1 Chapter 10: What it would be like to loose you
Jesse looked out of the window tears streaming down her cheeks. Meowth slept peacefully on her lap as the train got nearer to the station in Saffron City. She was glad and yet envious that the cat had managed to get some rest. Jesse wanted nothing more than to close her eyes and sleep. But she couldn't do that. She had to be thinking of a way to help James. Giovanni was using him because of the 'future sight' so getting him out would be almost impossible. Jesse wasn't sure exactly when she started to cry but she, once she started, found that she couldn't stop. They were going to take the ferry to Viridian from New Bark Town but it had been cancelled. The train from Goldenrod City to Saffron had been the last one and even then Jesse had to pay a lot of money to get on board. Jesse had called Mondo and the young assistant was going to meet them at the station in Saffron. Jesse did know one thing about whatever it was she was going to do. Meowth was not coming with her. He was still weak from his encounter with Cassidy and Butch and Jesse didn't want any thing to happen to him. Besides if she were alone then it might not arouse suspicions. Giovanni would be furious if he learned that they had left the cabin and disobeyed orders. Jesse hoped her Boss was too busy taking over the gyms to bother with her and Meowth. Her and Meowth? That didn't seem right, it was always Jesse, James and Meowth. Jesse wiped her eyes, this couldn't be happening. Not to them, what had they ever done? All they wanted to do was make a life for themselves. Jesse didn't ask for any of this and she was sure that James and Meowth didn't either.
"James" she whispered his name. If any thing happened to him Giovanni would pay she thought remembering her earlier vow. Jesse was deadly serious. If Giovanni harmed him in any way then the Boss would pay with his life. Jesse suddenly felt uncontrollable anger. She clenched her fists and took a few deep breaths. "Damn you bastard" she hissed ignoring the weird looks she was getting from the other passengers sharing their carriage. Nothing would stop her reaching James some how. Any one who got in her way would be dealt with too. She couldn't imagine spending the years to come without her best friend. They were the same, Jesse and James, James and Jesse. Always together, never apart. She cursed Giovanni for taking that away from them. Meowth stirred slightly. Jesse tensed up not wanting her friend to see her like this. But thankfully he didn't wake. Jesse sighed and went back to her thoughts. She could hardly remember a time when she didn't have James by her side. Ever since she was 8 he had been there. They spent every Christmas, every birthday, every New Year, every Easter, and every other day of the year together. Jesse couldn't recall a single day when they hadn't been apart. Well…that wasn't technically true. Back in that dumb forest with those even dumber Ursaring. Jesse had not been particularly worried about James then. He had Meowth with him and he was with one of the twerps. It was odd how Jesse was relieved about that. The twerps were their enemies. Jesse knew it was because those kids were lucky and if any Ursaring attacked James, Meowth or the red head twerp then the girl would just beat it. Nothing bad ever happened to those damn kids. It had been the same right from the start. When the Pokemon centre in Viridian City blew up Jesse and her partners were the ones who took the force of the blow and had to hang onto the rope from their balloon for dear life. Those kids didn't even get a scratch. The same with the Beedrill attack and any other Pokemon attack for that matter. Nothing bad ever happened to the twerp trio...
"Pikachu!" Ash screamed fighting against the Rocket who held him. Pikachu cried out as the other Rocket tore it from its trainer's grasp and threw it in a cage along with Togepi. Pikachu wanted to shock its way out but with the egg Pokemon in there too the chances were the baby would get shocked too. Ash felt the Rocket tying his hands tightly behind his back and his other Pokemon snatched from his belt. "Let us go!" Misty and Brock had befallen the same fate. Misty was near tears and Brock was yelling angrily. A blow on the head silenced him and the Rocket who hit him smiled triumphantly. Misty gasped and broke free from the rocket that had her. She knelt down beside Brock and shook him. He groaned a couple of times but did not get up. Her captive reached to grab her again but dropped one of her Pokeballs in the process. It burst open "Psy?" to reveal the annoying yellow duck pokemon.
"Psyduck help us!" Ash implored. But Psyduck just tipped its head to one side and blinked a few times.
"Psyduck?" it asked.
"Psyduck use confusion!" Misty ordered.
"Psy yi yi"
Misty sighed that Psyduck was beginning to give her a headache too! The rocket grabbed Misty.
"Let me go!" Misty struggled as she was pulled along to the waiting van. Ash was making a similar fuss but it was no good. Psyduck had been dumped in the cage with Pikachu and Togepi. Misty was thrown in the van along with Ash and the unconscious Brock. Then the doors slammed and the engine started. "Where do you think we're going?" Misty asked.
