie melted the inner wire mesh fence, and Tracey's Scyther slashed the outer perimeter of rolled razor wire. We bushwhacked our way to the van and climbed in. Gravel flew as I gunned the engine and headed back down the road toward Pallet Town.
"What happened with Jessiebelle back there? And why didn't she come with us?" asked Misty.
Jessie smiled and said, "I suppose it was lust at first sight. She wanted to stay with the Boss."
"No kidding?" said Brock, "I guess I can identify with that, but with your *Boss*?"
"He *is* sort of ruggedly handsome," I observed, "And he *does* have a powerful personality."
"No accounting for taste," said Ash, "Oops, sorry James."
"That's OK," I said, "I'm just glad her eye had started to wander. I imagine she finally did accept I didn't love her."
We pulled over into a side road near Pallet Town to see what other Pokémon we had rescued. We decided that given these were untraceable stolen trained Pokémon we would each keep one of them. We drew lots to see in what order we would choose and each picked up a monster ball in turn.
Jessie went first, the ball popped open revealing an attractive Eevee. Jessie melted, "Ohhh! It's sooo beautiful!" she cooed as she hugged it tightly.
"Of all the luck," muttered Misty who proceeded to throw her ball. It opened producing a resplendent Rapidash. "Ohhh, I wish I was a more horsey girl," fretted the strawberry blond.
Next came Tracey, his ball revealed a sleek Lapras, "This would be great, but it makes me seasick," he moaned. "I'm a landlubber here at the Oak lab."
Misty looked slyly at Tracey. "Trade you my Rapidash for your Lapras," she offered eagerly.
"Why not?" said Tracey eyeing the handsome flaming stallion.
Next I threw my ball, out popped Jessie's old Lickitung! I knew it instantly, "Lik-ing" it said and brushed me with its tongue knocking me over.
"My goodness! We've got Lickitung back!" exclaimed Jessie.
"Yes, and you'd better be nice to me if you want to spend much time with it," I warned half in jest.
Ash threw his ball next, it produced a massive Blastoise, "Geez, I guess this makes up for letting Squirtle re-join his old pals."
"In spades," noted Meowth.
Brock went last, his Pokéball poured forth a handsome Ninetales, "Wow! Now I don't have to worry about evolving Suzie's Vulpix. This is great!"
"A pretty lucky haul if I do say so", remarked Jessie. "The Boss and his operatives always did have an eye for Pokémon."
Chapter 7
Tracey said "I want to see if I can ride this beauty to Oak's lab myself. Boy will the Professor be surprised!" With that he mounted the Rapidash and rode off down the road. He waved to us as we passed him.
As we drove along only Jessie kept her new companion out of its ball as she stroked its fur and looked on it with sparkling eyes.
"That's a different side to the Queen of Mean", remarked Misty.
"Oh, she often gets like that around a particularly handsome or cute Pokémon," I noted looking back over my shoulder.
"Yeah, sometimes she even gets like dat around me," said Meowth, "Until I open my big yap, dat is."
"I get it," said Ash, "She's like me, she identifies with Pokémon better than with people. Owww!" he yelled as Misty applied a sharp dope slap.
Jessie looked up from her reverie, "If the right person came along I *could* be just as nice to a human," she said rather absently, then she caught my eye as I looked over at her in the passenger seat and blushed prettily.
"I know what you mean," Brock interjected, "But all the girls always turn me down. Owww!" another dope slap came from the pony-tailed stupidity cop in the back seat.
When we got back to two Oddish Street Ash's mom was in the garden with Mimie. "Hi," she waved, "I dug up another old futon. Jessie and James can both sleep in the living room tonight!"
I hopped out the driver's door and gave her a quick but enthusiastic hug, "We're in your debt again sweet lady."
"Oh, it's nothing," she said colouring slightly.
We all decided that naps were in order due to the combination of arising early and the strain of our adventure. Jessie and I withdrew to the living room.
"James?" she said tentatively.
"What is it Jess?" I asked.
