The Trap
The phone trills in the dining room of 10 Oddish Street. James reaches for it and mutters, "Hello, Musashi-Morgan residence."
"Why hellooo James, Ah'm so fortunate to find you home and have you pick up," a sickly sweet voice enthuses.
He sucks in his breath and manages to say, "Hi Jessiebelle, calling back so soon?"
"Amazin'ly enough Team Rocket has business in your neck o' the woods, and, lucky me, I'm goin' to be the one who comes on down to oversee it."
"That so?" James says frantically making hand gestures at Jessie and Joy at the table. Jessie wanders calmly into the master bedroom, and flips the speaker switch on the visiphone there.
"Why yes, I cain't say more about it, hush-hush y'know. But, I was wond'rin where you are at so's I can visit you."
James coughs and clears his throat looking a little green, "Um, ahem..., sure, we're at the end of a street at the outskirts of town, Number 10 Oddish. It shouldn't be hard to find. Jess should be at 'Pokémon Fashion Flash' most afternoons. When will you be arriving?"
Cassidy has joined Joy at the dinner table and is busily scribbling notes onto a piece of scrap paper. She looks hard at James, who returns her gaze with an anxious sidelong glance. "Uh, Yes? Tomorrow? Really, that's very soon. What time? Some time in the afternoon, you're coming on the noon train. OK, I'll look for you. Bye."
Jessie emerges from the bedroom and involuntarily shivers, "Feh, she kissed the phone again. That's not real sugar, it's saccharine."
"Looks like Team Rocket will be contacting us soon," Cassidy says, "This gives us a little time to work out some details. I can hardly wait."
Butch enters the room looking at a watch-like device on his wrist, "We've got e-mail on the Pokégear from Team Rocket Cass," he says as he looks up.
"Opened it yet?" "Nope, let's see..., 'The Red Scorpion will leave its shelter to take your peanut butter, look for it in a day's time where the swift Centipede stops'."
"What is that nonsense?" Joy says with curiosity.
"It's a simple code," replies a slightly impatient Cassidy, "The Red Scorpion is Jessiebelle, peanut butter is Pokéballs, the Centipede is the magnet train."
"Have we settled on our disguises?" asks Butch.
"I'm still pondering that," Cassidy notes, "There are enough uncouth tourists en route to Cinnabar Island I'd say we'd blend-in best as a couple of dowdy fun-seekers from Viridian. I guess I'd better go out and work up a sunburn to top off the masquerade. Care to join me in some sun dearie?"
"Sure. Wanna get some sun guys?" Butch offers.
"Maybe later Butch," sighs James. He watches them head for their guest room to fetch their beachwear. "I never thought I'd turn down lounging in the sun," he murmurs.
Jessie puts her hands on his shoulders and works his tense neck muscles with her strong fingers, "We'll go out later. We don't need a sunburn for camouflage. Besides, let Miya hit them with her Super Soaker before we go out there."
"OK Jess," James says thankfully. "That feels so good."
"As long as you return the favour sometime," she says, kissing him sweetly.
They go hand-in-hand to the bedroom and close the door, leaving a pensive Joy at the table. Meowth comes in shaking water out of his fur and hitting himself to get water out of his large ears, "Geez, I should never play wit dat kid when she's got dat water gun, she's woyce den a Totodile!" He looks up and spies Joy, "What's up Noyce?" he says familiarly.
"We just got word Jessiebelle will be arriving in town noon tomorrow," she sighs.
"Oh, da fun starts a little sooner den we expected, huh? Dis should be interestin'."
"You sound like you look forward to a fight. I thought you hated fighting."
"Heh, I don't like a fair fight. Don't get me wrong, I don't like fightin' too much, but I learned a thing or two between Oak and dese guy's. Ya can't get really strong wit'out da occasional fight, ya just gotta pick 'em well. Beatin' one'a Jessiebelle's Pokémon will get me a lotta experience," Meowth explains.
"So, when will you evolve into a Persian?" Joy asks.
"Nevah, dose cats are too snooty fer my taste," Meowth produces a shining, deep blue stone, "See dis? It's an Everstone. I don't plan on becomin' one a dem snobs anytime soon."
"I see. So what is your role in tomorrow's action? Along with May I'm in charge of Miya at Delia Ketchem's house."
"I'm gonna be wit Jess. We're in charge of gettin' Botch and Jackassidy here to head off Ms. Snively Whiplash. Oops, guess I shouldn'ta used Jess and Jim's pet names fer yer kid and her guy."
Joy stifles a giggle, "That's OK Meowth. Jessie has let them slip around me before." She yawns, "I guess I'll take a nap, see you this evening Meowth."
. . . . . . .
