Present Becomes Future
Jessie, James, Meowth, Butch, Cassidy and, the recently arrived, Joy stand in a semicircle surrounding the barefoot, rumpled Jessiebelle. The latter stands looking a bit stunned at the blank visiphone screen. "Is that it?" asks Cassidy.
"Guess so," says Butch.
Cassidy and Butch turn their heads and look into each other's eyes, they then break into huge, relieved smiles. They are soon in each other's arms, jumping up and down. "We did it!" exults Cassidy.
James throws an arm around Jessie's shoulders and smiles at her. Jessiebelle looks around at the happiness around her, still seeming bewildered. Joy approaches her, "Congratulations princess," she says encouragingly.
A tear streaks Jessiebelle's face and she bites her lip. Then she smiles in relief, as
the stress of her ordeal, and worry over Giovanni's reaction to her news floods away. "Oh my! Ah'm gonna be a bride and mama!" she quavers.
"It's past time for sleep tonight," Jessie observes quietly.
"I guess that's right," Butch realizes, "Hey Cass, ready for our first night free of Team Rocket?"
"Sounds good to me," Cassidy murmurs, "Let me finish up in the bathroom. I'll be there soon."
Cassidy walks into the adjoining room and finds a pensive Jessie there, "Hey there Messie, what's up?" she says jocularly.
"Nothing much Jackassidy," Jessie smirks, "Hey, let me see that awful defect I laid on you. I'm curious."
Cassidy turns and looks at her former foe, "Go ahead, if you must."
Jessie reaches out tentatively as she appraises Cassidy's face and lightly traces the white line on Cassidy's right cheek with her index finger. Cassidy closes her eyes and purses her lips. "You know, it looks rather good on your face. It makes you look tough and rakish without losing any beauty. Sometimes an imperfection makes a face more beautiful, perfection is boring. This suits a strong, unsentimental woman like you," she pulls her hand back, "Hmmm, that new cut lends a little symmetry."
"Yeah," Cassidy sighs, "And to think this is what made us into mortal enemies for fifteen years. Just a little streak, like a permanent teardrop."
"I'm truly sorry I hurt you Cassidy. I always regretted letting Butch get so, um, friendly
with me. I had little idea you felt that strongly about him, you hide your innermost thoughts so well. At least the two of us each ended up with the right man."
"Well, I feel apologetic for destroying everything and spending the next fifteen years taking out my resentment on a world that never really owed me anything," Cassidy mutters.
"It wasn't a total waste. Somehow you grew up strong, cunning and beautiful. You have talents and a man who learned to love you as much as you loved him."
"Thanks Jess. Good night," Cassidy offers as Jessie turns and leaves the bathroom.
James looks at Jessiebelle, still in a reverie over the previous half day's events. "Why don't you sleep in our daughter's bedroom? The bed's small and it's a little messy, but it won't be the room in which you were a captive."
"Uh, Sure James. That's kind of you," she half whispers, "You know Ah'll always remembah that you and Ah were intended for each other."
"Of course, I understand, but I believe Giovanni really wants you. I never accepted you. I hope you can understand that."
"Oh yes, Ah think Ah knew that evah since you ran off. But Ah spent all those lonely nights at the estate dreamin' you'd come back to me. Only then would I have been finally happy. Ah, don't much care fo' that woman you love, but she's smart, good lookin', and a firecracker Ah'll give her that," she looks wistfully at him, "Ah still envy her a little."
"That's acceptable," James responds, "Let me take you to Myiamoto's room."
. . . . . . . . . . .
The Lexus pulls into the drive of Number 10 Oddish at mid-morning. James gets out of the driver's seat and leans into the open back door to unleash Miya from her car seat. The girl is out of the car like a shot, as she scampers across the yard to the kitchen door. She bursts through the door and rushes through the kitchen and dining room intent on some treasure lodged in her bedroom.
She throws the door open and stops, open-mouthed looking at the red-haired woman sitting on the edge of her bed. "Mommy, what happened to your hair!" she exclaims.
The woman laughs, "Why sugar, Ah'm not your mama!"
"You look like her," the confused girl challenges.
"Well, maybe Ah do," the stranger allows. "Just a little. Mah name's Jessiebelle, Jessiebelle Rumika. What's yours?"
"Myiamoto, Myiamoto Musashi Morgan," she carefully enunciates her full name, "Did you know I have three 'M's' in my name? Ms. Ketchem calls me '3M'."
"You have four deah, but that's just a detail," Jessiebelle replies.
"What are you doing here?"
"Just visitin' honey. I used to know your daddy when he was just a boy. Ah used to
believe Ah loved him. Every fairy tale has its plot twists."
"I like fairy tales," Miya allows.
"So do I, honey, So do I," Jessiebelle says solemnly.
Jessie appears in thew doorway and blushes, "Sorry for the intrusion Jessiebelle. What do you want in here dear?"
"I left my Jigglypuff doll in here," Myia responds.
