Suspicion
As soon as the hissing of the air brakes ceases, Cassidy is off like a shot, leaving the train, trotting briskly into Viridian Station. Jessie has some need to freshen up herself, and she's in no mood for Cassidy to be out of her sight. Who knows what she might do? Call the Boss to confirm their scheme? Meet a Team Rocket spy in the crowd? She turns to Joy and says, "Gotta get off too. Call of nature." She catches Butch eyeing her suspiciously as she stands up, smooths her skirt, and heads down the aisle to the door.
Jessie decides to head for the Women's Room, the pay phones are next to it anyway. She notes Cassidy is not on one of the phones, although a blond woman with ponytails at the far end forces a double take from her. Jessie pushes the door ahead of her and enters the restroom. There are four stalls and an equal number of sinks and mirrors opposite them. She hears someone retching in the far stall and recognizes the kneeling woman's white boots. "Well that explains her rush, maybe Cassidy is in a family way. Then again..."
Cassidy ends her painful and embarrassing exercise, stands up, and swings back the door, wiping her mouth delicately with some bath tissue. She starts, then glares with reddened watery eyes at the waiting Jessie. "Just had to check up on me, didn't you?" she asks bitterly.
"And why not?" Jessie rejoins curtly, "Since when did you start telling the truth, and quit planning my downfall and humiliation?"
"So you think I'd lie about something like this?"
"Sure, for all I know you're bulimic or something, or maybe you saw me coming and ducked in here and stuck a finger down your throat," Jessie is warming up for a fight.
Cassidy ponders this sourly with a scowling pout, dartingly scanning Jessie's implacable eyes and face, "Fine! I'll buy another kit and show you myself!"
Jessie relents a little at this offer, "Tell you what Cass. I'll buy a kit since these are my suspicions, and we'll run the test in private after we get to our place in Pallet. Deal?"
"Don't patronize me!" Cassidy spits.
"I wouldn't dream of it! It only seemed fair, that's all," Jessie returns in clipped tone.
Cassidy flashes a resentful look at Jessie, and looks at the floor thoughtfully, "What does fairness have to do with anything?"
"Everything and nothing," Jessie offers decisively, "I don't trust you, and you don't trust me. If I don't get assurance of your dire situation, I fear I'll lose all that I hold dear. I want to help your kid, I'm not so sure about you just yet."
Cassidy looks up with resignation, and tosses her head dismissively, "Then fine, do what you must. My stomach's upset enough without the sight of you to set it off."
"I imagine you've been cooking up something in that devious mind of yours," Jessie says, trying to delicately change the subject. "Care to share it yet?"
Cassidy is looking into the mirror as she splashes cold water on her face, she looks sideways at her rival, "I have some thoughts, but they're half baked. I'll let you know when the oven timer goes off." Probably not until we're all together."
"You sure haven't changed much," Jessie says quietly to her reflection, unsure if she means Cassidy or herself.
"Oh, more than you might think Jess," Cassidy returns mysteriously.
Butch looks uneasily up at Joy, lost in her thoughts across the aisle, and clears his throat loudly. She starts and looks at him with some fear in her eyes. "Um. Ms. Yamato?" he begins.
She sighs, "I guess you can call me Joy. Just don't call me 'mom' or anything like that just yet."
"You know," she observes sadly, "When I had a baby, I had no idea she'd break my heart and step on it."
"Parents can break your heart too, um...Joy," Butch mutters, "Look, about Cass and I,...I swear I didn't really want her to run off like that, she insisted, and I helped her 'cause I thought she was cute, it was an adventure, and I guess she needed somebody to keep her out of trouble."
"You've not done awfully well on the last," Joy retorts.
"Let me reword that, I thought she needed a guy to sort of... protect her. I'd seen what happens to runaways her age before. Between me and the Team she had some, uh...structure. I know you can't appreciate this like I do, but Cassidy is the best at what she does. There's some folks who just don't value what she does for 'em anymore."
"You're right I can't appreciate my little girl being honed into a first rate thief, liar, cheat, and tramp. What do you see in her anyway?" Joy challenges.
Butch looks haggard and care worn, "It took some time, I wasn't always Mr. Nice Guy, but these days I see beauty, strength, intelligence, wit, charm, and loyalty. If I give her a fraction of that back I'd be surprised. I can't give her enough. I'm just a rough guy from the projects with a no good dad and a long gone mom. I got out of there on my smarts. You want the truth? I'm scared Cass'll dump me if I can't cut being a father like my dad couldn't."
"Butch, your honesty surprises me," Joy say with compassion, "I want to hear more about what Cassidy has been up to. Maybe you can show me a few things I never quite saw in her. I'm afraid I wasn't ever given the chance to see who Cassidy really was. She wouldn't allow it." She turns away, fishes a handkerchief from her blouse and dabs her eye.
"Maybe later, right now I think we should start by talking Pokémon. I'd love to tell you
how to raise the power of a Drowzee."
"Of course Butch, if you insist."
Cassidy and Jessie climb aboard the train about five minutes later, just as the train is about to pull out of the station. "All aboard for Pallet Town! Last stop on the line, with weekly ferry connections to Cinnabar and Sea Foam. Please have your tickets ready. Thank you," sings the conductor.
The younger women settle into their respective seats and stare straight ahead. It's time for some more roiling thought on the last leg of their journey.