11

The crowd was big enough that Jessie could steer herself and her overly enthusiastic partner away from anyone she didn't want to see. That was how they'd ended up in this far corner with annoying agents Jessie didn't even know, but whatever. They stuck to the back of the line as the lab assistant shouted "Next, next!" at agents nearby to battle some super pathetic looking Magikarp. What was up with this kind of low level work? Jessie raised her eyebrow as one guy appeared to be struggling against one, jumping back as it splashed him. James had to be feeling regretful at pushing them to join this talentless mess.

Turning around, she saw he was very engaged with the sight of all the battles, amateur and imbalanced as they might be. How could he still be so bright eyed? Had he not realized yet that the task they'd signed up for was bottom tier? James really didn't seem to care. Instead, he seemed almost disappointed as a different agent was called forward instead of them. "Why aren't they asking us?" he inquired, glancing Jessie's way.

"They didn't need this many people, they just felt like making whoever they could grab come down here," Jessie said.

"Oh," James said, disappointment evident in his voice.

The next time Jessie turned around, she saw James starting to wander away. "Hey!" she called, going after him. "We could leave, but it would take a while on our own." Jessie had noted along the way that they'd been flying far from any city.

"That group looks like it might need more help." James pointed ahead at where a different cluster of rockets was hanging out. As they got there, Jessie noticed other than the two assistants, it was just Cassidy, her partner, and one other. "Would you like us to battle as well?" James asked.

"I think we've got it," Cassidy's partner said.

"Actually, why did everyone go with them? Get out your pokemon, let's go." In response to the lab assistant's request, Jessie took Ekans's pokeball out, dreading the drudgery under her rival's watchful eye. If Cassidy had anything to say about how Jessie battled or raised her pokemon, maybe an exchange of words couldn't be helped.

But instead, her rival's partner was the one to speak up. "What is that?" he said, pointing forward. Following his gaze, Jessie noticed he was calling attention to James, or specifically, the pokeball in James's hand.

"A pokeball," James informed. "For my pokemon," he added, apparently thinking that was necessary since the other man's confused expression didn't change.

"How were we supposed to guess that?" the guy asked.

"What else could it be?" James asked.

"Well, that's a good point. It does look like a pokeball, but also, well, unique," Cassidy said.

"Unique? Is that what you call that mess? Looks like some pristine lady's trendy prize, not a serious trainer's pokeball."

"It functions just like a normal pokeball," James informed.

"So, you're too good to just use a 'normal' one?" Butch said.

"Of course not. It's just, well..." James swept the hair out his eyes, then smiled confidently at his inquisitor. "As you may have guessed, this was a gift from a pristine lady. A very pure, beautiful woman, actually. One I loved, if only for a moment. I couldn't help but accept it, given my feelings for her. I know it was only a single moment of pity where she showed me her love, gave someone like me a piece of her kindness. But I'm still a romantic, you see. I recall the pitter-patter of my heart when my hand brushed hers, and her eyes met mine. That one moment is crystallized inside me, and awakens I look at my nidorina's pokeball. Even though the two of us weren't meant to be, I'll always have this."

James smiled to himself. He closed his eyes and put the pokeball near his heart as he finished, unable to see the dumbfounded reactions around him. Cassidy's face had seemed to flush red, perhaps getting too much into the situation he described, while her partner seemed completely aghast that such a story would be shared in a scene like this. Jessie could empathize with both of them. Of course, she was embarrassed both in general and for him, but also maybe identifying with the story too much. She couldn't help it, the woman in the story was a fictionalized version of herself. At least it had shut that one guy up, which was probably the point, though at the same time it seemed James had gone too far.

"Hey!" Jessie shouted roughly, trying to break the ice. James just opened her eyes and glanced toward her casually, still with that dreamy expression, not knowing or perhaps just not caring about the awkward atmosphere he'd produced. "Are you going to bring out your pokemon or not?"

"Yes, of course. Go, Nidorina!"