She sighed, "You know me, I hide my emotions like a cat, I don't think I can even tell what being in love feels like. Even the people close to me in my childhood, except my long gone mom, never gave me anything but a tough and practical upbringing with lots of conflicting preaching, too much punishment, and not enough warm human contact. I suppose that's why I throw myself at you every time something bad or scary happens to us. What's worse...you know that boyfriend, the one I asked Duplica's Ditto to transform into?"
"Yes?" I said, wondering where this was leading.
"Well, I was so excited and empty headed around him, and he made me suffer for it. I promised myself I'd *never* let anyone make me so unguarded ever again."
"I understand, my so-called loved ones always told me how worthless and imperfect I was. It never ended. But I'm such an old softie I left Growlie to look after my folks, and hope Jessiebelle hits it off with the Boss," I sighed.
"You *are* a softie James, and you know that's why I l.., lo... lo...ummm, *love* you. There I said it! That wasn't as hard as I thought it would be," she was flushed from head-to-toe.
So was I, "Ummm...What did you say? I *think* I got it, but I want to be absolutely sure I'm not hallucinating."
"You want me to repeat it?" she looked irritable for an instant, "Let me spell it out for you, you dense sweetheart of a man! I L-O-V-E Y-O-U. Is *that* clear?"
"Does that mean we should kiss now?" I asked hopefully.
"If you *want* to," she said coyly.
You know all that silly pop song stuff about kisses being sweeter than wine? Well, the first one with your one-and-only is pretty darned intoxicating. I was drunk on my feet after our lips met. We didn't come up for air for a long time. When I did I was looking into those intense blue eyes, and they were sparkling more than when she was stroking her new Eevee.
"Oh Jess! What do we do now?"
"Why not get married?" she breathed.
"Let's not forget Meowth," I said cringing at spoiling the precious spell.
"Yeah, let's not forget about Meowth!" said a voice from the doorway.
Jessie picked up a pillow off the sofa and pegged it at the cat, who deftly avoided it. "Guess ya didn't need my help after all, eh Jimmy? Although I *did* ask a few leadin' questions back at HQ when Jess an' I was togedder."
"You wily beast!" shouted Jessie, then she started to laugh until tears streamed down her cheeks. "How could we do without *you* Meowth," she gasped between peals of laughter.
"Guess dat's settled den," Meowth chuckled, "I'll let ya get some *real* privacy."
"I have an idea'" I said.
Not *another* one! The last one was a doozy," Jessie smiled still wiping away tears.
"Why not make yourself over into Jessiebelle and join me on a trip to see my parents? We can get married with their blessing and they'll pass on my inheritance to me. The initial step is a fully endowed trust fund. Dad has lent a lot of money for the Boss's schemes, once I have my hands on that money the Boss would never dare touch me and my spouse as potential key investors and members of a powerful family."
Jessie's eyes widened, "You think we could pull that off?"
"Absolutely. You're a great actress and already lookan awful lot like Jessiebelle," I enthused.
"Let's do it!" she cried.
After laying up for a week at Pallet Town we journeyed to my parent's estate and found them home. Jessie pulled off her act almost perfectly, and we had a private ceremony with just my parents and Hopkins, their butler, in attendence. We did the paperwork on the trust fund and allowance the next day. We said our goodbyes and honeymooned on the Sea Foam Islands.
We later heard news of Jessiebelle from an envious Cassidy. Jessiebelle had revealed herself soon after our marriage. The Boss, already strangely charmed by the steel magnolia, decided Jessie and I were out of reach, and forgave her with surprising quickness. She now is a close confidante, his whip toting right hand woman, and chief of staff. Cassidy admitted she preferred Jessie to the similar looking newcomer. We re-established "Salon Roquet", although we're not as over-the-top with our fashion notions as we used to be. We consult with Suzie, Brock, Cassidy and other experts on raising Pokémon. It surprised some people that we settled in Pallet Town, but you know it's quiet, we like the people who helped us quit Team Rocket, and our kids have woods to roam in and learn about Pokémon in the wild. I am so glad I had that last thundershock nightmare, it made all the difference it turned out.
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