Search: The Web Angelfire Report Abuse « Previous | Top 100 | Next » share: del.icio.us | digg | reddit | furl | facebook AT THE CROSSROADS (PART 3) By: Cori Falls Chapter 7 -- Someone to Live For X. Unclassified. It was the worst possible grade to get on an exam and the last letter that James wanted to see. But that was precisely what he got. Along with a notice of expulsion typed on pink carbon copy paper. James's heart sank. He and Jessie had studied hard for the semester exam -- they'd spent the entire week in the library, going over all of their notes and practicing together on the battle simulators. Granted, after their final cram session they'd gone out to a wild party and stayed up until three in the morning, but considering how hard they'd been working, they needed to take a break and unwind. Besides, they knew their material so well that they were confident they could have a little fun and still ace the test. Apparently, however, they'd been wrong. Unclassified was the ultimate in bad grades. Unclassified was more than just failure -- it was humiliation! How did it happen? James knew all too well. When the professor handed out the blue exam books and the packets of questions, his brain short-circuited, and he panicked. He knew all about the different types of pokemon, what their strengths and weaknesses were, how to determine their levels, and what attacks they learned -- that was what really mattered in pokemon battles, and that was what he and Jessie had studied. But those weren't the kind of questions that had been on the exam. Instead, he was expected to know stuff like what direction the spiral on a Poliwag's belly turned, what the wing span of a Pidgeot was, and how much an average Snorlax weighed. How the hell am I supposed to know all of this?! he'd wondered as he perused the questions. James wanted to learn about pokemon, and he was extremely intelligent, but he had a life, too. What he didn't have was the time (or the inclination) to sit around all day and become a living pokedex. He just didn't understand how all of the facts and figures he'd been expected to know on the exam were supposed to help him get in touch with his pokemon and raise them to be the best that they could be. Besides, caring for pokemon and studying how their relationships with humans develop had always been more important to James than memorizing stats and calculating levels. (For this reason, the only professor he'd actually liked at Pokemon Tech was the guest speaker, Professor Oak -- he felt the same way about pokemon that James did, and he'd dedicated his life to studying how humans train pokemon...and what the pokemon can teach humans in return.) He just wanted to be the best trainer possible for Growly (and any other pokemon that he might catch) and learn how to raise them as best he could. But none of that mattered on the final exam -- only the cold, hard numbers existed. Deciding that taking wild guesses would be better than just leaving the spaces blank or writing, "I don't know," James Christmas-treed the multiple choice section and scribbled down some random rants and ramblings on the essay questions. And got an unclassified score. The faculty and the other students had never liked him or Jessie. Jessie had been labeled as a troublemaker from the start, and James was guilty by association because he'd taken up with her. The low opinions and low expectations of the professors and the student body's refusal to allow them into their social network hadn't encouraged the two of them to do their best, and as a result, they'd been at the bottom of the class. But now, because of the final exam, not only did everybody at the school think that James was stupid -- they thought he was insane, too! Which is why he'd been expelled. Tears welled up in James's eyes as he crumpled the expulsion notice and threw it into the garbage can. "What am I going to do now?" he asked himself. Over the course of the semester, he and Jessie had become the best of friends. The two of them were inseparable -- they sat next to each other in class, they studied and did their homework together, they ate together in the cafeteria, they went for walks through the quad and fed the Magikarp in the big fountain together, and they even spent all of their weekends and holidays together. James honestly couldn't picture his life without Jessie now. Every time he looked into her beautiful sapphire-blue eyes, he knew that she was the reason he'd enrolled in the school to begin with. He couldn't deny that something had been drawing him to Pokemon Tech, and he was sure that something had been Jessie. There was something about her...something that made James feel complete. James knew on the day he'd met Jessie that she was somebody special, and as he headed for his dorm room, he found his thoughts drifting back to something that had happened shortly after they'd met. Something that had convinced him she was so much more than just his friend...something that convinced him she was his soul-mate.... @->->- It was a Saturday night in early February, and James was sitting on the couch in Jessie's dorm room. The two of them always spent Saturday night together in her room. Jessie would turn on MTV, James would make popcorn, and they'd watch music videos on Headbangers' Ball until the wee hours of the morning. Jessie loved loud music, and as an added bonus, it scared her prissy roommate away so that she and James could be alone together. Once the annoying roommate was gone, however, Jessie would turn down the volume of the music, and she and James would spend all night talking. James loved talking with Jessie. Like the servant friends from his childhood, she had real character. There was nothing phony or affected about her, and even though that made her a bit abrasive, he found it appealing. He loved how she listened to what he had to say, too. All of his conversations with his parents and Jessiebelle had been one-sided lectures, and he'd never been able to get a word in edgewise. Not so with Jessie. With her, there was a real give-and-take...an actual exchange of thoughts and ideas. They never ran out of things to talk about either -- the latest gossip around school (most of which they were the subject of), a favorite book, show, movie, or song to discuss, their likes and dislikes, their beliefs and philosophies, their hopes and dreams for the future...there was always something. They never tired of conversing with each other. On this night in particular, however, Jessie hadn't turned on the TV. Instead, she was hauling an old tape player and a handful of cassettes out of her bedroom. "What are those, Jess?" James asked as he munched on some popcorn. "They're my mom's," came her reply. "Whenever I'm lonely, I play these and think of her...." James could see tears welling up in her eyes. "You're really homesick, aren't you?" he asked. Jessie frowned. "I don't really have a home to speak of. But I do miss my momma...I miss her a lot...." "Home isn't always a place," James told her. "Home is a state of mind. Home is what makes you happy...what makes you comfortable...." When he said this, Jessie really did begin to cry. "Jessie, what's the matter?!" James asked, kneeling by her side. "Is this about your mom?" She nodded. "I'm sorry. If I said something wrong, I didn't mean...." "It's not that," she muttered. "Then what is it?" James asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Tell me." Jessie put her arms around him and continued to cry. James said nothing, just held her and stroked her crimson hair until she was able to regain her composure. He'd never seen Jessie cry before, but he knew that she was lonely and that she was in as much pain on the inside as he was, if