"I hate mountains, I hate mountains, I -"

"Jessie, I thought you liked snow."

"I do. Just not when I'm up to my waist in it." Jessie retorted angrily.

"I wish those stupid twerps would just give up this dumb search for Arti-whatsit and go back to a warmer climate. I'm freezing." James complained.

"You're freezing? All I have is fur!" Meowth spat.

"Well, just look at me. I'm wearing a mid-riff top and Jacket, and a mini-skirt. Do you see me complaining? No. So quit whining like the spoiled brat you are and KEEP WALKING!" Jessie yelled. There was an ominous rumble, and RocketDan stopped walking.

"What was that?" Meowth asked nervously.

"I don't kn-" James was cut off by Jessie.

"Avalanche!" She cried, pointing up the mountain face. "Run!"

Jessie pushed James and Meowth forwards, heading for a cave. The huge wave of ice, snow and debris raced down the mountain, as if it was trying to catch them. Suddenly, Jessie sprawled and a red and white Poké Ball rolled from her waist and slid down the mountainside.

"Arbok!" Jessie raced after it.

"Jessie, no!" James yelled. Jessie grabbed the Poké Ball and turned in time to see James's terrified face as the wave of ice covered her head and she saw no more.

"Hai! James, wake up!" The Rocket woke to the screeching of Meowth.

"Wha---?"

"Get up already! Jessie said people freeze when they fall asleep in the snow!" James's weak smile turned into a worried frown.

"Jessie! We have to find her!"

He began scraping at the ice wall blocking the cave's entrance. Meowth reluctantly joined him. The two eventually broke through to the surfaceof the snow. James immediately headed down the mountain.

"Hey! Wait up James!"

James slowed to a jog and let his feline companion catch up.

"Sorry Meowth, but we have to find Jessie."

"James, I hate to break it to you, but even if we do find her she's um..."

"Shut up, cat." He turned and then gasped as he saw a spot of black on the snow. "Jessie!"

Her glove lay on the snow, shredded at the tip of her index finger. But she was not there. The only trace he found was a small area of heaped snow where a body had been removed from the snow and a few scattered footprints. Then the claws of what seemed to be a bird had left hugemarks in the deep snow.

"Jessie...." James turned and screamed. "Jessie!"

Jessie's eyes snapped open. She thought she had heard the voice of herbest friend. "Where...?"

"Well, glad you decided to wake up, Jess." A worn voice that Jessie felt she knew said."Who the-"

"Jessie! None of that!"

Jessie shut her mouth, though she had no ideawhy. The person owning the voice stood and wandered to Jessie's side.

"You don't even remember, do you?"

Jessie snorted. "What is there to remember?"

"The person you thought you'd never see."

"There's nothing to see. She's gone and-" Jessie's eyes widened. "No! No she's...she's...oh God, Momma?"

"Glad to have you back Jess." The woman, slightly taller than Jessiewith a deeper colour of maroon lavender opened her arms and welcomed Jessie toan embrace, something she hadn't experienced for years.

"Momma...where did you go? I wanted to see you so much, and you...you promised..."

"Hush, Jess. Promises are not what they once were...what do you do now? What level are you in the mighty Rocket Dan?"

Jessie blushed and looked down. "James and I are---oh God, James! I forgot!"

She pulled away from her mother. "I have to find him!"

She shoved open the door of the cabin. "Jessie, take this!" She was thrown a fur jacket.

"Thanks, momma! I'll come back!" Jessie disappeared into the snow.

James had crawled into the hole that Jessie's body had lain in only a few hours before.

"Jessie...where are you?" He whispered. All his life, she'd been there to rescue him. Now where was she? She had probably been dragged off to some Fearow's eyrie for the Spearow food. James searched for the Poké Ball he knew was there.

"Fi? Eefi?"

James looked up to see his Eefi. It was a strange creature the size of a Persian. It was an odd shade of purple, and had a charm on it's fore head.

"Hey, there...."

He reached into his pocket and wrote a kind of diary entry on a ragged, dog-eared sheet of paper. Satisfied, he folded it and tucked it into the Eefi's collar.

"Go on Eefi. Go find Jessie and give her that."

"Fi!" The small Pokémon bounded away over the slopes. James smiled weakly and closed his eyes.

"James! James, wake up!" Jessie shook her friend. He didn't move.

"James...? Oh God, He's so cold..." She blinked away tears. "James, please wake up."

A Poké Ball at his side rattled and Meowth appeared.

"Meowth!" Much to the cat's surprise, Jessie pulled him into a hug.

"Alright, who are ya' an' whaddaya done wit' Jessie?" He joked weakly.

"Very funny, Meowth. What happened?"

"Well, he put me in da Poké Ball, hopin' I was gonna be warmer inside."

"And..."

"An' I ain't sure, but the Poké Ball I was in went all dark all o' a sudden."

Jessie grabbed a Poké ball from James. "Weezing!"

"Zing..." The big purple Pokémon was not its usual cheerful self.

"Weezing, is he...?"The big ball of gas shook its heads. "Zing..."

"Weezing weez, Zing Weezing."

"No....he can't be....it just not fair..." Jessie began crying. Arbok and Lickitung appeared beside their trainer in an instant.

"Charrrr bokka....Bok bokka Charvok."

"Lickitung, Licking! Tung..."

"Weezing, Weez..."

"Yeah Jess, it's gonna be okay!"

"Bel, Victreeeee..."

The plant Pokémon nudged its frozen trainer sadly as Lorelei flew to them on Articuno.

"Jessie..." Lorelei put a hand on her daughter's shoulder. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't be..." Jessie wiped her tears away. "I always had to be strong for him...now that he's gone, that will help keep me strong...even if it hurts to do it." She lifted James with her mother onto the mystical bird.

As it flew away, Jessie fingered the gold Poké Ball she had found near him, and wondered what it belonged to...

To Be Continued....