"Oh, here you go, it was very helpful gettin' me to sleep. It sings evah so sweetly," Jessiebelle says offering the slightly smudged plush toy to the toddler.
The girl looks at Jessiebelle as if she's a bit touched, laughs and says, "Uh huh, you're funny," then she's off.
"No bother, uh... Jessie. She's a right pretty lil' thing if'n Ah say so myself."
"Thanks," Jessie half smiles, "We decided that I'll be taking you to the train station after lunch. Do you mind?"
"Not at all."
. . . . . . . . . . . .
At lunch the co-conspirators Joy, James, Jessie, Butch and Cassidy are again arranged around the dinner table. Myiamoto is outside having a picnic with Meowth. James looks up from his soup and clears his throat, "Ahem, um, Jessie and I talked things over a bit this morning. Well, actually, I wanted to ask you if you guys had any immediate plans. Getting married? Going back out on the road? To Fuchsia perhaps?"
Butch looks up and turns to Cassidy, "We've been together so long I imagine by now we're common law husband and wife. It's up to Cassidy if she wants a legal marriage."
Cassidy sighs, "I'm not sure yet. We'll be together for the rest of our lives whatever we do. At least I hope so. If we do have a ceremony it'll probably be in Fuchsia. We'll be sure to send out an invite."
"Why use the mail?" Jessie asks. "We want to offer you guys a full partnership in 'Pokémon Fashion Flash'. James and I have fun keeping Pokémon stylish and happy, but you two are experienced hard-core breeders. We really need your expertise to help this business grow. Maybe someday we could even open a franchise in Fuchsia."
"Whenever you decide to move back to Fuchsia, I know a nice little house you could live in. The old place is awfully big without your dad there Cassidy, and it's full of haunting memories for me. You two can have it, if you wish," offers Joy.
"For now you could use the studio apartment here," offers James.
"This could help you cultivate that friendship with Miya, and I could help you through this pregnancy. I've been there and done that," Jessie says encouragingly to Cassidy.
"I think those are all wonderful ideas. But you know how independent I am," Cassidy cautions. "Let me think about this and get back to you." She pauses for half a minute with her chin in her hand, "Hmmmm, Yeah, I think we can do that," she laughs.
"Glad to have you aboard," James says offering Cassidy his hand, "We'll put together the paperwork tomorrow," he then shakes Butch's hand.
Jessiebelle enters the dining room carrying a tray, "Thank you for lunch. Ah guess Ah'm ready to go. Do you still have those empty Pokéballs you all swindled me with. Ah guess Team Rocket could use 'em."
"Oh sure, I guess we can part with them," Cassidy laughs, "These two once conned Butch and I with a cart of empty Pokéballs."
"Do tell?" Jessiebelle smirks, "You ready Jessie?"
"Sure, be good James," Jessie says kissing him on the cheek.
James looks at Jessiebelle, "Jessiebelle?"
"Yes?"
He stands, takes her shoulders and plants a gentle kiss on her lips. "That's to kiss your fantasies goodbye. Take care of yourself."
Jessiebelle looks at him soulfully, "Ah guess you made yourself into true gentleman after all. Do be good James."
"Naturally."
Jessiebelle slips into the passenger seat next to Jessie, the seats smell of heat as she flips the automatic window switch. Jessie looks over at her, "I don't think I've been too generous to other women in my life, but you are almost as beautiful as I am. I understand what the Boss sees in you."
"Thank you mah deah. Ah must say you've got pretty good looks yourself. You be good to that boy, you heah?"
"So, have you been pondering names for this kid yet?"
"Well, if it's a girl Ah'm leanin' to Lorelei, in honour of one of mah two aunts," Jessiebelle muses.
"Lorelei? As in Lorelei Kanna, the former Elite Four member?"
"The very one."
"I had no idea you were related to that mystic ice woman. Who is the other aunt?" Jessie is curious.
"Delphinium Waterflower, the famous Cerulean City gym leader."
"Small world," mumbles Jessie.
Jessie takes a notion, "What's your birthday Jessiebelle?"
"Why March 18th. Whatevah do you want to know that for?"
Jessie draws in air sharply, "Oh, nothing," she says as she straightens the car's path on the road with a deft turn of the wheel.
"Got a boy's name yet?" Jessie asks, returning to the earlier topic of discussion.
"Oh, Ah've always been kind of partial to an odd one that sounds kind of pretty."
"What's that?"
"Bishashu."
With that Jessie steers the Lexus into Squirtle Station, "Well, all roads lead to
Terrapin they say," Jessie notes matter-of-factly, "I won't be coming in with you. Have a safe trip back to your Giovanni."
"Take care Jessie. You love that James lad, you hear?"
"Of course, with all my heart," with that Jessiebelle closes the car door and Jessie drives off down the road into the future.
FINIS ^_^
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Until next we meet. "Storyteller makes no
choice, soon you will not hear his voice. His
job is to shed light, and not to master."- Robert Hunter