"James?" she murmured.
"Hmm?" I muttered.
"I'm sorry."
"For... what?"
"I'm just sorry."
"It's not your fault. I brought this upon myself. It's my fault."
"How?"
"I should've never left Jessie in the first place. Now
she's in danger... and there's nothing I can do about it."
"Danger? How do you know?"
"I just... know."
"Don't worry, James. We'll stop Giovanni and save Jessie
for you." She squeezed my hand encouragingly. Ash peered inside the room at
us jealously.
"Humph! Look at Misty in there. You'd think she really
likes him," Ash pouted.
"She just wants him to get better. She feels bad so she
wants to help him get through this as best as she can," Brock explained.
"Yeah, well, I still don't like it. He's a Rocket,
remember? He might try something. Maybe I should..." Ash walked purposefully
toward the door.
"Ash, no! Leave them. James is not a Rocket anymore and
besides, he's too weak to try anything if he wanted to. I can understand if
you're jealous..."
"Jealous? Me?"
"...but Misty will be fine, Ash. Trust me." Ash frowned
then again spied on us from outside. Raquel strolled back toward me with the
full glass in hand.
"Here, James," she passed me the cup. I sipped it slowly
and gratefully.
"Thank you," I replied.
"I'm just grateful you made it, James. I was so
worried..."
"It's..." I began, but my words were drowned out by
her
lips pressing against mine. Raquel... how could I betray Jessie like this?
Though she was gone, I still felt guilty. I tried to push her away, but at
that moment, all of my strength fled from me and Raquel had me defenseless.
When she finally pulled out of the kiss, she smiled and sat down at the edge
of my bed.
"Raquel, I think..." I begin to say, touching my lips,
blushing.
"Say no more," she replied, backing away." I'll save it
for later." She winked at me flirtatiously and walked outside.
"I don't think I was supposed to see that," Misty
responded, blushing slightly.
"Misty! I thought you... " I gasped, suddenly blushing as
well. We uncomfortably giggled at the past events. Ash frowned, still spying
on us.
"Brock, look! They're laughing... and blushing! This
isn't
good! I stood around long enough! I'll..."
"No, Ash!" Brock ordered. Ash ignored his friend's
warnings and barged into our conversation.
"I'm on to you, James! You think you have us fooled? I
know you're still working for Team Rocket! This is just another of your sick
schemes to get us to fall into your trap!" I remained silent for a moment.
Then I smirked in defiance.
"You think you know what it is to be conned, little boy?
How would you feel being conned into a criminal? And when you finally resolve
to get yourself out of that ditch, you find yourself in another?" I raised
myself off of the bed, towering over the little midget, which stood before
me. Ash shrunk back in fear, but tried to keep a brave glare upon me.
"Look at me now, Ash. I was all part of Giovanni's con,
his trap. And it all worked out good for him, being the gullible, ignorant
person I am. I don't have the time or strength to set a trap for you when
I'm in one myself. Next time, Ash, don't judge me by who I was, but who I
am. But you don't look hard enough to see that, do you?"
I shook my head and stormed out of the room in anger. Ash
gaped in shock for a few seconds until Misty hit him aside.
"Way to go, Ash," she grumbled sourly. "James, wait!"
she
cried after me, following me outside.
"Don't say it, Brock," Ash muttered under his breath.
"I told you so," Brock shook his head.
"Shut up."
I stalked away from the Lab, my wound aching and Misty
chasing close behind.
"James, stop!" she commanded. "You shouldn't be out
here!"
"I shouldn't be in there either! I don't belong anywhere. Just leave me alone. Jessie was right. I... I'm a fool."
"No, James. We're da fools. If dere's any mistake we
made,
James, it was not comin' wit' you," a familiar person cut in. Or
pokemon...
â"Meowth?!" I wondered out loud. "In da fur..." Meowth trailed off and collapsed at my feet.
"Meowth? What happened? Meowth? Meowth!!!" I yelled.
