I've seen them before, of course, but I was a little distracted- chasing Pikachu isn't one of the most relaxing things in the world, and besides that, Jessi, Meowth and I were stranded in those same mountains, in the snow, without food, for quite a while after our Meowth balloon drifted away. So that hadn't been an experience that would stick in your mind because of the sheer fun of it; more like something you remember in nightmares. Plus, those mountains weren't very remarkable. Big hills covered in snow. So what?
But these were amazing. Jessi, Meowth and I had all been speechless at the first sight of them. Jessi had to yell at me several times for not keeping my eyes on the road. I couldn't help it, it was like nothing I'd ever seen before.
We had flown over to the US. We had a two-week vacation, the first travel flyer Meowth saw was for America, and when he had closed his eyes and pointed to a map, his claw had landed right on Asheville, North Carolina. I probably don't need to tell you that we wouldn't be caught dead in a place with the same name as our worst enemy, so we picked a place close by, called Greenville. It was over the border into South Carolina, but within driving distance of alot of interesting-looking sights. So, we hopped on a plane to America, rented a car when we got here, and started out.
It was my idea to get off at an airport ten hours from our destination. I wanted to see a little bit of the country. But since our flight had been delayed, we got there at about ten'o'clock at night. We were already tired from the flight, and an all-night drive didn't sound very glamorous. But we did it anyway. That had been Jessi's idea.
Finally, we were within a couple of miles of Greenville, and we got our first glimpse of the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.
"Whoa," Meowth breathed. "Dat's amazin'!" Jessi nodded in silent agreement. I felt left out, since I couldn't look out into the distance at the mountains unless I wanted another scolding from Jess, who was already in a very bad mood from her lack of sleep. And from the incident earlier that morning. Thinking about it depressed me. Surely she hadn't thought twice about it, except to be mad at Meowth for leaving his stupid catnip toy where she could slip on it. I felt almost grateful to the little furball. If he didn't have such a habit of leaving his stuff all over the place, I might never have had the experience of Jessi sitting in my lap.
It wasn't long before we got to our hotel. The room was small. We couldn't afford that much, being that the Boss is such a cheapskate, and hardly pays us enough for a weekly food supply. Jessi says that that's because Meowth and I eat so much, but I don't think we're that bad.
When we first walked in, my heart skipped a beat, and I almost dropped the luggage I was carrying; there was only one bed. And it was a double bed. But Jessi had noticed it too, and glanced around; behind the door was a fold-out bed.
She rolled it out. "I get the big bed!" she announced, like a child claiming the biggest piece of candy for herself. I was quiet. It wouldn't have made any difference to argue, and besides, I was still a little shaken up from the bed scare. I just put our luggage in the corner and sat down in a very uncomfortable chair as Meowth checked out the little refrigerator and microwave.
'Curiosity killed the cat,' I thought vaguely, as our Pokemon companion accidentally closed the refrigerator on his paw. 'Or at least, bruised his paws...'
Yeah. Interesting. I just wanted to sleep. So I did.
"Wake up!" Jessi ordered good-naturedly, banging the back of my chair with a fist. What a nice way to start my vacation. I looked out the big picture-window at the morning sunlight.
"Ya slept all night in dat chair, James," Meowth cheerily told me. I tried to stand up, but the effects of sleeping in the most uncomfortable chair I'd ever come across, after having stayed up all night, caught up with me at that moment, and I was forced to sit back down.
Jessi leaned over the back of my chair, with her upside-down face right beside mine, and grinned at me. I guessed she'd gotten a fairly good rest, anyway.
"Whatsa matter?" she cooed mockingly. "Poor little Jimbo can't get up. I'll just have to help you!" The last words were said in a joyously harsher tone, as she pushed my chair forward and sent me tumbling on top of Meowth, who was laughing his furry tail off. Once I got over the initial shock, I laughed too. Jessi was in a very good mood. Maybe the air here was just good for your brain. At the prospect of a day with this very cheerful version of Jessi, I jumped up, tossing Meowth gently onto the fold-out bed. Which, by the looks of the fur covering the blankets, had been his the night before.
I threw myself over the foot of the big bed. "What are we doing today?" I asked.
Jessi sat down on the edge of the bed, gazing out the window thoughtfully. "I dunno, I thought you'd have an idea."
I rolled over onto my back. "Well, aren't we a lively bunch."
Meowth jumped from his bed onto my stomach. I sat up, surprised, as he smirked at me. "Let's go for a hike in da mountains," he suggested.
"Good idea," Jess agreed. "Let's get moving!"
I moaned. "I gotta take a shower first!!"
Jessi and Meowth glared at me. They sighed at the same time.
"Go ahead," Jessi teased. "You need it!" She and Meowth jumped off the bed and ran laughing out the door of the hotel room.
"We'll be back soon!" Meowth called, sounding slightly giddy with laughter. I stood up, bewildered.
"The South Carolina air really does mess with your head..."
