A tall shadow blocked the light through the doorway of Giovanni’s cell.
“Well, well my old friend.”
“We’re not friends!” Giovanni spat.
“My, my we have quite a temper don’t we?” The figure fingered the dust on the cell’s wall. “We’ll see how much of a temper we have when your daughter gets here.”
Giovanni struggled against his chains.
“Leave her out of this!” He roared.
“Aww. Does daddy waddy want his widdle girl safe?”
The figure left the cell, laughing as Giovanni yelled in anguish.
*****^_^*****^_^*****
James stroked Jessie’s hair as she sobbed into his chest. Meowth steered the balloon silently.
“Jessie?” James asked. “Why didn’t you tell Meowth and me that the Boss was your father?”
Jessie lifted her head, slightly.
“I..I guess I just didn’t want you two to think differently of me. I want you to treat me as a friend and not have to be worried because I’m the Boss’ daughter.”
James smiled tenderly at her.
“Jess, I would never treat you like anything but my friend because that’s what you are, and I...”
“We’re here,” Meowth interrupted.
James helped Jessie up and they joined Meowth at the front of the balloon.
The dark fortress loomed above their heads and the shrieks of zubats pierced their ears. Meowth landed the balloon near the back entrance. There was a ninetails chained up near the door. It was facing away from them. It had black fur instead of cream-colored.
“I didn’t know ninetails came in that color,” James whispered.
Jessie frowned.
“They don’t.”
*Eleven Years Ago*
Blaze, the Parker family ninetails, curled up next to the sleeping Jessie. Jessie was going through an extremely hard time in her life, having to deal with her mother’s death, but Blaze would be there with her through it all.
Three hard knocks on the door, awoke Jessie. She looked through the peekhole. A Rocket member.
“What do you want?!”
The Rocket member answered calmly, “Our Boss would like to see you.”
Jessie groaned and unlocked the door.
“All right, I’m coming.” She turned to Blaze. “Stay here.”
After Jessie left, Blaze went to sleep on the couch. When Jessie got home, the couch was empty.
*Eight years later*
Jessie slung her duffel bag on her shoulder. She looked at James, who was glancing at the guns the Rocket members carried.
“You don’t have to do this, James.”
James looked at her.
“I know.”
Jessie smiled and tturned back around.
On a cliff high above the others, something was watching her. It’s black fur shined in the sun, glistening.
*Present*
The ninetails turned around and saw them. On instinct, she shot flames of fire at them. The flames didn’t touch James or Meowth. Jessie had jumped in front of them.
“Jessie!!!!!!!”
Jessie screamed as the fire engulfed her.
End of Part Three