not, more. "It's just...it's been such a long time since I've seen my momma," she said at length. "And I never really got a chance to say good bye before we parted ways. There's so much I have to talk to her about, but I can't -- it feels like there's this big emptiness inside of me...." Emptiness. James knew that feeling. He knew it all too well. He'd gone through most of his life feeling as if there were a black void in his soul, but now that he'd met Jessie...now that he had somebody in his life that he could truly call a friend, that emptiness had vanished. She made him happy. But could he do the same for her? "I'm sure your mother knows how you feel," he said. "And I'm sure she loves you and misses you just as much." "I guess," she sighed. James brushed her tears away. "But even if you can't be with your mother, you're not alone," he continued. "You're never alone when you have a friend." Jessie looked up at him and smiled. "You're right, James!" He smiled back. For several minutes, the two of them sat together on the floor, embracing and enjoying the silence. Not a word was spoken between them during this time, but the silence held just as much meaning as one of their conversations -- it was a moment of bonding...a moment of trust. "I'm sorry. I don't normally lose it like that," Jessie said at length. "But sometimes it really gets to me, you know?" James nodded. "It's okay. I understand." Jessie looked into his eyes and smiled again. She could tell that he meant what he was saying. "So, what's with the tapes?" James asked, changing the subject. "Oh. These are some of my mom's favorite songs," she told him. "She used to play them all the time -- I guess you could say I was raised on them!" "Cool!" James exclaimed. "What songs?" Jessie smiled again. "Let's see...there's some Led Zeppelin -- you'd like their song, The Battle of Evermore. It's got lots of Lord of the Rings references...." James grinned. Tolkien was one of his favorite authors, and The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings were some of his favorite books. (His grand-papa had read them to him when he was little, and he'd read them several times himself when he got older.) And as it turned out, Jessie loved Tolkien's works, too. The two of them had spent many a night discussing all things Middle-Earth. "....And there's some Black Sabbath and Metallica," she continued. "Don't know if you've ever heard them, but they rule! I swear, I could listen to Planet Caravan or Orion all night!" Jessie then pulled a tape from near the bottom of the stack. "And this one's a little different -- it's more Roxy than rock," she chuckled. "But it's one of the best!" "What is it?" James asked. Jessie closed her eyes. "It's by Bryan Ferry. It's called Is Your Love Strong Enough?" she sighed. "My momma sang to me all the time, and this was one of the things she used to sing. She always sang it to me when she knew we were going to be apart for a long time, and it always made me feel better to think of this song when I got lonely...." "Sounds like you and your mom never got to spend much time together," James remarked. "Part of her job," said Jessie. "She had to do a lot of traveling. We wouldn't have been able to afford food, clothes, our house, or school otherwise." "I see," he said. "Anyway," she continued, putting the Bryan Ferry tape into the player, "I got to thinking about momma tonight, and since she can't be with me now, I decided to play some of her music." "That sounds like a great idea," James told her. "And I'd love to hear some of those songs -- they sound wonderful!" Jessie smiled at him and pressed the "play" button. After a moment of silence, a soft, melodic tune began: Just one step at a time, And the closer to destiny -- I knew at a glance, There'd always be a chance for me: With someone I could live for, There's nowhere I would rather be. Is your love strong enough? Like the rock and the sea? Am I asking too much? Is your love strong enough? Just one beat of your heart, And stranger than fantasy -- I knew from the start, It had to be the place for me: With someone I would die for, There's no way I could ever leave. Is your love strong enough? Like the rock and the sea? Am I asking too much? Is your love strong enough? As James listened to the song, he felt his heart flutter. The melody was beautiful, and so were the words. It was a song of true love...of faith. And as he listened to the words, he found his gaze drifting to Jessie. That was when he realized something -- he loved her. It wasn't a romantic kind of love, but he couldn't deny that his feelings for her were so much deeper than friendship. Something told James that his destiny lay with this girl, and he knew that he could never leave her. Suddenly, he heard a sob escape Jessie's throat. "Jess?" "It...it's nothing," she said. "No it isn't. You still miss your mom, don't you?" he asked. She nodded. James hugged her again. "I wish there were something I could do to make you feel better," he said. "But for what it's worth, I love this song. It just...it sounds so true!" "That's why momma always sang it," she said, returning James's embrace. "It's like she was telling me that as long as I had love in my heart...as long as I kept the faith, everything would be okay." "Well, I think your mom is right," James told her. Jessie looked up at him. His green eyes sparkled as he smiled at her again. "I know there's nowhere I'd rather be." More tears streamed down her face when he said this, but the smile had returned to her lips, telling him that they were no longer tears of sorrow. "There's nowhere I'd rather be either," she said. James hugged Jessie more tightly, and as the music continued to play, he began to rock gently back and forth, keeping time with it. Then, Jessie's body responded to the movement of his, and before long, the two of them were dancing. And that was how they spent the rest of the night -- dancing together to the music on the old cassette tapes that Jessie's mother had given her. James loved all of the songs, but Is Your Love Strong Enough? was the one that stuck out most in his mind. As he held Jessie in his arms and danced with her, he thought about the song and how right their friendship was. For the first time in his life, he felt complete, and he could tell that Jessie felt the same. Now that they had a friend, they had someone they could live for. There was nowhere they would rather be. @->->- That night in Jessie's dorm room -- the music, the dancing, the heart-to-heart talk -- had brought the two of them closer than ever before. They did, indeed, share a bond that went deeper than friendship, and they'd come to rely on each other more than ever after that bonding experience. But now, it was all over. James had been expelled -- he had to leave, and he'd never see Jessie again. But as he packed his belongings, James remembered something his grand-papa had told him -- if he wanted to find true happiness, he had to follow the road he chose rather than the one others chose for him. Wait a minute! he said to himself. If I just walk away now, I won't be following my chosen road! I've got to stay with Jessie, and that's all there is to it! There has to be a way.... So, as he made his way to Jessie's dorm room, he vowed that even though he had to leave the school, he'd never leave her. He wasn't going to say good-bye to the only person in his life who mattered. @->->- When James arrived at Jessie's room, he found her talking on the phone. Her back was turned to him. "Yeah, mom, everything's fine," she said. "I just wanted to let you know that I won't be coming home yet...I wanted to take some more classes over the summer, that's all...." James sighed. Staying close to