XII
Daisy City was a true metropolis. Sporting a huge Pokemon Center, a popular Grass-themed Gym, and several tourist attractions, it was among the most prosperous cities in Johto.
On the outskirts of the city, two figures lay on their stomachs on a hill, peering through binoculars at Daisy City.
"Jessie, do you really think we'll be able to find out anything here?" James said finally.
"Of course, stupid," shot back Jessie. "This is one of the most popular cities in the country. We're sure to get valuable information here."
"And maybe a bite to eat, as well…" put in Meowth from atop James' shoulders.
"And you can just shut up!" snarled Jessie. "This is one mission where we don't need you fouling us up! Got it?"
"Yes, Jessie." Meowth whispered.
Finally, Jessie put down her binoculars and said, "Come on. Let's go rustle us up some intelligence." And she immediately began striding down the hill.
"Wait for me!" cried James, running to catch up.
As they walked towards the city, James looked over at Jessie and slowly started to get the feeling again. The feeling that had started bothering him since he was first teamed up with Jessie many years ago. The feeling that, to him, Jessie was more than just a partner. When they first started working together, they had been at each other's throats constantly. But as time wore on, James found that he was starting to develop feelings for Jessie. Sure, she treated him like an idiot sometimes, but he still couldn't help it. To him, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Not only that, when she wasn't in a grumpy mood, she was fun and pleasant to talk to, and she always came up with the very best plans to try and capture Ash's Pikachu, or some other evil deed. He really admired her for that.
But, he told himself constantly, she's too proud to have feelings for someone like me. She would laugh if I told her my feelings, and I'd feel like a fool. So James was forced to keep his feelings deep inside, yet he still wished with all his heart to tell her and have her understand.
James was so caught up in his thoughts that before he knew what happened, he walked right into a brick wall.
"Hah!" laughed Jessie, "That will teach you to watch where you're going!"
Rubbing his head, James saw that he had actually smacked into the side of a bar. "Is this where we're going?" he asked.
"Yes. When people are drunk, they give out information without thinking. We're sure to pick up some useful tips here."
They entered the bar and looked around. The lighting was dim, but they could still see the people that were occupying the tavern. Around the small, round tables sat people of many shapes and sizes, each appeared to be absorbed in their drink. The same was true for the bar counter, where Trainers and non-Trainers alike sat hunched over the countertop, clutching their mugs. The sound of chatter also filled the air, with the customers talking with each other, seemingly about nothing at all.
Jessie looked at James, and whispered, "Come on." And they slowly walked over to the counter and sat down.
"What can I get you?" asked the barkeep.
"I'll just have a cola." Said Jessie.
"Me too." Said James.
"You got it." He said, and reached under the bar for two glasses, and soon he placed the drinks on the counter for them.
"Thank you, sir." Said Jessie. Finally she decided it was time to start getting information.
"You know," she said casually to the barkeep, "A close friend told me that some kind of evil Pokemon has plans to attack us."
"Really?" said the barkeep, raising his eyebrows.
"Yes." Said James, "But our friend is not very reliable, and we were just wondering if anybody else knew anything."
The barkeep scratched his bald head slowly. "Don't know nothin' about it." He finally muttered.
"I heard something like that," offered an older man who was clearly drunk, "My pal said his pal saw these guys in black whisperin' about, like, 'Celery Man', or somethin'."
Jessie raised her eyebrows. "Is that so? Did he say where it was?"
"Hmm? Nope, didn't say." Mumbled the man, taking another sip of his drink.
"Maybe I can help," said a strange voice. Jessie and James looked over to the far end of the bar and saw a young teen in a black sweatsuit sitting there. A Wobbuffett sat beside him, gulping at some hot chocolate.
"Who are you?" asked Jessie.
"You can call me Don." the boy said. "I think I can help you find what you're looking for."
"Then do so, by all means."
"Well," said Don slowly, "I heard that nobody will be able to find Celebi or his army for at least two weeks. He's doing his work from the shadows until then."
Don's Wobbuffett raised his mug, and the barkeep brought him another hot chocolate. Meanwhile, Don continued.
"After that time, the whole Mewtwo army will appear at once, and they will all begin the invasion."
"Where will they appear?" inquired James.
"I'm not sure. I believe somewhere east of Star City."
Suddenly, the Wobbuffett began crying out and tugging on Don's sweatshirt.
"What is it, Wobbuffett?" he asked, and after listening for a bit, he said, "Yes, of course." He got up from the bar. "You'll have to excuse me, but I must be going. I hope you two succeed."
Before he walked out the door, Jessie called, "Wait! You've been such a big help to us. Where are you from?"
Don just smiled and said, "Someplace you've never heard of." And then he was gone, his Wobbuffett waddling after him.