"Go, Ekans!"

Jessie released her pokemon along with him. "Hey," Jessie began. It had been a while since she'd seen James's pokemon, but something looked different about it. She recalled it having a needley-looking appearance, but also that James had been carrying it around. He couldn't really comfortably carry around something this big. "What gives? What have you been feeding your pokemon?" Jessie asked.

"Nidoran evolved," James informed.

"Oh." Right, it was something this obvious. Besides caring for the pokemon, James had been out training it on his own whenever he could. With that out of the way, they got ready to attack the weak pokemon that were being sent their way. "Ekans, bite!"

"Nidorina, double kick!"

"Hm." Jessie observed James's pokemon indeed looked practiced as it easily took down the competitor. It was impressive that he'd managed to evolve it so soon, but if he'd been hoping to show it off, this wasn't the right arena. The job quickly became boring as the lab assistant healed the same magikarp over and over again for them to battle. "Hey!" Jessie shouted as it all dragged on. "This is easy, but what are you hoping to accomplish, anyway?"

"You didn't read the briefing?" Cassidy said. Jessie glared her way. Of course, the know-it-all was going to want to show off. Thankfully, she explained without much more gloating. "The scientists behind this have found a way to speed up evolution. Or at least, they think they have."

"It's not working," Jessie pointed out.

"Yeah," Cassidy's partner agreed. "This is a damn waste."

As others wandered away, James stayed put. "Perhaps they just haven't found the right challenger to complete the process," he said.

"Come on," Jessie muttered. Was he going to stay and fight the weary magikarp more and more?

"Magikarp aren't really a major challenge," Cassidy pointed out as she returned her own pokemon.

"Have you been underestimating it then?" James said.

"Not at all," Cassidy said firmly. Though she'd been patient with James's antics before, even she seemed to be getting annoyed then. "We've knocked it out plenty of times, easily. Maybe it's getting a little bit tougher, but it's almost cruel to continue like this for hours."

"Do you think so?" James said. "Perhaps cruelty is what's missing, then." Everyone present stared his way, then stood back as he approached the fish pokemon. The magikarp flopped and huffed like it had been doing, maybe seeming a little more desperate than before. "Gyarados are really strong, aren't they?" James said as he stared down toward his opponent. "If you want to defeat me, you'll have to become one. If not, who knows what will happen."

"Hey," Jessie began, though James didn't really seem to notice her. She thought he'd have trouble with some of the stuff he saw in Team Rocket, but here he was, taking the initiative. Even so, did he really want to do this?

"Nidorina, growl," James ordered as he and his pokemon got started in the battle. "Now, double kick!" Nidorina's attack hit the other pokemon twice, kicking it across the ground and closer to the lake. "That's not enough! Keep going! Fury swipes!" Jessie lost track of the amount of times Nidorina scratched the pokemon that just yelped and splashed it in response. "What's wrong? Fury swipes!" James ordered his pokemon to continue, which it did dutifully. "Stop," he said, but the command was to the lab assistant as he approached with the potion rather than the attacking pokemon. "Magikarp will have to find a way to live on its own, if it even wants to. Fury swipes!"

"Karp, karp." The pokemon was quicker than before, despite its injuries, but didn't really have a way to defend itself.

"Come on," Jessie said. "What are you even doing? There's no point in killing it, is there?"

"Does it really want to die, then? Well, at least we'll have done our best," James continued, then pointed forward again. "Nidorina, poison swing!"

"Karp!" The pokemon's cry seemed a bit higher pitched as it slowed, barely moving.

"What's wrong?" James asked with a grin. "You can't handle the poison? I suppose this is the end, then."

"James-" Jessie began.

"Nidorina, double kick!" James shouted. His pokemon kicked once, then again, and the opponent pokemon went completely in the lake. James returned Nidorina to its pokeball before he turned and shook his head.

"Um." Jessie looked toward the lake, seeing the glow easily. "What's that?" she asked while nervously guessing the answer.