"I don't know but they better let us go" Ash said stupidly.
"ASH THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LET US GO!" Misty yelled angrily. She wished Brock would wake up. Sure she loved Ash but he could be so dense most of the time. The van only stopped once. Two more trainers were thrown in; both had their hands tied. Misty wanted to untie them but she feared of what the rockets might do. The van reached the end of its journey and they were marched out. Misty looked around. They were standing outside the Silph building. Two black squad Rockets were guarding the entrance. "Come on" the rockets who had grabbed them said. Brock at this time had woken and was trying to 'comfort' one of the other female trainers. Amazingly the trainer was letting him.
"More trainers" the rocket in charge of their group said as they walked to the Silph entrance.
"Right go on up" the female rocket said.
Ash then realised that Pikachu was no longer with them. He looked around in panic and saw his friend still in the van along with Togepi, Psyduck and all their other Pokemon. "Pikachu!" he cried tears in his eyes as the doors were slammed. "The Boss has been after that Pikachu for years" one rocket said sniggering at the boy's distress. "No please! Pikachu and me have to stay together" Ash cried.
The Rockets laughed "No way kid. Come on"
"Pikachu!"
"Jess?" Meowth looked up at his human friend. She was asleep. Meowth got down off of her lap; he was becoming quite skilled in walking on three legs now. Poor Jess Meowth thought sadly. She and Jimmy are practically joined together. Ta see one without da other is unnatural. Meowth then felt a wave of guilt. This was his fault. If he had just told them both that Butch and Cassidy knew then they could have run away. Meowth should have told Jesse when James set out for the HQ. Jesse could have gone after him then and stopped him. There were lots of things Meowth should have done but he didn't do a thing and now…Jesse probably hated him and James would too if he ever saw him again. Meowth was glad that Jesse had called Mondo. The boy was serious most of the time and always knew what was going on in Team Rocket. This knowledge would be useful if they were going to plan any sort of rescue mission. Mondo didn't judge people or Pokemon on what they did. He was like James, innocent to the world around him. Mondo thought nothing bad would ever happen to him or the people he cared about. Well when the train arrived he would be proved wrong. Meowth was lost in his own thoughts that he only just realised that Officer Jenny was heading their way. Thankfully Jesse had dressed up as a Pokemon trainer before they set off. Meowth doubted they would have let a Team Rocket agent on the train. He climbed back up beside Jesse and poked her to wake her up.
"Jess da police is here. What do we do?"
Jesse didn't seem worried by this. "Just don't open that big Meowth of yours" she snapped.
"And what is you're business in Saffron City?" Officer Jenny asked as she came to them.
"I'm visiting my brother" Jesse lied.
Jenny still seemed suspicious. "Why would you want to go to Saffron?"
"I told you" Jesse said and under her breath muttered "Stupid bitch"
"Have you heard about what is going on in the Kanto region and in the Orange Islands?" Jenny asked.
"No" Jesse answered truthfully.
"You must be the only one who doesn't know" Jenny took the spare seat opposite Jesse. "Team Rocket has been attacking the gyms and the gym leaders have disappeared. Then the gyms blown up. At first it was just the Kanto ones but now the Orange Island gyms are gone. And to cap it all several reports have come in of Pokemon trainers going missing."
"Pokemon trainers?" Jesse asked thinking of the twerp and his Pikachu.
"Yes you should be careful or they'll get you too"
Jesse sniggered "Not likely." Jenny frowned so Jesse added hastily "I don't really have the skill for it. I'm going to the Silph building the get a clerical job. My Meowth is too weak to battle. Look what that wild Raticate did to its leg!"
"Oh you poor thing" Jenny petted Meowth on the head much to the latter's disgust.
"If you hear any thing about what is happening then let me know" Jenny handed Jesse a card with the police station in Goldenrod City's phone number. Jesse watched Jenny walking away and was suddenly over come by the urge to tell her every thing. Jenny could help her get James back. Maybe they would get off lightly if they helped the police. But this was only a momentary thing. Jesse had been brought up in Team Rocket and was not about to side with the law. "Too weak eh?" Meowth hissed when Jenny was out of earshot.
"Well you are" Jesse shot back.
Meowth recoiled at this and looked out of the window instead.
