Primary Colors II: Battle Flags
Chapter Two
The room was completely dark late that night when something brought Jessie out of her sleep. She blinked her eyes and looked around. She thought that she'd heard something, but now it was completely silent. The only noise that could be heard was Meowth's faint snoring from the bathroom.
And then a voice:
"You think you've won? Well, it's my turn."
The cry never escaped Jessie's lips as a mallet came down on her head and knocked her out.
The dungeon was as dark as the Rosque room had been, only there were two other problems with it: it was also quite cold and damp. Jessie shivered as she awoke. A sound came from a few feet away, and it took Jessie a moment to recognize it.
"Meowth? Is that you?" she called softly. Her voice echoed and she flinched. The whining she'd heard continued. Jessie felt around until her hand touched the warm surface of a towel. Wrapped inside was Meowth. Jessie pulled the bundle into her lap. Meowth squirmed for a moment.
"Jessie..." he whispered. Meowth sounded like he was in pain, and she had to admit that her head didn't feel too good.
"You okay, Meowth?" Jessie said, rubbing behind the charm on his forehead.
"Hold on," Meowth said. He made a noise that sounded like he was trying to cough up a hairball, but after a minute Jessie felt him place something small and slimy in her hand.
"Eew, what is it?" Jessie asked.
"Growly," Meowth said. Jessie found the button on the side of the ball and smiled.
"How'd you get him?" she asked.
"I slipped out of the towel when they tried to pick me up," Meowth said, "I picked up the ball in my mouth, and accidentally swallowed it. Then they caught me again."
"They?"
"James' parents," Meowth said.
"Figures that they'd do something like this," sighed Jessie. She stood up, holding Meowth and the towel under one arm. "Go, Growly!"
There was a flash and then darkness again. Jessie felt something soft brush against her leg. "Grrrowlithe!"
"Growly, light the room for us," Jessie said.
"Growlithe!" Growly spat out a flame that lit the dungeon for several seconds.
"Good, there's a torch not too far away," Jessie said. "Growly, light the torch."
"Growww!" Growly moved away, and they saw another bout of flames. There was a flicker, and then the torch lit.
"Good job, Growly!" Jessie cried. She shivered as she crossed the cold floor and picked up the torch from its holder. Jessie set Meowth down with his towel and held up the torch.
The door at the top of the stairs seemed like a long way off. She carefully made her way up to the top, and tested the heavy door.
"It's locked," she sighed.
"Didja expect it to be any other way?" Meowth said.
"Not really," Jessie called back. She came down again. "Why would James' parents put us down here?"
"Only one reason," Meowth said, sitting on the towel. Jessie rubbed her bare legs as she sat on the bottom step. She leaned the torch against the wall. Growly rested his furry chin on Jessie's knees.
"What?"
"They're switching you with Jessibelle," Meowth said.
"Damn them," Jessie said, making a noise of disgust. "This is just like them to do something like that."
"I know."
"So how do we get out of this mess?" Jessie wondered.
"I don't know," Meowth admitted with a sigh.
They looked around the dungeon. There were no windows, no other doors... No way of escape.
"Now I know why James hates his parents so much," Jessie muttered.
"Growl?" Growly said curiously. Jessie patted him on the head.
"Don't worry Growly, we'll get out of this mess," she assured him.
"Any bright ideas as to how?" Meowth wondered. Jessie sighed.
"Our only way our is through that door. And I don't think we're going to get it open without outside help."
Meowth picked at the towel. "True..."
Through the big windows at the far end of the room, the edges of the sky were beginning to turn dark purple. Dawn was very slowly approaching. James blinked and yawned softly. He looked at the windows, watching the unrisen sun reflect off some clouds. Jessie stirred next to him, her arms snaked possessively around his waist. James smiled to himself.
"Jessie..."
It took her a moment to respond. "Mmm?"
"Come watch the sunrise with me," James said, running his fingers through her hair.
There was a pause, and then: "All right."
James pushed the covers aside, not really wondering why they had two blankets now instead of the one from earlier. They got up and sat at the couch that faced the windows. There was a faint blush of pink at the edge of the sky now.
Jessie leaned back into the cushions on the couch, smiling to herself. Her hair spilled down over her shoulders.
"It's so nice and quiet with Meowth still asleep," James said. Jessie didn't respond. Several minutes passed.
"I never took you for the romantic type," Jessie said with a smile.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, watching the sunrise together," Jessie said.
