Pokemon Fan Fiction / Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Team Rocket's Secret ❯ Chapter 11

Meowth opened his eyes a crack, groaning as he left the wonderful dream of fish and cream treats hovering around his head. Something had made him wake up, but he couldn't tell what. It wasn't the afternoon sun. There were no birds this high...he frowned. If there were no birds nearby, then what was that weird noise...?

"Oh, you're up," James said.

Meowth looked up and spotted his friend standing up and waving at several blue helicopters approaching from one direction. "That ain't the boss, is it?"

James smiled and shook his head. "No, look at those symbols on the side. They're police choppers! From Viridian city!"

"Huh...what?" Misty yawned and glanced up. "Hey, helicopters!" She gave Ash a brutally hard elbow in the side. "Wake up, Ash! The police are here."

"Ow!" Ash cried, wide awake. "What'd you do that for?"

"You were going to sleep through our rescue!"

Brock, roused by the shrieking match, sighed and began putting his pokemon back into his pokeballs. "I guess Officer Jenny called the city and let them know we were coming."

One of the helicopters hovered close enough for Officer Jenny to lean out and talk through a megaphone. "James, Jessie, are you guys all right?"

James nodded. "Yes, but Jessie's been drugged! She's still asleep!"

Officer Jenny disappeared into the helicopter for a moment, then reappeared with a long rope with a small pipe on the end. "Listen, your balloon's drifting too far east! We're gonna have to guide you into the city. Grab this rope and tie it around the balloon!"

"Okay!" He easily caught the thrown end of the rope and tied it around one of the support ropes holding the balloon. It took him a few seconds to figure out how to tie the knot around the pipe, but after a moment, the helicopter could safely pull them across the sky.

"Look, there's Viridian city!" Ash said, pointing off to the distance. "It's not so far!"

James sat back down next to Jessie and pulled her into his arms. "You think they'll take her to a hospital first?" he wondered.

"Sure they will," Brock said, kneeling next to him. "I'm positive they'll have her awake and feeling great in no time."

Far from being assured, James hugged her closer and glanced out at the helicopters that surrounded them. "I don't know...they are cops, after all."

"Aw, come on," Ash grinned. "You can trust the police. What would they do?"

Meowth jumped up on the top of the gondola's edge, hanging onto one of the ropes. "Not help Jessie until we spill. Or throw us all in prison and forget about us. Or hurt her even more. Or hurt James an' me. Or call James' parents. Or put them in foster care and me in a pound. Or--"

"Ahh, I knew it!" James cried and lowered his head. "The boss was right!"

"Meowth, you're not helping!" Brock snapped.

"I'm being honest for a change!"

James ignored the argument over his head and stared at Jessie. "What're we gonna do?" he whispered. "The boss must be right about cops...but we can't go back to Team Rocket..."

"James..."

He blinked. Had he heard that right? He leaned closer and heard another light whisper. Laughing in relief, he sat her up and let her rest against his shoulder. "You're awake!"

She didn't open her eyes, but she did favor him with a tiny smile. "James...relax. We'll be fine."

"But Meowth said--"

"Ignore...that little furball." She tried to look up at the helicopters but the sun's glare was too much. "Just stick...with Jenny..."

James nodded, accepting what she said without any question. "All right...I'll try, Jessie."

There was no response. She only yawned and turned on one side, snuggling against him for warmth. During the rest of the trip he wondered if she would wake up again and if the argument between Meowth and Brock would ever cease.

~*~*~*~*~

Half an hour later Jessie woke up again, but this time because of the loud traffic beneath the balloon. She still lay on top of James, but the other four were standing up and watching the city pass by. "Are we there?"

"Almost," Ash said, looking over his shoulder. "Looks like they're taking us to the hospital."

"Told you," she gloated with another yawn.

"See," Brock snapped at Meowth.

Meowth just stuck his tongue out. A moment later, he was thrown out of the gondola as it struck against something and tipped one way, nearly dumping everyone. Meowth screamed, terrified he was about to plummet down thousands of feet to the pavement below, and instead landed on his rear end on the top of a concrete building.

"Phew..." he sighed, rising and dusting himself off. "That was close."

"Pika pika!" *Meowth, look out!*

"Huh?" Meowth turned just in time to see the gondola tip the rest of the way over the edge of the hospital, spilling humans and pokemon out on top of him. "Ack, my tail!"

"Bulbasaur." *Sorry 'bout that.*

"Bulbasaur, return," Ash groaned, holding up the pokeball. Beside him, Misty recalled her pokemon as well.

"Oh my goodness, are you kids all right?" Officer Jenny's helicopter landed nearby and she jumped out before the blades had finished turning, running over to them. She helped Ash and Misty up, which freed Brock, who'd been trapped under them. Behind them, half in and half out of the blanket, James lay on his back, wincing in pain, with Jessie on top of him.