"I'm sorry," Jesse said. "If I lost him then I…" she broke off and bit her lip. What would it be like to loose James? She knew it was a very real possibility. Giovanni did not care about any one. He had sent Jesse's own mother to die just so he could get his precious Mew. Miyamoto had been the best and Giovanni had still killed her. Jesse had learnt to live with the fact that her Boss inadvertently murdered her mother but she would never live with it if Giovanni killed James.
"Jess" Meowth seemed to guess her thoughts "Whatever happens yous have always got Meowth. Yous know dat right?"
Jesse nodded touched by the cat's words but they would bring her little comfort. Since the beginning of time humans and Pokemon had stood together side by side as partners. Jesse had Ekans when she was growing up alone and James had Growlie. But Jesse had wanted a human companion too. Pokemon were not the same even ones who could talk and walk on two legs. Jesse and James shared every thing together. Through all the good times and bad times. James told Jesse every thing and yet he didn't expect her to confide in him and with regret Jesse realised that she had never done this. When it was snowing they would run out and make snowmen in the backyard and have huge snowball fights and come back inside freezing and soaking wet. Then they would curl up together in front of the fire and talk until the early hours the next day. In the summer they would lie on a beach some where and listen to the calm sound of the waves meeting the seashore. When they were camping in the woods they would sit round the campfire and Meowth would tell ghost stories and they would tremble with fear and huddle together begging Meowth to stop it. When it was raining they would shelter together in bus shelters and in the doorways to shops. That was the companionship Jesse had wanted ever since she was a child. And James have given her that and as much as Meowth wanted to try if she lost James then nothing and no one could replace him. Her and James' companionship was some thing Jesse wanted to last for years and years. Jesse wanted to have more memories like the ones that she had. She wanted to be with James forever.
"Jess what are yous thinking?" Meowth asked. He was no fool; he saw how the land lay.
"I love him" she whispered choking on her own words. "I don't want to loose him Meowth"
"I know yous don't" Meowth said gently, climbing back onto her lap. "And you ain't gonna Jess."
"How do you know that?"
"Because Jimmy is stronger dan yous want to believe Jess. Just trust me on this"
Jesse nodded and hugged Meowth tightly, hoping her friend was right.
Authors Notes: I know there was not much action but this chapter important because it kind of sums up how Jesse feels about James. Next part should be up around Wednesday evening.
Jesse looked out of the window tears streaming down her cheeks. Meowth slept peacefully on her lap as the train got nearer to the station in Saffron City. She was glad and yet envious that the cat had managed to get some rest. Jesse wanted nothing more than to close her eyes and sleep. But she couldn't do that. She had to be thinking of a way to help James. Giovanni was using him because of the 'future sight' so getting him out would be almost impossible. Jesse wasn't sure exactly when she started to cry but she, once she started, found that she couldn't stop. They were going to take the ferry to Viridian from New Bark Town but it had been cancelled. The train from Goldenrod City to Saffron had been the last one and even then Jesse had to pay a lot of money to get on board. Jesse had called Mondo and the young assistant was going to meet them at the station in Saffron. Jesse did know one thing about whatever it was she was going to do. Meowth was not coming with her. He was still weak from his encounter with Cassidy and Butch and Jesse didn't want any thing to happen to him. Besides if she were alone then it might not arouse suspicions. Giovanni would be furious if he learned that they had left the cabin and disobeyed orders. Jesse hoped her Boss was too busy taking over the gyms to bother with her and Meowth. Her and Meowth? That didn't seem right, it was always Jesse, James and Meowth. Jesse wiped her eyes, this couldn't be happening. Not to them, what had they ever done? All they wanted to do was make a life for themselves. Jesse didn't ask for any of this and she was sure that James and Meowth didn't either.