Jessie while she was still in school wasn't going to be easy. There'd be no more sitting in class together, no more meals in the cafeteria together, no more studying together, no more walks in the quad -- the only time he'd get to be with her was on weekends and holidays. Not seeing her as often was going to hurt. And what was he going to do when she graduated? He couldn't very well follow her home and expect her mother to take him in. Oh, Jessie. I know this isn't good-bye, but I miss you already.... "Okay...yeah, I'll take care...uh, huh...I love you, mom...bye!" Jessie said as she hung up the phone. Then, she sank to her knees and buried her face in her hands as she began to cry. Her sudden shift of mood grabbed James's attention. "I'm sorry, momma! I'm so sorry! You gave up everything for me, but I let you down!" she sobbed. "I know you were the greatest, but this school...this life just isn't for me. I couldn't take that exam -- I can't handle the pressure...and they expelled me for it...." James raised an eyebrow. She's been expelled, too?! "I can't do it, momma...I can't go on like this," she continued. "I want to be the daughter you deserve...to be someone you can be proud of, but I need something more. I promise I'll find a way to make you proud of me, but I just don't know what to do...I'm so alone...." "No you're not," James said, stepping into the room. Jessie quickly wiped her tears away. "James? What are you doing here?" she asked, still facing away from him. "Don't feel bad, Jessie. I failed my exam, too...." Jessie sighed and got to her feet. "....And I was expelled," he continued. "Well, good for you!" she said sarcastically as she grabbed her backpack and started shoving her belongings into it. "I'm not mocking you, Jess! I swear! It's the truth!" he told her. Jessie gave no reply, just continued to pack her clothes and other personal effects. "Where are you going to go now?" he asked, changing the subject. "Somewhere...I don't know! Leave me alone!" she snapped. "Well, wherever it is, I want to come, too!" Jessie stopped what she was doing and looked up at him. "Forget it!" James grew wobbly-eyed, and his lip began to quiver. "Please, Jessie! You've got to take me with you...you've just GOT to!" he cried. "No!" "Why not?!" "Because...this is something that I have to do by myself!" came her reply. "Why by yourself?" he asked. "Why not with a friend?" Jessie turned away from him and began to tremble. James could tell that she was crying again. "You don't understand what I've been through...what's expected of me. You don't have a promise to keep!" "You're wrong, Jessie," he said softly. "I understand better than you think...." "Then why are you making this so goddamned hard for me?!" she shouted. "Just go home, James!" "No, Jessie! I can't go back home...I can't...I can't...." he whimpered, tears welling up in his emerald eyes. "Please! Take me with you!" Jessie finished packing and brushed past him without another word. "I thought we were friends!" he called after her as she stormed down the hall. "I thought you LIKED me!" Jessie stopped and looked over her shoulder at him. "We are...and I do," she said. "That's why you can't come with me, James -- I don't even know where I'm going...." "And I do?" he retorted. "Jess, there's nothing left for either one of us here...and if we're going to be lost, then we may as well be lost together!" She looked away again and hung her head. "We're in this together, Jessie," James continued, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We both have our reasons why we can't go home...and we both have promises to keep...so give me one good reason why I can't come with you!" Jessie turned and put her arms around him. "I can't," she whispered, burying her face in his shoulder. "Then that settles it," he said, returning her embrace. "We go together!" She looked up at him and smiled. "Okay, James, you win. You can come with me." James grinned and hugged her more tightly. "Thanks, Jess!" Her smile grew even wider as she gazed into his beautiful green eyes. "To hell with this stupid old school! Who needs them?! We'll set out on our own journey...become pokemon masters our own way! Right, James?" "That's right!" he replied as he gazed back into her lovely blue-violet eyes. "Alright, then! From now on, we're a team!" Jessie declared. "Anybody who stands in our way had better prepare for trouble!" "Yeah! And make it double!" said James. The two of them laughed at their impromptu rhyme -- there was just something about it.... @->->- Jessie sighed and paced impatiently about. It was now past noon, and Meowth still hadn't shown up. She hoped and prayed with all her heart that he'd return with help soon -- James was fading fast! His appetite was now completely gone. She'd made him some scrambled eggs for breakfast, and he'd taken only two bites before giving up completely. Jessie had tried to finish them herself, but once she got a taste, she knew why he hadn't wanted any -- they were dry, gummy, and absolutely flavorless. "I'm sorry, James," she'd said. "If the poison doesn't kill you, my cooking will!" "They aren't that bad," he'd replied weakly. "I'm just not hungry...." She'd ended up feeding the rest of the eggs to Arbok (even though eggs were the cobra's favorite food, she'd almost turned them down, too!) and eating a stale donut left over from yesterday's breakfast instead. Jessie sighed again. Was it really only yesterday that James was making love to me, eating a dozen donuts for breakfast, and planning a wonderful day off for the three of us? she asked herself. It seemed so far away and long ago now. It boggled her how one simple choice had destroyed so much. Everything had been so peaceful, quiet, and romantic yesterday, but now, James was dying, Meowth was missing, and she was just lost. James. She looked over at him and felt tears welling up in her eyes. After his attempt to eat her pathetic excuse for cooking, he'd gone back to sleep -- it was all that he had the energy to do now. She watched as the dim firelight cast an eerie red glow onto his pale face and created bizzarre shadowy effects that marred his handsome features. Suddenly, he began to moan. "Jessie...Jessie...." She was at his side within a fraction of a second. "What is it, James?" she asked, taking his hands in her own. Even through his gloves, they felt cold. James clutched her hands in a vise-like grip and looked up at her. "Jessie, please don't leave me here!" he muttered. His normally sparkling eyes were dull and glassy, and it seemed as if he were looking through her rather than at her. "Please don't leave me! I flunked out of Pokemon Tech, too! I can't go home, Jessie -- you've got to take me with you! Please! You're my best friend, Jessie...there's nowhere I'd rather be than with you...." The tears Jessie had been trying to hold back spilled down her cheeks and landed on his own. "And there's nowhere I'd rather be than with you," she whispered. "We'll go on our own journey...together...." he continued, as if he hadn't heard her. The delirium had set in. It was the beginning of the end. Jessie cried even more as she folded James into her arms and began to rock him back and forth. "Yes, James," she told him. "Yes, we will journey together. I want you to come with me...and I don't ever want you to leave...." Chapter 8 -- Ring-wraiths "What is this place, Jessie?" James asked as he and his friend crested the hill and found themselves looking down at a small city. Jessie walked up to a sign by the side of the road and read it aloud, "Sunny Town." "Sunny Town? Sounds nice," he remarked. "Looks pretty nice, too," she agreed. "Maybe we can stop here for a few days." James smiled. It had been over two weeks