"I guess..."
"But then we watch it all the time, don't we?" Jessie continued. James looked somewhat confused.
"Yeah, I guess so. Miss it when we get to sleep in though," he said.
Jessie stifled a yawn, "So why aren't we sleeping in?"
"We've got a big day ahead of us," James said.
"Mmm, yeah," Jessie said slowly.
James studied her as the morning light increased. "Did you get a hair cut, Jessie?"
She played at the ends of her hair with her fingers, "Uh, no."
"Oh," James said. "I must be slipping."
"Must be," she smiled softly.
"Slipping..." James said to himself. "I thought your slip was light blue."
"It is," Jessie said, her eyes closed. James leaned a little closer.
"No it isn't," he said. "It's white now."
"So?" she yawned again. He didn't say anything, apparently not being able to find any significance in this discovery.
"I'm going to go take a shower," Jessie said.
"Alright," James replied.
Jessie went, and took her shower. James idly wondered if this bothered Meowth. But he didn't hear anything, so he didn't assume anything was wrong.
It wasn't until Jessie got out of the shower that he really noticed.
She came and sat back next to James on the couch, a towel draped around her shoulders. Jessie had put the slip back on. Her hair was partially dry and curly at the ends.
The way James screamed would make someone think that she'd just turned into the bride of Frankenstein.
"YOU'RE NOT JESSIE!" James screamed, off the couch and to the door before 'Jessie' knew what was going on. James tugged at the door but was quickly dismayed to learn that it was locked.
"Aw, shit," James turned back to face the approaching redhead.
"James, whatever is the problem?" Jessibelle said, her voice failing to sound like Jessie's and returning to its sugary drawl.
"You're...not...Jessie..." James said, clenching his teeth. "MEOWTH!"
"Meowth isn't here, I'm afraid," Jessibelle smirked.
"Where...?"
"With Jessie."
"Growly?"
"Gone too, I'm afraid," Jessibelle put her hands on her hips. "Now it's just you and me, James."
"I don't want to be with you, Jessibelle!" James wailed. He tugged on the door as hard as he could. It miraculously popped open, catching Jessibelle in the face. She stumbled backwards, hit the wall, and passed out. James ran out the door, but quickly returned.
"You're only a rental!" James said to the dress and cape as he quickly rolled them up and ran.
Jessie was beginning to wish she'd slept in more than just her slip.
"It's really cold down here," Jessie whined.
"That's why it's a dungeon," Meowth snapped.
"We've been down here for hours," Jessie continued whining, "Isn't someone going to at least come down and torture us or something?"
"You can have the torture, we'll just watch," Meowth said. Jessie sighed and looked at the torch. It was beginning to burn low. Growly, who had been fast asleep, suddenly raised his head.
"Growwwlithe!" it barked excitedly.
"What? What's wrong Growly?" Jessie asked.
"Growlithe! Groww!" the big puppy Pokemon barked.
"Growly says he hears something outside the door," Meowth said. They all looked up. Growly waved its tail eagerly.
"No, stay down here," Jessie said, "We don't know who's up there." Meowth gathered the towel around him and attempted to be unnoticeable.
Above, the door rattled in its holdings. Jessie stood, holding Growly in her arms. The door continued to shake, until finally they heard the sound of a lock being undone on the other side.
The door opened slowly to reveal...
"James!" Jessie cried happily, dropping Growly. Meowth grunted as the Growlithe landed on him.
"Who else would it be?" Meowth sighed.
"Jessie?" James' voice echoed down the steps. Jessie was already near the top. She tackled him at the top.
"What took you so long?" she wailed. They got back to their feet.
"I got held up," James explained. Meowth and Growly were coming up the steps. He handed Jessie the dress and cape. "Here, put these on." At her hesitation: "You look cold."
"I am," she assured him, and quickly wiggled into the dress.
"How long have you guys been down there?" James asked.
"Most of the night, I think," Jessie said as she arranged the cape back over her shoulders. She shivered. "It's really not nice down there!"
"I know, I know," James said. He put his arm around Jessie's waist. "Come on, we've got to get out of here."
"Don't have to tell us twice!" Meowth called from the floor. They started for the quickest way to the garage.
The group found, upon reaching the front doors, that they were locked--like most of the other doors in the mansion.
"Oh, dammit," James cursed, trying the door again. Jessie looked on anxiously. Suddenly, Growly gave an angry bark. They all turned.
"Shit," Jessie muttered.