"James" she whispered his name. If any thing happened to him Giovanni would pay she thought remembering her earlier vow. Jesse was deadly serious. If Giovanni harmed him in any way then the Boss would pay with his life. Jesse suddenly felt uncontrollable anger. She clenched her fists and took a few deep breaths. "Damn you bastard" she hissed ignoring the weird looks she was getting from the other passengers sharing their carriage. Nothing would stop her reaching James some how. Any one who got in her way would be dealt with too. She couldn't imagine spending the years to come without her best friend. They were the same, Jesse and James, James and Jesse. Always together, never apart. She cursed Giovanni for taking that away from them. Meowth stirred slightly. Jesse tensed up not wanting her friend to see her like this. But thankfully he didn't wake. Jesse sighed and went back to her thoughts. She could hardly remember a time when she didn't have James by her side. Ever since she was 8 he had been there. They spent every Christmas, every birthday, every New Year, every Easter, and every other day of the year together. Jesse couldn't recall a single day when they hadn't been apart. Well…that wasn't technically true. Back in that dumb forest with those even dumber Ursaring. Jesse had not been particularly worried about James then. He had Meowth with him and he was with one of the twerps. It was odd how Jesse was relieved about that. The twerps were their enemies. Jesse knew it was because those kids were lucky and if any Ursaring attacked James, Meowth or the red head twerp then the girl would just beat it. Nothing bad ever happened to those damn kids. It had been the same right from the start. When the Pokemon centre in Viridian City blew up Jesse and her partners were the ones who took the force of the blow and had to hang onto the rope from their balloon for dear life. Those kids didn't even get a scratch. The same with the Beedrill attack and any other Pokemon attack for that matter. Nothing bad ever happened to the twerp trio...
"Pikachu!" Ash screamed fighting against the Rocket who held him. Pikachu cried out as the other Rocket tore it from its trainer's grasp and threw it in a cage along with Togepi. Pikachu wanted to shock its way out but with the egg Pokemon in there too the chances were the baby would get shocked too. Ash felt the Rocket tying his hands tightly behind his back and his other Pokemon snatched from his belt. "Let us go!" Misty and Brock had befallen the same fate. Misty was near tears and Brock was yelling angrily. A blow on the head silenced him and the Rocket who hit him smiled triumphantly. Misty gasped and broke free from the rocket that had her. She knelt down beside Brock and shook him. He groaned a couple of times but did not get up. Her captive reached to grab her again but dropped one of her Pokeballs in the process. It burst open "Psy?" to reveal the annoying yellow duck pokemon.
"Psyduck help us!" Ash implored. But Psyduck just tipped its head to one side and blinked a few times.
"Psyduck?" it asked.
"Psyduck use confusion!" Misty ordered.
"Psy yi yi"
Misty sighed that Psyduck was beginning to give her a headache too! The rocket grabbed Misty.
"Let me go!" Misty struggled as she was pulled along to the waiting van. Ash was making a similar fuss but it was no good. Psyduck had been dumped in the cage with Pikachu and Togepi. Misty was thrown in the van along with Ash and the unconscious Brock. Then the doors slammed and the engine started. "Where do you think we're going?" Misty asked.
"I don't know but they better let us go" Ash said stupidly.
"ASH THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LET US GO!" Misty yelled angrily. She wished Brock would wake up. Sure she loved Ash but he could be so dense most of the time. The van only stopped once. Two more trainers were thrown in; both had their hands tied. Misty wanted to untie them but she feared of what the rockets might do. The van reached the end of its journey and they were marched out. Misty looked around. They were standing outside the Silph building. Two black squad Rockets were guarding the entrance. "Come on" the rockets who had grabbed them said. Brock at this time had woken and was trying to 'comfort' one of the other female trainers. Amazingly the trainer was letting him.
"More trainers" the rocket in charge of their group said as they walked to the Silph entrance.
"Right go on up" the female rocket said.
Ash then realised that Pikachu was no longer with them. He looked around in panic and saw his friend still in the van along with Togepi, Psyduck and all their other Pokemon. "Pikachu!" he cried tears in his eyes as the doors were slammed. "The Boss has been after that Pikachu for years" one rocket said sniggering at the boy's distress. "No please! Pikachu and me have to stay together" Ash cried.
The Rockets laughed "No way kid. Come on"
"Pikachu!"
"Jess?" Meowth looked up at his human friend. She was asleep. Meowth got down off of her lap; he was becoming quite skilled in walking on three legs now. Poor Jess Meowth thought sadly. She and Jimmy are practically joined together. Ta see one without da other is unnatural. Meowth then felt a wave of guilt. This was his fault. If he had just told them both that Butch and Cassidy knew then they could have run away. Meowth should have told Jesse when James set out for the HQ. Jesse could have gone after him then and stopped him. There were lots of things Meowth should have done but he didn't do a thing and now…Jesse probably hated him and James would too if he ever saw him again. Meowth was glad that Jesse had called Mondo. The boy was serious most of the time and always knew what was going on in Team Rocket. This knowledge would be useful if they were going to plan any sort of rescue mission. Mondo didn't judge people or Pokemon on what they did. He was like James, innocent to the world around him. Mondo thought nothing bad would ever happen to him or the people he cared about. Well when the train arrived he would be proved wrong. Meowth was lost in his own thoughts that he only just realised that Officer Jenny was heading their way. Thankfully Jesse had dressed up as a Pokemon trainer before they set off. Meowth doubted they would have let a Team Rocket agent on the train. He climbed back up beside Jesse and poked her to wake her up.