since the last time they saw civilization, and as much as he enjoyed camping out under the stars with Jessie, the prospect of sleeping in a real bed appealed to him even more. Besides, they were running low on food and other provisions, and they needed to stock up again. "Sounds like a plan to me!" he exclaimed. @->->- It had been three years since Jessie and James flunked out of Pokemon Tech and set out on their journey together. They were now thirteen years old, and even though they didn't yet have any pokemon or trainer badges to show for their efforts, they'd never been happier. Friendship and being close to each other were more important to them than becoming pokemon masters ever would be. And escaping from the confines of their home and school lives had set their souls free. They viewed their life on the open road as an adventure...a quest. Sometimes, they'd pretend that they were living one of their Dungeons & Dragons campaigns...and they often drew parallels between themselves and the Hobbits of Tolkien's Middle-Earth. "You know what, James? The two of us...we're kind of like Frodo and Sam!" Jessie had once said on the afternoon they'd set out from Pokemon Tech. "Yeah!" James had replied after thinking about it for a moment. "They were the best of friends and stuck together no matter what, and so are we!" "They were destined for so much more than a quiet, uneventful life in the Shire," she continued. "They were destined to protect the world from devastation!" "They really extended their reach to the stars above, didn't they?" James asked as his mind drifted back to the epic journey the two little Hobbits and their friends had undertaken. Jessie nodded. "And I think we can do the same," she said. "I think anything is possible for us...as long as we have each other." James smiled. "You're right, Jess!" he exclaimed. "And in a lot of ways, we're better off than Frodo and Sam were." "How's that?" she asked. "Well, for one thing, we don't have any Ring-wraiths chasing after us!" he laughed. Jessie's face fell when he said this. "Speak for yourself," she muttered. "What was that?" "Oh, nothing." Now James was frowning, too. Jessie didn't get frightened by trivial matters, and his remark about the Ring-wraiths had really disturbed her. What's she so worried about? he wondered. Is somebody...or something chasing after her? "It's not nothing, Jessie," he said. "Please tell me what's going on! If we're in some kind of danger...." Jessie closed her eyes and sighed. "It's just some bad memories. That's all." "Bad memories? Of what?" he prompted. "A lot of stuff," she replied. "Stuff I'd rather not talk about." James nodded. "I understand." He was disappointed that Jessie wouldn't open up to him about something that was obviously bothering her, but he knew that some secrets were just too painful to share. He still hadn't told her much about his own past, after all. And he had no intention of ever telling her about his past -- he honestly didn't know how she'd react if she ever found out the truth...and he was afraid she wouldn't take it well. If she found out about Jessiebelle, it would be disconcerting at the least. Could Jessie ever really be comfortable with their friendship...or with him if she knew that he'd been engaged and that the monster he'd been intended to marry had the same face that she did? And what of his parents? Jessie had barely been a step above homelessness when she was a little girl, and good food and clothes had been rarities to her. She'd probably think he was a spoiled brat for running away from home if she knew that his parents were rich...and she could never be friends with a spoiled brat. Yes, he knew how it felt to not want to talk about painful memories...he knew all too well. James shuddered as memories of his parents and Jessiebelle came unbidden to his mind. Finding happiness with his new friend had allowed him to leave his past behind and move on, but seeing the fear in Jessie's sapphire eyes only reminded him of his own fears. He was the sole heir of the Woodson family, and his parents had been insistent that he fulfill his duty to marry Jessiebelle and carry on the family name -- it wasn't very likely that they were going to let James go and allow him to live his life the way he chose. It was probably only a matter of time before they came looking for him. Hmmm...maybe we have more in common with Frodo and Sam than I thought he said to himself. Maybe we really do have Ring-wraiths chasing after us. His blood ran cold at the thought. "Enough of this!" Jessie said, shaking off the bad vibes their conversation had caused. "We're leaving all that crap behind at Tech -- it's time for a new beginning!" "Yeah!" he agreed. She smiled at him. "The only question now is...where the hell do we go from here?" "Well," he replied, "if we don't know where we are, and we don't know where we're going, then it doesn't really matter which way we go!" "Good point," she chuckled. "We can go wherever we want...do whatever we want! We're free!" James nodded. "The mold of our life is in our hands to break." Jessie's eyes widened. "Whoa! That's cool!" "It's something my grand-papa always used to say to me," he told her. "Your grand-papa sounds like a smart man." "He was. He was very smart...." Her face fell when she heard him say was. "I'm sorry," she whispered, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay," he said. "He was eighty. He...he lived a good life. He was at peace with the world...and himself. It...it was just his time...." Jessie put her arms around James as he began to cry. "Even if the one who's dying can accept it, that doesn't make it any easier for the ones who get left behind. It still hurts to lose someone you love. It hurts a lot...." James looked and saw that Jessie was crying, too. She knows how I feel, he said to himself. She never gets to see her mother...can't be with her when she needs her. That must hurt just as much as if her mom were dead. "Hey, it's okay. Really," he said aloud as he brushed his tears away. "You said yourself we're leaving all the bad stuff behind." "Yeah...yeah, we are," she replied. "And it doesn't matter what we've lost because we have each other now!" he continued. This made Jessie smile again. "I'll stay with you," he promised. "And I'll stay with you," she echoed. "Best friends forever!" they said in unison as they joined hands. The two of them gazed into each other's eyes for a moment, and James knew that he'd been right about Jessie on the night they danced together in her dorm room. She was more than just his friend...she was, indeed, his soul-mate. "So...where should we go first, anyway?" Jessie asked at length. "We never really decided yet...." James shrugged. "Well, Vermillion City is only a few days south of here, and it's got a nice park by the ocean." Jessie grinned. "Vermillion City it is, then!" With that, the two children joined hands again and started heading down the road. And as they began their journey, a song filled their hearts -- a song that Bilbo Baggins (and Frodo after him) had sung in Lord of the Rings when he set out on his own journey. A song that Jessie and James couldn't help but sing now: The Road goes ever on and on Down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, And I must follow, if I can, Pursuing it with eager feet, Until it joins some larger way Where many paths and errands meet And whither then? I cannot say. @->->- After three days of traveling, Jessie and James arrived in Vermillion City, a large city known for its beaches, its luxury cruise ships, and its spectacular sunsets. It was also known for its pokemon gym. "What should we do first, Jessie?!" James asked, eager to see the sights. "Well, if we want