"James... James..." a voice repeated over and over.
Jessie? I'm coming for you! I'm on my way! You don't have to worry!
"Danger, James... Danger... hurry..."
Jessie, no! Don't leave me!
"James... James... James..."
"Jessie..." I whispered.
"No, Raquel," Raquel corrected lovingly. I suddenly got to my feet.
"Where''s Meowth?"
"Meowth? I don't..."
"Answer me!" I ordered. Raquel shoved me back onto the bed.
"He'll be safe as long as you never leave!"
"If you hurt him, I swear I'll..."
"What can you do?" she mocked. " With that injured arm, you
can't do a thing!" I glowered at her in defiance. " Now, James, just forget
about Meowth and Jessie. You're with me now. Tell me what's bothering you."
She smiled as she leaned against me flirtatiously.
"You are! What is your problem? I tell you "no" and you
refuse to listen!" I shouted shoving her aside.
"Because nobody says "no" to me!"
"Well, I guess I'm the first! Step aside, Raquel."
"No! She can never have you!" She sprayed me with a strange
perfume bottle, which gave out a cloudy mist. I covered my mouth and rushed
out into the hall, coughing furiously in effort to get the smoke out of my
lungs. "Run all you want, James. You will get nowhere."
I could feel the world around me getting darker and darker.
Spinning and spinning...faster...
"Yes, James. Breathe it in. Because once you do, you will be
mine. It's a special formula I concocted especially for you. It has the power
to cloud memories and past feelings and it will turn you over to me," she
grinned. "Jessie is history."
"No... I refuse" to let you win..." I couldn't give in to
her
wishes so easily, could I? If I did, I wouldn't even remember Jess anymore. I
would be forced to be with Raquel. Would Jess want that for me? Do I want
that for me? No! I have to fight it! I refuse to be a failure again! I refuse
to give in!
Darkness began to enclose me, but I bravely fought it. Light
began to come into focus as I felt the mist slowly retreating from my body.
"What? You’re not supposed to break out of my spell!" My
vision became clearer and after all of that struggling, I broke out of
Raquel's spell.
"Why, James? I thought you loved me," Raquel sobbed.
"I'm sorry, but I love Jessie."
"You tell her, James!" Meowth encouraged.
"Meowth! Where did you come from?"
"Don't matter now! We gotta rescue Team Rocket
Headquarters!"
"No!" Raquel cried, lunging for us. Thinking quickly, I
grabbed the perfume bottle she had squirted on me in her face. Her body
immediately fell limp and I caught her before she hit the ground.
"Come on, James!"
"One minute." I carefully placed Raquel onto her bed.
"Though I know you will never remember me or the heartache I caused you, I
apologize. Farewell, Raquel." I gently kissed her cheek. She smiled
contentedly and turned over.
"Maybe now she will be able to find her one true love," I
smiled as I stepped back from her.
"At least she won't be chasing us any more. Now let's go.
We got a teammate ta save."
-
"Are you sure you know where we're going, Meowth?" I
hissed to my partner.
"Of course I'm sure. I went up and down dese halls every
day after you left us. I know my way around dis joint. What's the matter?
Don't you trust me?â"
"I trust you, but not with directions. I would feel more
comfortable if Jess was around."
"Well, she's not so you're gonna hafta learn ta get along
witout her!"
I scowled, but continued quietly down the halls listening
for any sounds that would bring me to Jessie.
"Meowth! I think I hear sometin!" Meowth reported.
"Where, Meowth? Is it Jessie?"
"No. Sometin worse."
"Who-or what- is it?"
"My stomach. When's dinner?" I sighed. Always the same Meowth.
"No time for that." My stomach grumbled in controversy.
Meowth laughed.
"Your stomach don't agree wit dat!" he giggled. I
laughed
with him in spite of myself.
"Listen! You hear that?" a voice asked. I saw shadows from
around the corner coming closer.
"Split up!" I ordered as we separated into two rooms. I
quietly shut the door to my hiding place and I was shocked at what I saw. It
was Ash and Brock lying limp against the wall. In their weak state, they couldn't even lift their heads up to look at me.
"Ash? Brock?" I gasped. I heard a groan form Ash's
direction. "What happened?"