Jenny knelt beside him and tried to pick Jessie up, but James only tightened his hold on her. "You've gotta let go," she said softly.

"You'll...take her...away," James groaned, his eyes shut.

Jenny shook her head. "No, you're both going to the same hospital room. C'mon, we need to get her inside, and you too, by the look of it."

"James," Jessie murmured. "It's...all right. Let...let her."

"But Jessie..."

"Let her."

He blinked away his tears and loosened his grip, reluctantly letting Officer Jenny pick her up. Once she was out of his arms, he forced himself to sit up. After a few deep breaths, he grabbed the overturned gondola and dragged himself to his feet.

Officer Jenny stared at him, worried he would fall over. "Are you sure you should walk now?"

He didn't say anything, just nodded tightly and turned to face her. "Lead on."

~*~*~*~*~

"Oooh...my head hurts," Jessie moaned. "My arm hurts, too!"

James sat up in his chair and put his good hand on hers. "It's just the IV. They said you'd need something else with the medicine."

She turned her head to face him while she adjusted the pillow with one hand. "And why do I have to wear this stupid outfit? It's horrible! I want my old clothes back."

"Oh, quit griping," Meowth grumbled from the corner of the bed. He tried to flick his tail, but it was swathed in bandages and wouldn't move. "I'm trying to nap here."

"Jenny said our old clothes were too torn, so we're getting new clothes." He glanced at the door. "I wonder what's taking them so long."

A soft knock came from the door, and then the guard outside opened it up to let Jenny in with two duffel bags. Once she was in, the door was locked again.

"And another thing," Jessie sighed. "Why do we have to be locked in?"

Jenny gave James a sympathetic smile. "Three hours up and she's still complaining?"

James smirked. "And she's not even angry."

"Hey!" Jessie smacked the back of his head, but she was too weak to do any harm.

Jenny set the bags on the bed, unzipped them, and brought out two different sets of clothes. "The chief scrounged up some city funds to get all of this for you. I wasn't sure what you'd like, so I just judged on the videos we have of you."

She handed James a black long sleeved shirt and blue jeans with black sneakers. To Jessie she gave a black skirt, boots, and cropped top. "I don't know if the chief'll approve of this stuff, it's pretty risque for teenagers, but he did say to make sure you're comfortable."

"They're brand new!" James gasped.

"It's perfect!" Jessie grinned. "James, you'll look so good in that!"

"I can't wait to see you in that skirt," he admitted, blushing slightly.

Officer Jenny narrowed her eyes in curiosity. "Have you two ever...?"

They all gave her blank stares.

"Ever what?" Jessie asked.

"You know," Jenny prodded. "I'm mean, you're both so close and all. Have you...?"

James only looked even more confused.

"Oh, never mind," she sighed. "You two get some rest. Tomorrow I'd like you to come with me to the lab here."

"Lab?" James asked, turning pale.

"See, I told ya!" Meowth cried. He jumped under the blankets and tried to hide.

"Calm down," Jenny said. "No one's going to hurt you. We just want to verify that you can talk to pokemon and see how you do it."

"If that's true," Jessie started, "then why is there a guard outside? And how come we're locked in?"

"To make sure no one hurts you," Jenny answered. "Actually, there are five guards outside, but they're there to keep you safe if Team Rocket tries anything. Now, you said that the boss is the gym leader here?"

They all nodded.

She sighed. "Well, he's already got a batch of lawyers but I wouldn't put it past him to try to get rid of you three. Tomorrow, once you're better, you'll have to stay in the hotel we move you to. Your friends'll be across the hall from you."

"Friends?" James wondered.

"The kid and his pikachu," Jessie explained. "But why are they staying?"

"They're witnesses," Jenny smiled. "This case is on the front of all the papers, so the trial's going to be pretty soon. Hopefully it won't take longer than a month or two."

"We...we have to go up in front of him?" James asked.

Officer Jenny noticed how pale his skin was turning. "Yes, but you'll have police escorts with you at all time. Trust me." She looked up at the clock and gasped. "Oh no, I've gotta go! I promised the chief I'd be back five minutes ago!" Jenny stood up and moved towards the door, knocking so the guard would open it. "Oh, by the way, the duffel bags are yours. I got you some things so you wouldn't be too bored in here."

While the door was locked again, Jessie leaned over and pulled one of the duffel bags closer. "James..."

"What is it, Jessie?" He peered into the bag and gasped. "Comic books! My favorites!"

"That must be your bag," she said, grabbing the other bag and looking in. "Teen magazines!"

Meowth looked into Jessie's bag, sadly believing that he'd been forgotten. Instead he found a little jar with fishies and kitties on the side. He pulled it out and opened it. "Fish and cream treats!" he laughed, doing a little dance on the bed. "It's a dream come true!"