-
Meowth laid on my bed in the Laboratory, eyes tightly shut,
a wince escaping his lips every few minutes or so. It pained me to see Meowth
so helpless. But there was nothing I could do.
"Can't you do anything for him?" I pleaded Raquel.
"I've already wrapped up his gunshot wound and taken out the
bullet. He has to do the rest on his own. I've done all I can," she
apologized.
"Who did this to you, Meowth?" I asked gently, leaning over
the defenseless body of my old friend.
"Da Boss..." Meowth whispered.
"W-what?"
"...da... Boss..." Meowth clenched his teeth from the pain then
sank his head back into his pillow. What reason would he have to hurt Meowth?
He did nothing! And what about Jessie? Was she all right? Then I struck me.
It was my fault once again. I brought this on my friends. My face fell at
that horrible realization.
"No, Jimmy. It ain't... your fault," Meowth replied as if he
knew my thoughts. "It was ours... dis time. I'm... sorry."
"Let's let him rest," Raquel suggested to Misty as they
silently retreated toward the door. "If you need me, James, I'll be in the
hallway." She lightly planted a kiss on my cheek smiling, then accompanied
Misty in the hall.
"James... why?" Meowth simply asked.
"Why what?"
"Just... why? How could you betray Jess like dat? Do you have
any... idea what she's been doin ta try to get back ta ya again?"
"She doesn't care."
"You really don't pay attention, do you? After you left, she
realized... she misses you and she's been trying every night to break out
of... Team Rocket Headquarters just ta see you. But da Boss doesn't want
anybody leavin on account of he's trying to... to build a... top-secret weapon. I
managed to get out, but wit a bullet in my leg. Now do you... believe me?"
"I refuse to believe you unless Jessie tells me." I had to
hear it from her to know it was true. She had said it once. She could do it
again.
"But still... why did you betray her? I though you loved
her."
"I did... I do, but... if she's not willing to show me that,
them why should I bother? I can't wait around for her. My life has gone by
and I'm still in the same place."
"She's... afraid, James. She's afraid to say something.
You
have to make the first move. And you'd better do it fast before
she's ... she's..."
"She's what?"
"..she's... dead. Da Boss has her in his office so he can
keep an eye on her. You have to help her, James."
"No! She got herself into this mess; she can get herself
out!"
"If you don't get her out... he'll shoot her,
James...please..." I pondered on the situation momentarily. Jessie's in
trouble?
There hadn't been any situation until now that she hadn't been able to
handle. She must be in real danger. In danger of death.. no. She left me. To go
crawling back like an insecure fool…never. After leaving me to get caught by
the police... no. I'll never lower myself to that again.
"No, you're staying here!" Raquel snapped. She clutched
my
arm possessively. "Jessie didn't want him! He wants me! He can't go back
to
her! He promised me he'd never leave me!"
"Yeah!" I agreed. Then I reflected on what I had just said.
"I did?"
"Yes, you did!"
"But, James, you're not gonna just let her go, are you?
You've been together all this time... doesn't that mean a thing?" Misty
demanded. "Take me and Ash: we always fight, but that doesn't mean we stop
being friends! If you really treasure someone's friendship, you won't let
them go for anything!"
"You really care that much, Misty?" Ash interrogated
skeptically.
"Oh, don't get all sentimental on me, Ash. I've been with
you for years. I can't help liking you..." She covered her mouth in shock.
"I
didn't mean it like that!" Ash blushed a crimson red along with Misty.
"I hate ta admit it, but da twerps are right, James,"
Meowth agreed.
"No! I refuse to lower myself to... to... that! You can go if
you
want to, but... but..." I paused. Could I? Even Jessie didn't deserve this
punishment... what was I saying? "...no! I will never turn back!" I turned
away
from all present in the room. Suddenly a shot of pain stung my arm and I
clutched it in anguish.