Jessie and James were silent for a moment, then Jessie cried happily, "Do you know what this means?"
"That now we can get something to eat?"
"No, stupid! That kid gave us all the information we need! Our mission is as good as done!"
"Really? That's awesome!" cried James. "So tomorrow we can go back home?"
"That's right!" said Jessie. "C'mon, it's getting late. We should be heading back to the motel."
"Coming."
As they walked out of the city, James commented, "I can't believe how well that went!"
"And you didn't mess up, for once!" said Jessie, smiling. "I'm proud of you!"
James immediately felt his feelings come back in a rush. He started to find talking difficult, so they continued the rest of the way to the motel in silence.
* * * * * * * * * * *
The Team Rocket destroyer Annihilator cruised across the ocean in the inky night. It was the fastest and most powerful battleship in the Rocket fleet, and Giovanni let only his elite officers command it. One of these elite officers stood in the control room, looking out the windows to the horizon. Amanda smiled to herself just looking around, knowing that safe inside this ship, nobody would challenge her or her team, and they would succeed in their mission without fail.
"Lt. Jackson!" said a voice from behind her.
She turned. "Yes, Admiral, what's up?"
"We're less than five miles from Olivine!" The Admiral reported with a smile. "It won't be long before we can start recruiting new members!"
"Well done, Admiral." She said, returning the smile. "Have you heard from the other teams at all?"
"Yes, Lieutenant, we have. Jessie and James reported in about 30 minutes ago, saying that their mission was complete and they were going to be en route back to HQ tomorrow."
"Excellent. And no word from Maurice and Jimbo?"
"No." replied the Admiral. "As far as we know, they're still searching Johto."
"Hmmm… well, carry on!" she said, and turned and walked into the captain's cabin. The captain had his feet up on the wheel, and was sound asleep.
"Hey! Wake up!" she shouted.
The man woke with a start. "Oh, oh, um…Lt. Jackson, I, I, um…"
"Just forget it. How fast are we going?"
The captain checked his readings. "We're going quite fast, Lieutenant. Well worthy of the abilities of this ship."
"Is it safe to go any faster?" asked Amanda.
"Hmm…well I suppose I can increase the speed a notch or two without worry."
"Then do it." Ordered Amanda. "I want to reach Olivine as soon as possible."
"You got it!" the captain said, saluting. Amanda smiled, then returned to the windows and stared out again. Somewhere, she knew, across this ocean, the action would happen. Somewhere…
Daisy City was a true metropolis. Sporting a huge Pokemon Center, a popular Grass-themed Gym, and several tourist attractions, it was among the most prosperous cities in Johto.
On the outskirts of the city, two figures lay on their stomachs on a hill, peering through binoculars at Daisy City.
"Jessie, do you really think we'll be able to find out anything here?" James said finally.
"Of course, stupid," shot back Jessie. "This is one of the most popular cities in the country. We're sure to get valuable information here."
"And maybe a bite to eat, as well…" put in Meowth from atop James' shoulders.
"And you can just shut up!" snarled Jessie. "This is one mission where we don't need you fouling us up! Got it?"
"Yes, Jessie." Meowth whispered.
Finally, Jessie put down her binoculars and said, "Come on. Let's go rustle us up some intelligence." And she immediately began striding down the hill.
"Wait for me!" cried James, running to catch up.
As they walked towards the city, James looked over at Jessie and slowly started to get the feeling again. The feeling that had started bothering him since he was first teamed up with Jessie many years ago. The feeling that, to him, Jessie was more than just a partner. When they first started working together, they had been at each other's throats constantly. But as time wore on, James found that he was starting to develop feelings for Jessie. Sure, she treated him like an idiot sometimes, but he still couldn't help it. To him, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Not only that, when she wasn't in a grumpy mood, she was fun and pleasant to talk to, and she always came up with the very best plans to try and capture Ash's Pikachu, or some other evil deed. He really admired her for that.
But, he told himself constantly, she's too proud to have feelings for someone like me. She would laugh if I told her my feelings, and I'd feel like a fool. So James was forced to keep his feelings deep inside, yet he still wished with all his heart to tell her and have her understand.
James was so caught up in his thoughts that before he knew what happened, he walked right into a brick wall.
"Hah!" laughed Jessie, "That will teach you to watch where you're going!"
Rubbing his head, James saw that he had actually smacked into the side of a bar. "Is this where we're going?" he asked.
"Yes. When people are drunk, they give out information without thinking. We're sure to pick up some useful tips here."
They entered the bar and looked around. The lighting was dim, but they could still see the people that were occupying the tavern. Around the small, round tables sat people of many shapes and sizes, each appeared to be absorbed in their drink. The same was true for the bar counter, where Trainers and non-Trainers alike sat hunched over the countertop, clutching their mugs. The sound of chatter also filled the air, with the customers talking with each other, seemingly about nothing at all.