to be pokemon trainers, the first thing we need to do is get some pokemon," came her reply. "Then after training them a little, we could challenge Lt. Surge and get our Thunder Badges...." James sighed as he thought about Growly. Not for the first time, he wished he'd brought his dog along with him. "And if we want pokemon, we need to get some poke balls, potions, and other stuff," Jessie continued. "How are we going to do that?" James queried. "We don't have enough money." "Well, we'll probably have to get a job, or something," she told him. He nodded, but before he could say anything, his stomach began to growl. "Uh...Jessie?" "Yeah?" "Can we get some lunch before we get a job?" he asked. "I'm starving!" At the mention of lunch, Jessie's stomach began to growl too, and she blushed. "Heh, heh. Yeah. We probably should get something to eat." James smiled. The two of them made their way to the oceanside park, where there was a variety of restaurants and souvenier stands along the boardwalk. After buying an extra large pizza with pepperoni, green peppers, and mushrooms and a couple cans of soda, they seated themselves at a picnic table beneath the shade of a large Australian pine. "I'm glad we decided to come here," Jessie said as she picked up a slice of pizza and twirled the hanging strings of mozzarella cheese around one of her long, delicate fingers. "Me, too," said James, taking a slice of pizza for himself and making sure to pull half the toppings from the neighboring slice along with it. Jessie's eyes widened. "You pepperoni pirate!" James giggled as she playfully smacked him over the head with her paper fan. (She had the amazing ability to pull that paper fan seemingly out of nowhere and wield it with deadly skill, he noticed. She could do the same trick with a mallet as well, though she didn't use it nearly as often as the fan.) Once they'd finished their pizza and sodas, they laid down and stretched themselves out in the soft grass, using their backpacks as pillows. "Hey, Jessie, once we have enough money, what kind of pokemon do you want to get?" James asked. Jessie looked up at the blue summer sky and pondered it for a moment. "Hmmm...I really don't know. I guess I'll just have to wait and see." James nodded. "Well...what kind of job should we get? And how do we get one?" "You mean you've never had a job before?!" "No." Jessie sighed. "Well, big cities like this usually have businesses that give temporary jobs to pokemon trainers," she told him. "It's not anything to make a career of, but it does give trainers enough money to stock up on supplies and stuff before continuing their journeys. It's really handy when you can't afford to call your family and get them to send you money...." James smiled. He'd never worked before, and he didn't know the first thing about having a job, but he did know that he wasn't going to ask his parents for money. The idea of asking them for anything was appalling to him -- he wanted to make money his own way and not be beholden to them. "So, we could just hang out here and wait tables or be cashiers at a store for a few weeks?" "Exactly." "Cool!" "Speaking of which, we should probably get going soon," Jessie said as she got to her feet and dusted herself off. "If we can find somebody to hire us today, we'll be able to start work tomorrow. And the sooner we start working, the sooner we can get our first pokemon." "Where should we go first, Jess?" James asked eagerly. She smiled. "How about the local poke-mart? The cashier position pays pretty well, and they give discounts on all the merchandise to employees!" "Sounds good to me!" Once they'd cleaned themselves up, Jessie and James headed back to Vermillion City to begin their search for a job. @->->- "So, where is the poke-mart, anyway?" James queried as they wandered the streets. "I don't know," came Jessie's reply. "We should probably ask somebody for dir....Shit!" James's eyes widened. "Jess, what's wrong?" Jessie placed a finger to her lips and grabbed him by the arm as she ducked into an alley. "What's going on?!" he demanded, his voice dropping to a whisper. Jessie crouched behind a large dumpster and pulled James down with her. "Don't. Make. A. Sound," she whispered back. "You don't want them to find us! Trust me!" James raised an eyebrow. Them? What's she talking about? he wondered. Peering cautiously from behind the dumpster, James saw two large men walking slowly along the street. Their faces were obscured in shadow by the large caps they were wearing, and they were dressed all in black, save for the large red "R" that was emblazoned on the front of their sweaters. James had no idea who these men were, but their dark clothing and the slow, deliberate way they were moving along -- as if they were searching for something -- made them eerily similar to the Ring-wraiths that had been stalking Frodo. James looked back at Jessie and saw that all of the color had drained from her face. She'd curled herself into a ball, and she was trembling. "Goddamn it, Arianna!" she muttered, closing her fear-filled blue eyes. "I'm not Miyamoto...and I'll never be Miyamoto! Why can't you just leave me alone?!" James sweatdropped. He'd never seen Jessie so terrified before, and her ranting was starting to frighten him, too. "Jessie, what's going on?" he asked softly. She opened her eyes and looked up at him, but she gave no reply. "Who are those men?" Silence. "Who?!" "The Ring-wraiths," she whispered, as if she could read his mind. "W-well...what do they want with you? And who's Miyamoto?" he asked. "Please...just be quiet, James! You don't want to know...and you don't want them to find us...you don't...." James reached down to place a comforting hand on her shoulder, but he suddenly heard a scream. Looking from behind the dumpster again, he saw the men in black chasing a young girl. No! It can't be.... he said to himself. The girl dropped the Oddish she'd been carrying and shouted a command. The Oddish released a cloud of golden powder from its leaves, and as it engulfed the two men, they became paralyzed. James felt his blood run cold as he watched the scene unfold. An Officer Jenny drove up on her motorcycle to see what the commotion was and slapped the two men in handcuffs. But James wasn't watching them -- he was watching the girl. Picking up her Oddish once again and tossing one of her bright red sausage-curls, the girl turned on her heel and walked over to a black limousine. A stately-looking man and woman emerged from the limo and ran to the girl's side. They looked worried but quickly calmed down when Officer Jenny apologized to them and sped away with her two prisoners. Once the police officer was gone, the girl spoke with the man and woman for a few minutes and slowly shook her head. The man and woman frowned and got back into the limo, and the girl followed them. So I was right, James thought as he watched the limo drive away. Jessiebelle and my parents ARE looking for me! Jessie and I really do have Ring-wraiths following us! He looked down at Jessie again and felt his heart sink as he watched her cowering in fear. "It's okay, Jess. They're gone now," he said softly as he knealt next to her. "Officer Jenny arrested them -- we can stop hiding now." "But for how long?" she asked despairingly as she looked up at him, her eyes still filled with terror. James frowned. She was right -- they were never going to be free as long as their Ring-wraiths were chasing them. Their life on the road would have to be lived on the run. For several minutes, James held Jessie in his arms and ran his fingers through her crimson hair. He was every bit as scared as she was, but he found that hugging her calmed his nerves and put his mind at ease. And as Jessie