Chapter 4:

„So, what's today, James?", Jessie wondered, while brushing her long mane. She secretly admired his struggles, but James couldn't think of anything else that would bring back his best friend's memory, except for...

„The twerps", he rejoiced. Meowth turned around.

„How do yous want dem to help Jessie?", he asked.

James puzzled his head over a possible join up with Ash and his companions, Brock and Misty. He could tell Jessie about the innumerable times they received a check, about how they desperately tried to steal Pikachu and how this little dark-haired kid routed them on a daily basis, but he looked at Jessie and noticed that she was absent-minded.

„Everything okay with you?", he wanted to know. Jessie nodded.

„Yes, it's just that sometimes I wonder whether I really want to turn back to my former self. I mean, from what I heard, I must have been a gobby, inviolable and coldhearted teammate", she explained.

„Dad's right", Meowth agreed.

„So, why do you want me to recall the past with all its chicaneries, the anger and the obnoxious fuss?", she continued. James laid a hand on her shoulder.

„Because these are your character strengths and because we accepted you for who your are, quirks and all", James replied. ‚And because I miss them', he thought for himself.

„Why don't we leave it at that?", she asked. James felt a certain concern. His attempts at jogging Jessie's memory were a dog's breakfast. The strenuous efforts hadn't been worthwhile. He had failed, his friend had enough of his unsuccessful endeavours. She was sick and tired of his ideas and plans. James hung his head in shame.

„Do you feel comfortable in your skin?", he wondered.

Jessie picked up on his discontent and smiled.

„How can you smile? You're amnesic, you can't remember anything and it's all my fault", he complained. His friend stood up and walked over to James' mattress.

„You know what, James?", she began. James didn't dare to look her straight in the eye, he felt cheap.

„What?", he mumbled. She sat down next to him. Both paused for a moment.

„Let's give it a last try! If it doesn't work, we're going to keep it that way. I will be a confiding and enchanting young woman and you will have to cope with that", she decided. James had a quick glance at Jessie. If he wasn't ready for the upmost trouble, he would lose the vivacious Jessie forever. Even if he started to enjoy her cordial manner, he wasn't able to put her past behind.

„Let's do it", he plucked up courage and they got together to forge out a plan.

This time it was James taking the lead. He organized spatter repelling gloves, a net and stilts.

„What business do yous have with dose stilts?", Meowth wondered. „We have absolutely no space for dem", he added.

James grinned mischievously. „Walking on stilts allows us to make bigger steps, hence it will facilitate our hunt", he explained.

„That's a fantastic idea, James. You are a wise man", Jessie fancied his clever plan.

In the olden days, he would have taken criticism from his friend's side. She would have scolded, reprimanded and abused him, but now, she would praise every minor and daft concept he proposed.

„How do you want to steal Pikachu?", she asked, moving closer to her teammate. James felt slightly qualmish. On the one hand, he was fond of her advances, on the other hand, he knew that it was wrong and that he began to fall in love with a person that didn't acutally exist. He was falling in love with byeffects of a severe brain concussion. He blushed.

„Ehm...first of all, we need to trace them. Ash is always heading for gyms and contests, because he collects medals and because otherwise he can't access the league", James elucidated.

„We fly along in our ballon and wait for the suitable opportunity to attack. Meowth, you will be in charge of the net, Jessie, you and I are going to use the stilts, run after Ash and try to catch that electrical mouse, wearing our spatter repelling gloves", he said.

„Sounds brilliant. I'm sure we're going to be successful this time", her eyes shined the brightest light he had ever seen. She had no idea that they tried to capture Pikachu in this way hundreds of times, it was all new to her, she didn't expect a setback.

The trio set off for the kids. It didn't take them long to run their position down. Ash, Misty and Brock had clustered round a picnic basket and were enjoying their savory lunch. Brock was a blessed cook, always ready to produce a tasty meal.

James cued Jessie to jump out of the ballon and on the stilts. Jessie did as she was told.
Now, he was waiting for her to recite the motto in front of Ash and his friends, but Jessie remained silent.

He harrumphed direction twerps, but she didn't know what was going on, so he approached her and whispered something in her ear.

„Could you please cut it short, we're having lunch", Misty grumbled.

„Jessie, it's your turn, time for our motto", James spoke under his breath.

„What do you want me to say?", she was completely clueless.

„Prepare for trouble, that's your first line", he said.

Jessie cleared her throat, facing the children.

„Prepare for trouble", she declaimed it in an elegant manner.