Butch is wearing a bright turqouise sun hat and garish mirrored wraparound sunglasses, with a brightly flowered Hawaiian shirt topping a pair of lavender Bermuda shorts. He wears neon yellow sandals on his feet. He adjusts the strap of the camera around his neck, "Damn, I did a little too well on the sunburn!"
Cassidy has an enormous sombrero on, matching shades to Butch, and a hideous chartreuse and fuschia muumuu, "I'll rub in some witch hazel after we have the real witch safely under wraps," she promises. "Here comes the train!"
The train eases into its berth at the platform and disgorges its passengers, they soon see a slender red haired woman with two large spiral curls framing her fox-like face. She wears a light blue jacket with a royal blue collar and cuffs, and black riding pants over shining leather boots. Her eyes are hidden behind an ink black pair of sunglasses with small, round lenses.
She seems to look through Butch and Cassidy, then notices they are waving at her. She strides up to them smartly, "Well, Ah'm heah, where shall we effect this transfer?"
"Let's go to the parking lot. I presume you have a car waiting for you?" Cassidy says, all business.
"The local rental agency keeps a Rolls for Giovanni. I imagine it's already heah," Jessiebelle replies.
"When ah realized that James and that harlot he married lived in Pallett, I had to wonder if'n you took advantage of the opportunity to pull some nasty trick on them. I know you hate them, deah Cassidy," Jessiebelle smiles, showing her teeth like a vampire.
"As a matter of fact, we did, one of the Pokémon we're sending along is Jessie's Umbreon," Butch notes.
"Oh really? I plumb forgot that detail. Poor Jessie, she must miss it terribly."
"I wouldn't know, we didn't stick around to find out," Cassidy sneers.
"Well let's see...you should have, hmmm, ten Pokéballs for me. If you hand them over I will produce your bonus from this here valise."
"Butch, where's that attaché with the Pokémon in it?" Cassidy demands.
"Here you go. You can check 'em, if you like," says Butch.
"Not necessary, you two are reliable, if occasionally unsuccessful," Jessiebelle says smugly.
"Yeah, well, not this time," Cassidy observes, as she thinks, "You don't know how successful yet."
"Oh well, thank you, the Team will find good uses for these Ah'm sure," Jessiebelle says smiling falsely, "Ta ta, Ah have another little appointment Ah must rush off to." With this cursory farewell Jessiebelle slips into the back seat of the chauffered rental Rolls Royce.
Cassidy and Butch watch the car retreat, look at each other, and turn quickly for the back of the parking lot where a silver Lexus is idling. Cassidy hops into the passenger seat, as Butch gets in back next to Meowth in the car seat. Jessie guns the engine, and leaves the parking lot at a brisk pace.
Jessie turns to Cassidy and says, "We'll go into the street next to Oddish, Bellsprout Place, and park at the cul de sac at the end. From there we can cut through the woods to Number Ten. Hopefully before Jessiebelle can do anything too awful to James," she pauses, "Lord! Those outfits are in poor taste! Maybe that's why James and I always had trouble, we would never have stooped to outfits like that."
"Right," says Cassidy, rolling her eyes as she removes her shades and pulls the muumuu over her head revealing her uniform, she zips up the tunic and pulls on her gloves, "Which Pokémon are you guys leading with in this fight?"
Butch looks up from changing his clothes, "With all her dark Pokémon I ain't using Drowzee, that's for sure. Guess it's up to Crobat."
Jessie looks cooly at Cassidy, "I'm using Blacklight, of course, it should catch her off guard at least."
The Rolls Royce glides silently up the curving drive to Number 10 Oddish. James is in front of the car-port in a cobalt blue polo shirt and jeans. The car comes to a stop, and Jessiebelle steps out smiling brightly. She leans on the driver's window, slips him some money and watches the car depart. "Don't need no witnesses. The Gio-dude is a jealous fellah," she says as she removes her sunglasses and looks happily at James with eyes as grey-blue as a northern sea. "You are a sight for sore eyes James."
James looks briefly at her face and realizes she is genuinely pleased to see him, then he looks warily to the edge of the yard and the woods beyond. "Yes, it's been a long time. Last time I saw you was when you were hovering over the Boss after you paralysed him with stun spore. I presume he's had no lasting side effects?"
"Oh no, a little salveo weed tea, and he was fine. Ah always remembah how your grandpa cured you after that little incident with my Gloom when you were payin' me no mind, as usual."
"Yeah, those were the days," James says, feeling a trickle of sweat running down his back.
Jessiebelle suddenly lifts her jacket revealing a bare midriff and a whip serving as a belt. She quickly unwinds the lash, and in a fluid motion flicks it around James' waist and pulls him close to her, thrusting her hips into his, "Ah missed you so James! Gio is a fine, strong man, but Ah couldn't be satisfied until Ah could find out what it would be lahk to love you," she breathes urgently.