returned his embrace, her trembling subsided, and she calmed down, too. "Jessie, who were those guys?" he asked again. "What did they want with you?" Jessie sighed. "Do you know what Team Rocket is, James?" she said after a long pause. James nodded. "I've heard of them. Some kind of pokemon crime ring, or something?" There was another long pause before she spoke again. "They...they like to recuit children and teenagers to work as their agents. Children and teenagers with great skill and potential." "Then why are they after a Tech dropout with no pokemon?" James asked. "Why aren't they targeting the honor students or more experienced trainers?" "It's because of my mother," she replied. "When it comes to pokemon, Miyamoto's one of the best. She was Valedictorian of her class when she graduated from Tech...." So THAT'S who Miyamoto is -- she's Jessie's mom! James said to himself. And if she's that good, she must be some kind of gym leader or Pokemon League official! No wonder her mother wanted so badly for her to attend Pokemon Tech...and no wonder Team Rocket is after her! "They think you've inherited your mother's skill...and they want to get you while you're young," he concluded. "Precisely." James smiled at her. "Well, that's not going to happen! You could take them all!" "So...you still want to come with me?" she asked in disbelief. "Even though it puts you in danger?" "We've both got things we're running from," he told her as he recalled seeing his parents and Jessiebelle. "But you know something? I'm not afraid when I'm with you! This probably sounds crazy, but when we were hugging each other just now...it's like all the scary stuff went away, and I knew everything was going to be alright." Jessie's eyes widened when he said this. "You noticed that too, huh?" The two of them embraced again, only this time, they were hugging out of love rather than fear. And as they held each other, they knew that they were right -- their friendship was strong enough to make all of the bad things in their lives go away. "Still, we can't stay in town," Jessie said at length as she pulled away from James slightly. "They knew we were here, and they'll probably be back before too long. The sooner we get out of here, the better." "So, jobs, pokemon, and badges are just going to have to wait, huh?" "Afraid so." "Well...where should we go, then?" he queried. "Wherever the road takes us, I suppose," she replied. "Wherever they're not...." Yeah. Just like Frodo and Sam, James said to himself as the two of them left their hiding place and made their way out of town. Always trying to stay one step ahead of the Ring-wraiths.... @->->- That had been three years ago. Fortunately, James hadn't had any more run-ins with his family since that day in Vermillion City, but the fear that they were still after him was always at the back of his mind. Unfortunately, he and Jessie did have a few close calls with Team Rocket agents. Jessie's mother had trained her to be attuned to her surroundings, however, and she was always able to sense danger before it struck. Nothing bad had ever come of the encounters, but they always served as a grim reminder that they weren't truly free. Still, the frightening moments had been few and far between, and for the most part, their journey had been an enjoyable one. And if James thought that he and Jessie had been close at school, it was infinitely more so now. Being out in the world, they needed each other to survive. They each had talents that made up for the other's shortcomings, and they were always learning something new -- about themselves and each other -- every day. Having lived a sheltered life, James didn't know the first thing about self-defense until Jessie taught him how to fight. It wasn't much, really, just some boxing jabs and martial arts moves that she'd picked up in her childhood, but it was enough so that he could take care of himself if push ever came to shove. And by the same token, James had taught her a few basics about cooking. Her culinary skills would never match his own, but at least now she could throw something simple together if he wasn't around to do it for her. He was also blessed with the gift of gab, and even though she never said so, he knew Jessie was grateful that he could talk them out of difficult situations whenever fighting wasn't a possibility. Besides, he just enjoyed being with her. Whether their day was spent traveling on the road, at work in a city, or just goofing off, Jessie's mere presence was enough to make even the most mundane moment special to James. And although they always worked together, played together, ate together, slept together, and even bathed together, they never got sick of each other's company. They never ran out of things to talk about, either. Just like the weekends at Tech, they'd sometimes stay up until the wee hours of the night, just talking. He called Jessie his best friend, and he loved her deeply, but James knew that there was more to it than that. Now that they were older, he was beginning to look at her in a different way. Her body was beginning to mature, and so was his. He already loved her soul and her mind, but now he was becoming attracted to her physically as well. Every time she touched him...and every time he touched her, his feelings overwhelmed him, and being close to her took on a whole new dimension of pleasure. But at the same time, these new feelings frightened and abashed him. He didn't want Jessie to think he was a pervert for being attracted to her, and he didn't ever want to offend her with an unwelcome remark or gesture. So he did his best to hide his feelings for her...buried them deep down and tried his best to pretend that everything was still platonic. He'd even bought a separate sleeping-bag for himself and stopped bathing with her in recent months. It pained him to distance himself like that, but he knew it was for the best. They weren't little kids anymore, and he was doing it out of respect for her. But as much as James tried to hide it from Jessie, he could never deny it to himself -- he was in love with her. After three years with her, he was sure of it. Jessie was the girl his grand-papa had told him to go out and find -- the girl who was made for him...the girl he was destined to spend his life with. James wanted more than anything to tell her how he felt, but he was afraid that if he did, she wouldn't feel the same way. And worse, he was afraid that if he told her, she wouldn't want to be his friend anymore. Jessie liked him because she trusted him, and he was afraid that telling her his true feelings would violate that trust and scare her away. The thought of Jessie leaving him was more than he could bear, so he kept his love for her unspoken, not wanting to jeopardize the beautiful friendship they'd forged. @->->- "I'm hungry," James said as they walked down the street that led into Sunny Town. "Let's get something to eat, Jessie!" Jessie smirked at him. "Is food all you ever think about, James?" James grinned sheepishly. "Of course not!" I think about you all the time, too.... He felt his cheeks turning pink. Jessie's cheeks turned pink, too as her stomach began to growl. "Well...it is lunchtime. Why don't we get some submarine sandwiches, or something?" "Yeah!" he exclaimed. As they began their search for a restaurant, however, their path was suddenly blocked by an older boy on a large bicycle. "Get out of the way!" Jessie demanded. "Make me!" the boy sneered. "Gladly," Jessie growled as she clenched her fists. "Come on, Jess. Let's just go around him," James whispered as he took her by the arm. "He's just trying to provoke you. Don't give him the satisfaction." "Fine," she whispered back, a hint of disappointment