"James, whether you go or not, we are. Team Rocket has to
be stopped before they become unbeatable. So we're asking you one last
time..." Misty started.
"Will you come with us?" Brock finished. "Not in a million years," I replied coldly.
"Fine then, James. If you want it that way..."
"James, you may not realize this now, but you're making a
terrible mistake," Misty shook her head sadly as the three of them left the
room, leaving me, Raquel, and Meowth alone.
"I guess friends don't mean anything to you anymore,
James," Meowth responded.
"That's because I don't have any," I muttered dryly.
To
my cold remark, Meowth just stared at me; then he was silent. And it stayed
that way.
-
Raquel cuddled up against me later that night. I lay on
the bed beside Meowth and Raquel was sitting in a chair that was propped up
against the bed, but in her exhaustion she had fallen over and landed on my
pillow.
I glanced over at Meowth, who had not spoken a word to me
ever since I had refused to go after my partner. He didn't seem angry with me
he was more…disappointed. I don't know why he worried so about us. He never
did before.
And why had Jessie let the Boss capture her so easily? Why
if I had been there I would've... I wouldn't... sighed deeply. Well, it
didn't
matter how she had gotten into it, but how to get her out. I hope with all my
heart that the twerps will get her out safely.
As the sun rose over the horizon, I just lay on my back
staring outside. Jessie always loved to watch the sun rising…every morning
she would wake up at the break of dawn to see the sun peeking out to greet
her.
Sometimes I would follow her and she'd explain how she and
her mother used to do that. I smiled at the memory. Our precious moments of
fellowship before another day of failure.
My eyelids began to close slowly and I fell into a restless
sleep.
-
Jessie?
"Don't back talk to me!" Giovanni shrieked at the
helpless
Team Rocket member and then slapped her aside with one blow. She lay in a
heap like an old rag doll. -
"You must have respect for your master!"
"Why should I respect you? Just because you belong to Team
Rocket? Well, if there's one thing I've learned is that you can't hide
behind Team Rocket all your life! You need to move on! This," she motioned
around the room to illustrate. "doesn't mean a thing!"
Who was this brave girl to defy Team Rocket? I noticed many
scars on her body as if he had beaten the poor girl. Who was she?
"You're trying my patience. Just as James did. You don't
want James' fate, do you, Jessie?" I couldn' t believe it! It was Jessie!
"As long as it gets me away from you." Suddenly, Giovanni
struck her and she fell once again down on the floor.
"Jess!" I screamed. I sat up in fright and glanced around.
I was back in the Lab once again.
"Don't move!" a gang of Officer Jenny's barged into the
lab noisily. We all sat up in a panic and searched for an exit frantically. I
clutched Raquel tightly against myself and she laid her head on my chest. I
glanced frantically for a way out. Then I spotted the open window nearby.
Moving quickly, I took Meowth with my free hand and dragged
Raquel toward the outside. Although my arm was aching in agony from the
bullet wound, I found the strength to help my friends get away.
"They're outside! Let's go!" the Jennys cried.
"We have to leave...now... before they come," I muttered as I
crumpled onto my knees in pain.
"James, you're in no condition to do this. I'll bring you
to
my place where you can..."
"No, Raquel... I can't. I know where I have to go. Something
terrible's happening to Jess…and it's my fault. I have to get her
out... somehow."
"James, Everyting ain't your fault. We mighta blamed
everyting you, but dat didn't mean we were right," Meowth corrected.
"Well, no matter who's fault it is, I can't let all these
years of friendship go. I have to save her... us... somehow."
"No, you won't!" Raquel yelled as she clunked me over the
head with her purse. I fell unconscious into her open arms.
"Hey! What do ya tink you're doin?" Meowth snapped. She
pulled out a spray can, and after covering her own mouth, she proceeded to
spray Meowth. Meowth collapsed onto the floor and she smirked in triumph.
"You're mine now, James. I'll make sure that you'll never
see your precious Jessie ever again."