Jessie looked at James, and whispered, "Come on." And they slowly walked over to the counter and sat down.
"What can I get you?" asked the barkeep.
"I'll just have a cola." Said Jessie.
"Me too." Said James.
"You got it." He said, and reached under the bar for two glasses, and soon he placed the drinks on the counter for them.
"Thank you, sir." Said Jessie. Finally she decided it was time to start getting information.
"You know," she said casually to the barkeep, "A close friend told me that some kind of evil Pokemon has plans to attack us."
"Really?" said the barkeep, raising his eyebrows.
"Yes." Said James, "But our friend is not very reliable, and we were just wondering if anybody else knew anything."
The barkeep scratched his bald head slowly. "Don't know nothin' about it." He finally muttered.
"I heard something like that," offered an older man who was clearly drunk, "My pal said his pal saw these guys in black whisperin' about, like, 'Celery Man', or somethin'."
Jessie raised her eyebrows. "Is that so? Did he say where it was?"
"Hmm? Nope, didn't say." Mumbled the man, taking another sip of his drink.
"Maybe I can help," said a strange voice. Jessie and James looked over to the far end of the bar and saw a young teen in a black sweatsuit sitting there. A Wobbuffett sat beside him, gulping at some hot chocolate.
"Who are you?" asked Jessie.
"You can call me Don." the boy said. "I think I can help you find what you're looking for."
"Then do so, by all means."
"Well," said Don slowly, "I heard that nobody will be able to find Celebi or his army for at least two weeks. He's doing his work from the shadows until then."
Don's Wobbuffett raised his mug, and the barkeep brought him another hot chocolate. Meanwhile, Don continued.
"After that time, the whole Mewtwo army will appear at once, and they will all begin the invasion."
"Where will they appear?" inquired James.
"I'm not sure. I believe somewhere east of Star City."
Suddenly, the Wobbuffett began crying out and tugging on Don's sweatshirt.
"What is it, Wobbuffett?" he asked, and after listening for a bit, he said, "Yes, of course." He got up from the bar. "You'll have to excuse me, but I must be going. I hope you two succeed."
Before he walked out the door, Jessie called, "Wait! You've been such a big help to us. Where are you from?"
Don just smiled and said, "Someplace you've never heard of." And then he was gone, his Wobbuffett waddling after him.
Jessie and James were silent for a moment, then Jessie cried happily, "Do you know what this means?"
"That now we can get something to eat?"
"No, stupid! That kid gave us all the information we need! Our mission is as good as done!"
"Really? That's awesome!" cried James. "So tomorrow we can go back home?"
"That's right!" said Jessie. "C'mon, it's getting late. We should be heading back to the motel."
"Coming."
As they walked out of the city, James commented, "I can't believe how well that went!"
"And you didn't mess up, for once!" said Jessie, smiling. "I'm proud of you!"
James immediately felt his feelings come back in a rush. He started to find talking difficult, so they continued the rest of the way to the motel in silence.
* * * * * * * * * * *
The Team Rocket destroyer Annihilator cruised across the ocean in the inky night. It was the fastest and most powerful battleship in the Rocket fleet, and Giovanni let only his elite officers command it. One of these elite officers stood in the control room, looking out the windows to the horizon. Amanda smiled to herself just looking around, knowing that safe inside this ship, nobody would challenge her or her team, and they would succeed in their mission without fail.
"Lt. Jackson!" said a voice from behind her.
She turned. "Yes, Admiral, what's up?"
"We're less than five miles from Olivine!" The Admiral reported with a smile. "It won't be long before we can start recruiting new members!"
"Well done, Admiral." She said, returning the smile. "Have you heard from the other teams at all?"
"Yes, Lieutenant, we have. Jessie and James reported in about 30 minutes ago, saying that their mission was complete and they were going to be en route back to HQ tomorrow."
"Excellent. And no word from Maurice and Jimbo?"
"No." replied the Admiral. "As far as we know, they're still searching Johto."
"Hmmm… well, carry on!" she said, and turned and walked into the captain's cabin. The captain had his feet up on the wheel, and was sound asleep.
"Hey! Wake up!" she shouted.
The man woke with a start. "Oh, oh, um…Lt. Jackson, I, I, um…"
"Just forget it. How fast are we going?"
The captain checked his readings. "We're going quite fast, Lieutenant. Well worthy of the abilities of this ship."
"Is it safe to go any faster?" asked Amanda.
"Hmm…well I suppose I can increase the speed a notch or two without worry."
"Then do it." Ordered Amanda. "I want to reach Olivine as soon as possible."
"You got it!" the captain said, saluting. Amanda smiled, then returned to the windows and stared out again. Somewhere, she knew, across this ocean, the action would happen. Somewhere…