in her voice. But when they turned to try and find another route, they found that they were surrounded -- it was a whole gang of bikers! "Ain't seen you kids around," the first boy, obviously their leader, remarked. "We're new in town. You got a problem with that?!" Jessie snapped. "As a matter of fact, I do," came his reply. "We don't take kindly to candy-assed geeks like you trespassing in our town!" Jessie laughed. "Well, that's a nice coincidence! It just so happens that we've got a problem with you, too...." "Jessie, please!" James begged. "Don't make trouble!" "They're the ones that started it!" she retorted. He frowned. The gang leader pulled a billy club out of his black leather jacket and grinned. "Looks like we're gonna hafta give you kids a proper introduction!" he said as he slapped it against his palm. "The name's Spynal Tap, and these here are my boys." "Pleased to meet you," James said nervously. "Now, if you don't mind, we'll just be leaving." With that, he took Jessie by the arm again and tried to find a way through the gang of bikers that encircled them. "Hey! Where d'ya think yer goin', ya little Ken doll?" Spynal Tap jeered, whacking James on the back of the head with his club as he passed by. A fire sparked in Jessie's blue eyes as James crumpled to the ground. "How dare you?!" she snarled. Spynal Tap grinned. "You got something to say to me, bitch?" "As a matter of fact, I do," she replied mockingly. With that, she walked over to Spynal Tap and punched him in the face. The impact of her strike knocked him off of his bicycle, and he fell to the ground. "Don't touch my friend, you asshole!" Slowly, Spynal Tap got to his feet and placed a hand to his bleeding nose. "You goddamned little slut! I'LL KILL YOU!!!" he screamed. Jessie scowled at him and stood her ground. "W-w-well...don't just stand there!" Spynal Tap shouted to the other bikers. "Help me kick her ass! And her little buddy, too!" "Come on, James!" Jessie cried, hauling him to his feet. "Looks like we're going to have to fight, after all!" "That's what I was afraid of," he whimpered as the bikers began to advance on them. When Spynal Tap was close enough, he swung his club at them again. Fortunately, however, Jessie and James knew how to defend themselves, and they quickly ducked. As they rolled out of the way, Spynal Tap's club smashed into the face of another biker who'd lunged at them, and he fell to the ground, screaming in agony. Taking advantage of the bikers' surprise, Jessie darted in with lightning-quick speed and tore the chain off of Spynal Tap's bicycle. When she got back to her feet, she began to swing it over her head, keeping their assailants at bay. Every time one of them tried to charge in, she lashed it at them like a whip and forced them back. All the while, James knealt at her feet, cowering. But this wasn't enough for Jessie -- she wanted revenge for what they'd done to James. After a few minutes, she got tired of just swinging the chain around, and she charged in to attack. Her unfortunate victim just so happened to be Spynal Tap. When he met her charge, she spun on her heel and delivered a roundhouse kick to his chest. The older boy reeled back from the force and began gasping for air. While he was still stunned, she lashed out with her chain again and caught him by the neck. Giving the chain a tug, she brought him to his knees before her. Seeing what had become of their leader, the other gang members backed away. "Mercy...mercy!" he croaked once he was able to catch his breath. Jessie's sapphire eyes narrowed to slits as she yanked the chain again and made him gag. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't stomp a mud-hole in your ass right now!" "Please don't hurt me!" he begged. "I'll make it worth your while!" "I'm listening," she said, releasing her grip on him slightly. "So start talking, dip-shit!" "How'd you like to join our gang?" he asked. "We could really use a fighter like you!" "Yeah, right," she snorted. "Come on, man! You'll get your own bike...." he said lamely. "And...like...weapons, and stuff, for when we rumble with the gang on the other side of the bay...." Those were the magic words. Jessie smiled slyly. "Weapons, huh? My own bike, huh? You know what? You've just got yourself a new member!" "Yeah!" the bikers cried in unison. "Come on," Spynal Tap said, "We'll take you back to our place...." "Wait!" Jessie cried as the bikers began to lead her away. "What is it?" Spynal Tap asked. "What about James?" "James?" "My friend." The bikers all turned and looked at James, who was still cowering where Jessie had left him when the fight broke out. "That wuss?" Spynal Tap jeered. "What about him?" Jessie scowled. "Then forget it!" she snapped. "You can shove your bikes and weapons up your ass, for all I care!" The bikers gave her a quizzical look. "Huh?" "Don't you DARE talk about him like that!" Jessie shouted, coming back to James's side and putting her arms around him. Still scared out of his mind, James couldn't do anything but hug back. After a few minutes, however, the warmth of Jessie's embrace calmed him, and he found his strength returning. "James is my best friend!" she said defiantly. "If you want me, then you've got to take him, too!" Spynal Tap eyed the two of them and considered this for a moment. "Okay," he said. "You can bring your little buddy along, if you want." "That's more like it...." she said. "....And NOBODY'S going to give him a hard time, either!" she quickly added. "You mess with him, you mess with me. You got that?!" "Perfectly!" "Yep!" "Crystal clear!" "Whatever you say!" Jessie and James exchanged smiles as the bikers led them back to their hangout. @->->- The bike gang made their hangout in an abandoned building on the outskirts of Sunny Town. Even though the place was in a state of disrepair, there were enough rooms for everybody to have their own sleeping quarters, and there was a large common area that was ideal for throwing parties or just hanging out. Since the building was in such a seedy part of town, nobody ever complained about the loud music, and the remote location made it relatively safe from the police and other unwanted visitors. When Jessie and James saw the hangout, they knew that they'd be safe for awhile. James knew for a fact that his parents and Jessiebelle would never think to look for him in such a bad neighborhood, and even if they did find out where he was, it wasn't very likely that they'd actually come here to get him. And Jessie seemed to be at ease in the bikers' hangout, too. She obviously wasn't worried about Team Rocket agents finding her here. Joining the bikers had been a good decision. Suddenly, a young girl with long, green hair walked up to Jessie and James. "What do you want?" Jessie growled. She still didn't trust any of them. The girl became starry-eyed. "You were so awesome!" she cheered. "I wish I could fight like that!" Jessie smirked. "My name's Tyra!" the girl continued. "What's yours?" "Jessie." Tyra grinned. "Do you think you can show me how to swing a chain around?!" "Maybe." "Come on, Jessie!" Tyra said as she took Jessie by the arm. "I'll show you to your room...." Not wanting to be left behind, James followed the two girls. As he began to ascend the stairs, however, Spynal Tap placed a hand on his shoulder and stopped him. James tensed. "What is it?" he asked, trying his best to hide his apprehension. Spynal Tap studied him for a moment and took a piece of paper from his pocket. "I thought you looked familiar." James raised an eyebrow. "You. You're the missing kid," Spynal Tap said, showing him the paper. James looked at the paper and saw that it was a poster with a picture of himself on it...along with the promise