„And make it double", James added. He fished a rose out of his trousers, waiting for Jessie to recite the next line.

Jessie kept mute as a maggot, James' breath cought. He came to her assistance, moving her arms and lips like a puppet, but it was hopeless.

„What's wrong with her?", Ash asked. James hopped off the stilts, giving Jessie a helping hand.

„She suffers from amnesia, she doesn't remember anything, not even our longstanding motto", James was quite desperate.

Something else attracted Jessie's attention. She had discovered Pikachu sitting on Ash's shoulder. She tried to cuddle it, pinching its cheeks and was overwhelmed.

„This is the sweetest thing I've ever seen", she got into raptures and had a whack at holding it close to her heart.

„Jessie, no!" Brock and James intervened simultaneously, but it was too late. Pikachu used Thunderbolt to keep Jessie away from itself. A lightning flash pierced marrow and bone. Ash managed it to draw his yellow mouse from Jessie. She was taken aback. James grasped her arms and Meowth her legs.

„That's it for today?", Misty wondered.

„There's absolutely no point in that", James was downcast.

They brought her friend back to their tent. James made her comfortable, gave her pillow a good shake and prepared tea. Jessie seemed pretty beat-up.

James left her alone and sat around a fire. Meowth was busy collecting wood in the forest. After a while, Jessie paved the way to her friend. He was lost in thought and didn't notice that she approached him. James was in despair, he almost teared up. It was too much for him, he had tried anything to bring back the original, capricious and spirited Jessie, but he had to admit that it was a waste of time.

Jessie took a seat next to him. „Were's Meowth?", she asked.

„Collecting wood", a brief answer.

„What's wrong, James?", she wondered. James grabbed her hands.

„Jessie, I'm sorry, but I failed. I frantically wanted to bring back your memory, but I can't, nothing helps", he sighed deeply.

„That's not true", she affirmed.

„What do you mean?"

Jessie laid her head on his shoulder.

„There is this recurring dream I have. I see you, Meowth and me flying through the air, shouting ‚Team Rocket is blasting off again'", she laughed, but James was wide-eye.

„You remember that? This is is not just a dream, this is reality! We're blasting off day after day, everytime Ash defeats us! Oh, Jessie, that means there is a small part in you, that slowly returns to mind", he was exuberantly happy. Jessie wasn't lost yet.

„James, we both agreed that today was the last opportunity to bring back my memory, it didn't work. Get over it! I am the new and improved Jessie", she laughed.

„Okay, it's nice to meet you", James smiled shyly. He told himself to get used to this new situation and a part of him had the urge to whip this relationship into shape. James took his courage in both hands.

He put an arm around her waist. They gazed deep into each other's eyes. Jessie drew nearer. She could feel James' breath, he was so close to her. James lowered his head. He lift up her chin and kissed her softly. It felt akward and confusing for startes, but then he began to enjoy it. Was he exploiting her?

‚No, I'm not!', he thought.

She returned the gesture, opening her mouth a little, so James could do the next move. Things started to heat up. She stroked his arms, his shoulders. Jessie pressed her body up against his. James held her face in his hands. She brushed her lips against James', without kissing them. James bussed her neck, going back up to her lips.

Meowth barged in on their cuddling. „Did I miss something?", he was visibly astonished.

Jessie moved away from James, blushing scarlet. She smiled embarassedly. James released her from the mutual embrace.

„Time to sleep", he tried to cover the akward silence.

Jessie stretched and yawned widely. ‚He is a wonderful man and an exeptionally gifted kisser. What are you waiting for, girl! He might be the one!', Jessie thought.

„Good night, my friends. See you tomorrow, fresh as a daisy! Oh, by the way, James, we need to pracitce our motto", she winked at him, before disappearing in the tent.

„What was dad?", Meowth asked. He was looking forward to hearing an explanation from his lavender-haired friend.

„We kissed, that's it!", James stated.

„Yous like her?", the cat-Pokémon wondered.

„I always liked her", he replied.

„But that's not her! Don't drop a brick! What if she goes back to normal? Who guarantees yous dat she will have the same feelings?", Meowth said.

„She doesn't want to go back to normal! She's done with that!", who did he want to impress with this statement? Meowth, himself, the whole world?

James had to admit that Meowth was right. Should he eventually stop trying to bring back her memory? Should he act selfishly and leave her in this state he grew fond of? Right now, she reciprocated his feelings. Should he leave it like that and pretend that everything was okay? Yes or no?