"Hm?" James turned back around just as the large, unnaturally red-colored pokemon appeared in the lake. The loud, anguished screech of a cry that came from its throat caught the attention of everyone around.

James looked back toward the source of the sky, now gripping Jessie's hand tightly. "Let's go!" she shouted at him. "Thanks a lot for this!" she added with fury as a beam of energy started to form near the enraged pokemon's mouth.

"Where's the pokeball, who has it?" the lab assistant asked, scanning the area once before running away.

"Watch out," James said, dragging Jessie away as the red gyarados attacked. He then hit the ground, cringing as some debris hit them from the pokemon's attack. "I'm sorry," he said, almost crying as he shouted the apology.

"Next time, think a little more!" Jessie said. But the pokemon was still in front of them.

"Go," James said, stepping between her and the gyarados, which was reading for another attack. "I won't let you get hurt for what I've done."

"Just come with me already!" Jessie demanded, tugging his arm as he held it out in defense. They both cringed, expecting the attack, though it didn't come. Opening their eyes, the gyarados was gone.

Cassidy's partner tossed up the pokeball, standing next to her. Cassidy herself nodded. "Well done, James. Dedication pays, doesn't it?"

James nodded back at her. Jessie relaxed as she realized the pokemon was thankfully hidden away in its pokeball. James sighed in relief as he walked up to them. "So, will we continue?" he asked.

"That's enough for today, isn't it?" Jessie said, realizing after she spoke that the boss would probably want more evolved pokemon. She'd just had enough from her own point of view.

"Yes, we're stopping here. We'll take this back to the lab before we decide what to do next."

Good, Jessie thought to herself, though she held her tongue in front of that particular scientist. It was good they'd be out of there soon.

Except, they weren't. A few higher ranking agents were allowed to leave, but the removal of any sensitive equipment was prioritized over the people that had been dragged out there. The rest of the day disappeared as they waited, until finally they were just sitting out in the starlight, no signs of any vehicles returning for them from air or land.

"We should have just started back on our own," Jessie finally said.

"I'm fine with being out here," James said, his gloved hand grabbing her own. "It's nice to be with you, somewhere else."

"I'd prefer some more luxurious accommodations myself," Jessie said.

"Would you really?" James said. As he spoke, a gust of wind went by, and Jessie shivered. He put his arm around her. "What's wrong? Your uniform isn't warm enough?" he said, speaking softly, right by her ear.

Feeling him so close, Jessie found herself enjoying the sensation. She even allowed the moment to linger before sitting up and pulling away from him. "Maybe I don't need something that fancy," she admitted. "I guess after being at your place, I appreciate a break."

James tensed at the sentence, pulling away before he relaxed. He took her hand again, peering her way. "I don't really want to think about that. I'd rather enjoy my time here with you," he said.

Was he really going to flirt with her in a place like this? "You like being with me at some wilderness layover?" Jessie pointed out.

"It's with you, so I'm satisfied. As a romantic, the atmosphere is nice, as is the company."

It seemed he was going to continue with the routine after all. His wording was reminiscent of his little story about the pokeball, but she decided not to bring it up. Instead, she thought of a different topic for the day. "You were pretty intense back there. I didn't think you had it in you to act like that."

"I did what was necessary for the job provided," James said.

"That's a really cold way to put it. You were the only one willing to go so overboard," Jessie said.

"It worked, didn't it?" James said.

"I guess so," Jessie said.

"I did that magikarp a favor," James added. "How much pain was it going to take before it finally acted?"

"A good question," Jessie said.

"Well, it was rhetorical, since I already found out," James said, looking her way cluelessly.

Right, since the fish pokemon had evolved into that terrifying, atrocious pokemon. Well, they didn't need to think of it that deeply, especially since she was about to nod off after their long day. As James moved to cuddle her closely again, she allowed it, relaxing with his presence enough to finally get some rest.