of a $1,000,000 reward for anybody who returned him to Quentin and Judith Woodson. His emerald eyes narrowed as he looked back at Spynal Tap. "Yer worth a lot of money, kid," he remarked. "And you never saw that poster," he said firmly. "Trust me, you don't want to get involved with the Woodsons." Spynal Tap gave him a quizzical look. "All their promises are lies," he continued. "Don't think for a minute that they'd actually pay you for your troubles." The biker smirked. "And how do I know yer not just saying that to save yourself?" "Why would I be running away...why would I need to save myself to begin with?" he countered. "People don't run away when life is good." Spynal Tap closed his eyes and considered what James had told him. "Hmmm...you've got a point. Must've really sucked!" "You have no idea." He nodded. "Don't worry. Yer secret's safe with us. I know what it's like to have an asshole family...we all do." This made James smile. "I'll admit...I thought you sucked at first, but yer friend, Jessie, seems to have a lot of respect for you. I don't think she would if you really were a wuss." James's smile grew even wider. "I was wrong about both of you -- ya seem pretty cool," Spynal Tap said, extending his hand. "Welcome to the gang." James took his hand and shook it. "Thanks." @->->- Later that night, after a young biker named Chopper had shown James to his room, he decided to look in on Jessie and see how she was doing. "Who is it?" Jessie asked when James knocked on her door. "It's just me," he said softly. Jessie smiled at him when she opened the door. "James! What are you doing here?" she asked as she invited him in. "I just wanted to thank you," he said. "Thank me? For what?" "For not leaving me behind earlier...for sticking up for me when I got beaten up...that means a lot to me," he told her. "Well, I couldn't let them get away with treating you like that -- we're best friends, and we always stick up for each other!" she said. "And how could I possibly leave you behind, James?" James seated himself next to her on the bed, and she put an arm around his shoulders. "You always were the brave one, Jessie," he sighed. "Why you put up with a coward like me, I'll never understand...." "Don't talk about yourself like that! You're braver than you give yourself credit for!" she told him. "I am?" She nodded. "You never bailed on me when things got bad before. You've got more courage than anybody I know...even me!" James smiled and hugged Jessie, and she leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulder. After everything that had happened, they felt closer to each other than ever before. They sat together in silence until Jessie, exhausted from their busy day, fell asleep in his arms. Seeing how peaceful and innocent she looked with her eyes closed, James suddenly found the courage to do something that he'd wanted to do for quite some time.... "I love you, Jessica," he whispered, kissing her gently on the lips. "I love you more than anything else in this world, and no matter what happens, I won't ever leave you. I promise...." James then laid down next to Jessie and snuggled into her. As he drifted off to sleep, he sighed, content that he'd told her his true feelings, even if she hadn't heard him.... @->->- "I love you, James," Jessie whispered, kissing him gently on the lips. "They say that when a person is dying, the hearing is the last thing to go...so I'd like to think that you can hear me now...." James slowly opened his eyes. "Yes...yes...I can hear you, Jess...." he said weakly. Jessie looked down at him and smiled tenderly. He seemed surprisingly lucid. "James? How are you feeling?" she asked, taking his hands in her own and kissing them. "It's funny...I don't really feel anything anymore," he replied. "I'm sorry, James...I'm so sorry," she said, her tears flowing freely again. "This is all my fault...." "No!" James said firmly. "Jessica, don't ever blame yourself for this!" Jessie raised an eyebrow, shocked by the tone of his voice. "A long time ago...." he continued more softly, "....I accepted the consequences of the life I chose to live. I never wanted to admit it, but in the back of my mind, I always knew that it might, one day, come to this...and it has. Jessie, I know I'm going to die...I've accepted that....." "Just because you can accept it doesn't mean I can," she whispered. "James, I can't go on without you. You're...you're my other half!" James smiled. "That's how I've always felt. Jessie, I've known...practically since the day we met that we were soul-mates." "I still can't help but feel responsible," she continued. "The only reason you got hurt was because you were protecting me. You're going to die, for no other reason than because you love me...just like momma did. Why is loving me a death-sentence? Why do I always kill the people who love me?" "Jessie, you didn't kill me," he told her. "Saving your life...taking that arrow was MY choice, and if I could do it over again, I would...I don't have any regrets, Jessie...and neither should you...." "But I do, James!" she cried. "God, if I could do things over, there's so much I'd change! You think I don't regret every time I've ever hit you?! Every time I've ever yelled at you?! How long it took me to finally tell you how I've always felt about you?! I love you more than anything else in this world, and I treated you like garbage! I will never forgive myself for that, James! Never!" "No, Jessie!" he interjected. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me...you were so good to me. Before I met you, my life was empty, but you gave it meaning...and joy. I'll admit you weren't always the nicest person to be around, but I know that a lot of the stuff you did to me was for my own good -- if you hadn't slapped me around when we were shipwrecked on the St. Anne, I'd have been too hysterical to cross that fiery pit, and I would've died there! And all of those times you hit me and yelled at me? God, Jessie, as whiny as I used to be, that was the least I deserved! I used to be so pathetic, but I'd like to think that because of you, I became something more...something better...." Jessie nodded and began to cry again. "You always said I was the brave one," she said. "But look at you now! You really have changed since I first met you, James! You've evolved from my adorable childhood companion to the wonderful man that I love...." James smiled and closed his eyes again. "I remember...I once made a promise that I'd stay with you," she told him. "I know there were a few times when I almost broke that promise, but I never did." James looked up at her and brushed away the tears that were streaming down her face. "I know, Jessie...I know...you're the only person in this world that I could always rely on. Thank you...that means a lot to me...." "And that will never change," she continued, caressing his pale face and running her fingers through his hair. "Even in death, James...I will never leave you. I love you...." James took her hands in his own, and their fingers entwinwed. "I love you, Jessie...." he echoed. Jessie leaned down, and their lips met in a passionate kiss. "Awwww! Isn't that sweet?" "Yeah! I think I'm going to cry!" Jessie's head snapped up when she heard the familiar (and unwelcome) voices. Bonnie and Clyde were standing at the entrance to the cave, and they were holding a bruised and battered Meowth by the scruff of his neck. "YOU!" she shouted. "I'm...sorry, guys," Meowth said weakly. "I didn't tell 'em where ya was...but dey found out anyway...." "The Ring-wraiths...they always find us...." James muttered as he drifted out of consciousness once again. Bonnie and Clyde said nothing, just laughed. To Be Continued.... BACK Site Sponsors