A Voyage – Janine
We made it. In spite of trouble chartering a boat, rough weather on the trip, and Team Rocket thugs all over Shamouti Island we're here. Jessie is keeping as low a profile as possible for her. She piled her hair on top of her head and tied a braid to the side, put away her regular earrings replacing them with persian earrings with ruby eyes, and she put on wrap around shades that she continued to wear even after sundown.
We got turned down at the main chartering agency in Mandarin City. Jessie came back from the agent with news that Team Rocket had commandeered all the company's charters to Shamouti Island. Jessie went up a notch in my esteem by showing a feisty desire to confront her old colleagues.
Jessie said, "The guy told me to look for a gal named Millie on Long Wharf. I guess we should check it out."
We made our way around the harbour walking by grey warehouses with catcalling and whistling longshoremen, large trucks barging through the streets blowing their horns, and grimy ships at quays. We finally came to Long Wharf and found that it held the fish market and a bewildering array of commercial and charter fishing boats. Jessie asked after Millie Misako and we were directed to a forty foot charter boat well out a side pier. Millie ran a neat ship that stood out on an unkempt wharf. She was a slight brunette with light brown eyes.
"Something I can do for you ladies?" she asked with an appraising look.
Jessie said, "Yep. We're looking for a ride to Shamouti Island. This young lady's mom lives thereabouts," she added gesturing in my direction.
"You're in luck, a couple of guys in black came by earlier in the day with the same destination in mind but I turned 'em down. Didn't like their looks or attitude. I run my own ship and they tried to boss me around right away. Looks like you gals need a lift more than that lot. Shamouti seems to be a popular destination right now."
"How much are you asking for?" asked Sabrina.
"I'll get you there for ¥10,000."
"Fair enough," said Sabrina, "Do you use your psychic abilities to choose passengers often?"
Millie coloured and stared at Sabrina, "They're nothing special, my…uh, intuitions. But yeah, I sort of can tell who's on the level and who's not."
"Perhaps you could discuss this storm you anticipate?" Sabrina probed.
"Um, yeah there's gonna be a blow, nothing I can't handle but you'd better stow your gear carefully," Millie answered starting to look both alarmed and annoyed. "What's with your friend?" she curtly asked Jessie.
"Natsume here knows and sees all, if you get my drift," Jessie responded.
"Well, she's making me nervous," Millie complained, then she allowed a wan smile as she turned to Sabrina, "But actually it's okay, I make folks around here a little nervous too. Didn't know there were others like me."
We arranged to leave the next morning and went off to find a room and to buy some supplies for the trip. We arrived at 7:00 AM and found Millie with all in readiness. "Welcome aboard, store your gear and we'll be off. The storm won't hit us until afternoon and it'll wet us through but the Corsola will get us there. Just remember if your gut ain't seaworthy to use the rail and not the head."
"Aye aye." Said Jessie grimly.
Once we were out on the water the roll of the surf under a freshening breeze made me all too aware of my stomach. I slipped out of the cabin and sat on a bench in the bow feeling a bit queasy. Jessie has finished puuting her hair up ans came purposefully out to the bow to speak with me.
"Hey you don't look so good," she observed.
"Nothing a little fresh air won't cure," I said doubtfully.
"Since we're going to be dealing with Team Rocket when we get to Shamouti I want to know about the Pokémon you're carrying."
"Hmmm? Oh yeah. Let's see I brought muk, venonat, tangela, a jynx for mom and Sabrina, an ekans, and a tentacruel I taught surf," I answered.
"That should be a helpful selection. I wish I could field a whole team. I've got arbok, Wobby, ninetails, and James lent me his weezing," Jessie confided.
Jessie looked penetratingly at me for a minute, "Do you love your mom and dad Janine? Even though they…"
"Didn't stay together, took turns rearing me and dumped into Tech?" I replied, Yeah, I love 'em in spite of it all."
"I just wondered," Jessie murmured, "You see I never really knew my parents. Sometimes I love them, but most of the time I don't know what I feel."
I regarded her gravely for a long time, "Is there something you want me to say?"
Her fingers strayed to her hair and she sighed, "I don't know, I suppose I wanted you to know. I don't want your pity, but perhaps you can understand what a lonely road I've traveled."
"You know I'm worried about mom. She can take care of herself, but she won't see this Team Rocket intrusion coming."
"My mom must have cared about me. She left money for school, but maybe I couldn't accept a handout from a stranger that shouldn't have been one," Jessie looked at her hands in her lap, "Sorry to bother you with this Janine."
"Did you even hear what I said?" I demanded irritably.
"What?" Jessie looked startled, "Oh…yes I did. Sorry. I'm sure your mom will be okay, but believe me I'll do everything I can to help her out."
Jessie left me still feeling a bit odd in the gut. The wind continued to freshen and the clouds got darker. When it started to rain and blow spray over the bow I reluctantly retreated from my perch and sought out Sabrina in the cabin.
Sabrina had been having a long conversation with Millie consisting of occasional brief comments and long somehow meaningful silences. They seemed to be getting along very well in spite of the lack of words between them. I came in out of the rain and sat down next to Sabrina.
"You didn't tell me Jessie was an orphan," I began.
"I gather she told you," Sabrina observed, "That's impressive. She has confided in very few. This is a sign of trust, you should be pleased that she admitted what she considers a weakness to someone she's known for such a short time."
"Why me? It couldn't be my understanding face."
"You have the frankness of youth and she must sense the loneliness of your childhood. She's quite literally at sea without her old and dear companions James and Meowth," Sabrina said smiling enigmatically at me. "She feels defensive about her parentage. She knows nothing of her father and her mother was a successful student and a rising star in Team Rocket. Jessie learned that well into her teens. She wants to be a 'success' like her mom and it gnaws at her that she's believes herself a failure."
"You don't look well," Sabrina noted looking concerned.
"Um, yeah, my gut hasn't been settled all trip and it's getting worse," I admitted.
"Here," Sabrina offered resting her slender fingers on my forehead, "This should calm your violated sense of balance."
I suddenly felt much better and I broke into my first smile in hours, "Thanks!"
"It's the least I can do for spoiling your trip," she murmured.
The rest of the trip was harrowing as we pitched and yawed with the decks streaming with rain and seawater. The entry into the port was anything but smooth and I wasn't looking forward to climbing ashore at the Shamouti Pier. The rain poured off my rain slicker wetting my shoes. I felt miserable. A young man walking along the pier stopped and ran over to give Millie a hand getting us and our gear ashore. He was wearing a slicker over a white jacket and black turtleneck, he had white pants and black boots. He was about my age with a charming face with large earnest brown eyes.
He reached down and gripped my wrist, "Here, hold on tight, easy does it," he reassured as I wobbled up the ladder onto the pier. I fell into him as I reached the pier and he grasped my shoulders, "Steady there," he said.
I laughed and smiled broadly at him, "Thanks!"
He smiled back, "T'was nothing milady. It's a pleasure to see something so graceful in such disgraceful weather."
I blushed to my toes, "I'm Janine," I stammered shyly.
"I'm Mondo," he replied.
I was happy until I noticed the edge of a red 'R' on his jacket.