"Jess da police is here. What do we do?"
Jesse didn't seem worried by this. "Just don't open that big Meowth of yours" she snapped.
"And what is you're business in Saffron City?" Officer Jenny asked as she came to them.
"I'm visiting my brother" Jesse lied.
Jenny still seemed suspicious. "Why would you want to go to Saffron?"
"I told you" Jesse said and under her breath muttered "Stupid bitch"
"Have you heard about what is going on in the Kanto region and in the Orange Islands?" Jenny asked.
"No" Jesse answered truthfully.
"You must be the only one who doesn't know" Jenny took the spare seat opposite Jesse. "Team Rocket has been attacking the gyms and the gym leaders have disappeared. Then the gyms blown up. At first it was just the Kanto ones but now the Orange Island gyms are gone. And to cap it all several reports have come in of Pokemon trainers going missing."
"Pokemon trainers?" Jesse asked thinking of the twerp and his Pikachu.
"Yes you should be careful or they'll get you too"
Jesse sniggered "Not likely." Jenny frowned so Jesse added hastily "I don't really have the skill for it. I'm going to the Silph building the get a clerical job. My Meowth is too weak to battle. Look what that wild Raticate did to its leg!"
"Oh you poor thing" Jenny petted Meowth on the head much to the latter's disgust.
"If you hear any thing about what is happening then let me know" Jenny handed Jesse a card with the police station in Goldenrod City's phone number. Jesse watched Jenny walking away and was suddenly over come by the urge to tell her every thing. Jenny could help her get James back. Maybe they would get off lightly if they helped the police. But this was only a momentary thing. Jesse had been brought up in Team Rocket and was not about to side with the law. "Too weak eh?" Meowth hissed when Jenny was out of earshot.
"Well you are" Jesse shot back.
Meowth recoiled at this and looked out of the window instead.
"I'm sorry," Jesse said. "If I lost him then I…" she broke off and bit her lip. What would it be like to loose James? She knew it was a very real possibility. Giovanni did not care about any one. He had sent Jesse's own mother to die just so he could get his precious Mew. Miyamoto had been the best and Giovanni had still killed her. Jesse had learnt to live with the fact that her Boss inadvertently murdered her mother but she would never live with it if Giovanni killed James.
"Jess" Meowth seemed to guess her thoughts "Whatever happens yous have always got Meowth. Yous know dat right?"
Jesse nodded touched by the cat's words but they would bring her little comfort. Since the beginning of time humans and Pokemon had stood together side by side as partners. Jesse had Ekans when she was growing up alone and James had Growlie. But Jesse had wanted a human companion too. Pokemon were not the same even ones who could talk and walk on two legs. Jesse and James shared every thing together. Through all the good times and bad times. James told Jesse every thing and yet he didn't expect her to confide in him and with regret Jesse realised that she had never done this. When it was snowing they would run out and make snowmen in the backyard and have huge snowball fights and come back inside freezing and soaking wet. Then they would curl up together in front of the fire and talk until the early hours the next day. In the summer they would lie on a beach some where and listen to the calm sound of the waves meeting the seashore. When they were camping in the woods they would sit round the campfire and Meowth would tell ghost stories and they would tremble with fear and huddle together begging Meowth to stop it. When it was raining they would shelter together in bus shelters and in the doorways to shops. That was the companionship Jesse had wanted ever since she was a child. And James have given her that and as much as Meowth wanted to try if she lost James then nothing and no one could replace him. Her and James' companionship was some thing Jesse wanted to last for years and years. Jesse wanted to have more memories like the ones that she had. She wanted to be with James forever.
"Jess what are yous thinking?" Meowth asked. He was no fool; he saw how the land lay.
"I love him" she whispered choking on her own words. "I don't want to loose him Meowth"
"I know yous don't" Meowth said gently, climbing back onto her lap. "And you ain't gonna Jess."
"How do you know that?"
"Because Jimmy is stronger dan yous want to believe Jess. Just trust me on this"
Jesse nodded and hugged Meowth tightly, hoping her friend was right.
Authors Notes: I know there was not much action but this chapter important because it kind of sums up how Jesse feels about James. Next part should be up around Wednesday evening.