James opens his eyes, her magenta coloured lips are dangerously close, and her grey eyes are insistent and pleading.
"Hold it right there Scorpion!"
It's Cassidy, who has already released the bounding, furious Raticate, "Cate!" it screams venomously.
Jessiebelle quickly lets the whip loose from James' waist, and somehow unsnaps a Pokéball from the inside of her jacket, "Go Vileplume, paralyze that rodent!"
The Raticate hits the enormous walking flower with a vicious quick attack, and works in a hyper fang for good measure causing the Vileplume to reel backward, but not before it spews forth its stun spore. The rodent looks like it hit a brick wall and Jessiebelle screams, "Petal dance dearest!" This harms the Raticate further. Cassidy shouts "Use pursuit, 'Cate!" But the Vileplume has already started to take in sunlight as the rat's attack misses. The solar beam hits the beast amidships and it faints immediately. "Got it!" exults Jessiebelle, but she whirls to James' command, "Flamethower Growlie!"
"No!" she wails as the wall of flame puts Vileplume away.
"Go Blacklight!" shouts Jessie.
"Not fair," whines Jessiebelle as she hurls out three Pokéballs revealing Sneasel, Houndoom, and Murkrow.
"Team Rocket never plays fair!" crows Cassidy.
"You should have been prepared for trouble!" sneers Jessie.
"And make it quadruple!" laughs Butch.
"Meee-owth! Dat's right!" chortles Meowth.
"Wob!" "Back in the ball, you blue hot dog!" Jessie fusses.
Sneasel and Meowth trade fury swipes, as Umbreon hits Houndoom with hyperbeam, Crobat slashes Murkrow with steel wing. Jessiebelle lashes out with the bullwhip and flicks Cassidy across her left cheek. Cassidy brings up her right arm to protect herself as the lash unfurls again, it wraps around her lower arm, "Aaaagh!" Cassidy gasps. Jessiebelle shouts," Got you! You traitorous slattern!" Cassidy reflexively jerks the whip with all her strength, pulling a shocked Jessiebelle to her knees. Cassidy is immediately on top of Jessiebelle, wrestling her on the ground.
Umbreon takes a flamethrower attack as it recharges, but works in a pair of rapid fire quick attacks to finish off Houndoom, then collapses to the ground, panting. Crobat and Murkrow trade a confuse ray and nightshade respectively. Meowth has managed a slash attack on Sneasel after screeching at it, but not before being smacked by a faint attack. Meowth circles warily and finishes the weakened Sneasel with another bout of fury swipes. Meanwhile, Crobat has hit the confused Murkrow with two bursts of leech life. The raven strikes back with a faint attack, but the unsteady bat replies with a final bite outlasting its opponent as Murkrow succumbs.
Cassidy is still rolling on the ground with Jessiebelle in a tangle of whip, elbows, knees and grappling hands. Somehow Cassidy works her way around to Jessiebelle's back and deftly slips her arms under her opponent's arms and interlocks her fingers across the nape of her neck. She pushes down with a slow, steady force causing the redhead to yelp piteously. "Owww!," she cries, "Please...stop...it...hurts!" she says in a series of gasps. "Do you yield?" Cassidy says with savage satisfaction.
"Yes! Ah give!" Jessiebelle sobs.
"Quick! Butch! James! Tie her hands and feet," shouts Cassidy.
Cassidy feels something damp on her cheek, touches it and shudders to see blood on her fingers, "Dammit!" she curses.
"This is no way to treat a lady in mah condition!" whimpers Jessiebelle.
"I won't debate the first part, but what condition, pray tell?," says Jessie.
"Ah'm with child! Ah just found out a week ago!"
Cassidy looks at Jessie in stunned silence, as the others look at each other.
"Damn, I had no idea I had anything but Team Rocket in common with you. Welcome to the club Jessiebelle."
"You're pregnant too?" Jessiebelle says wide-eyed from her prone position on the drive, "Well, don't that beat all?"
"Do you think Giovanni wants you back in this condition Jessiebelle?" asks Butch.
"Ah don't know, Ah'm scared to tell him yet."
"Oh this is great," Cassidy mutters, "We're hoping we can trade you for our safe resignation from Team Rocket."
"Ah don't know if he'll love me anymore," sobs a tearful Jessiebelle, "What am Ah gonna do?"
"Well, I bet he wants an heir. I t'ink we should contact him and see what he sez," says Meowth licking his wounds.
"It's worth a try," sighs Jessie, "Let's get our captive inside."
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"That's not writing, it's typewriting" — Truman Capote commenting on Jack
Kerouac's "On the Road".