"You guys just don't know when to quit," Meowth said.
James parents and a royally pissed off looking Jessibelle stood in front of them. Well, they all looked pretty pissed off.
"Neither do you!" Mother said angrily.
"Why can't you just wait the five years to screw up my life again?!" James cried.
"Because I'm not giving you up, James!" Jessibelle said.
"We've invested too much time in you and Jessibelle getting married," Father said.
"Oh, I'm sure her parents can find someone else to marry her off to," James said bitterly. "Especially if all you're worried about is the money."
"It's not just the money, James," Mother said. "It's the principal. We have to teach you proper values."
"And how to behave," Jessibelle added.
"Well your lessons are going to have to wait," Jessie said. "You've given us five years to prove ourselves, and we're taking it!"
"Dat's right!" Meowth added.
"Growllithe!" Growly added to Meowth's addition. Jessibelle made a disgusted face at Meowth and Growly.
"You mangy animals!" she cried, "I'll teach you what it is to be a worthy Pokémon!" Jessibelle pulled out a pokeball. "Go, Vileplume!"
"Vileplume!" the Pokémon said with its annoying accent.
"Not again," James sighed.
"Vile, Vileplume!" Vileplume said to Meowth. He balked.
"Why you no good--" Meowth spat angrily, jumping in front of Vileplume on the floor. Growly growled. "No, I'm fighting this time, Growlithe." Growly sat at James' feet.
"So, you dirty little feline," Jessibelle said, her hands on her hips. "You want to fight?"
"Dat's right," Meowth hissed.
"Now, now, he doesn't even have a trainer," Father said in amusement. Meowth blinked.
"So?"
"So, for this to be a fair fight, you have to have a trainer, Meowth," Mother said. Meowth gritted his teeth at her and then looked back at Jessie and James.
"Jessie, you know my attacks, don't you?" he asked. She nodded, pulling herself from James' arms.
"Oh, this is more like it!" Jessibelle laughed evilly.
"Go, Meowth!" Jessie called. Meowth swished his tail.
"I'm going already," he growled.
"Vileplume, Stun spore now!"
"Vileplume..."
Meowth dodged the attack and waited for Jessie's call.
"Meowth, payday attack!"
"Meeeowth!" Meowth leapt forward and headbutted Vileplume. There was a flash and several coins hit the ground. Vileplume tumbled backwards. Meowth was quickly distracted by the coins.
"Oops," Jessie muttered. James covered his eyes.
Jessibelle gave a triumphant laugh. "Vileplume, use your stun spore again!"
"Vileplume!" the Pokemon jumped to its feet and spat out another cloud of the terrible pollen.
"Meowth, look out!" Jessie called. Meowth looked up quickly. "Use fury swipes!"
"Aaaah!" Meowth coughed, shaking his head from the stun spore attack. He struggled to keep to his feet. Vileplume stood and waited. Meowth gave a final cough and fell to the floor, eyes shut.
"Alright, good job Vileplume!" Jessibelle said. She picked up Vileplume. Jessibelle walked over to Meowth to give him a kick, but instead the feline Pokemon opened his eyes and jumped to his feet.
"Fury swipes!" Meowth screeched and slashed repeatedly at Vileplume.
"Vile! Vile!" Vileplume dropped from Jessibelle's arms and ran around in frantic circles. Jessibelle cried out in alarm.
"Finish it off, Meowth!" Jessie called. "Slash attack!"
"Meowth, dat's right!" Meowth bore his claws again, and they glinted dangerously. Meowth jumped up into the air and came down on Vileplume, slashing it across the petals.
"Viiileplume!" it wailed, and fell to the ground. Its eyes spun. Jessibelle stomped her foot angrily and called Vileplume back.
"That was cheating!" Jessibelle said, pointing at Jessie.
"It isn't polite to point at people," Jessie said, "Didn't anyone ever teach you any manners?"
Jessibelle growled.
"I must say, that was quite low, having your wife fight your fiancé, James," Mother said. "You should apologize."
"Apologize?!" James cried in disbelief. Meowth bounded back to Jessie, and she picked him up.
"Yes," Father said. "We really do think that now you should just--" He stopped as a loud sound came from outside the door.
The door windows above Jessie and James shattered, and they covered their heads in surprise.
"Pidgeeee!"
"Pidgeoooh!"
Two bird Pokemon, a Pidgey and a Pidgeotto, flew into the room. They immediately began flapping their wings and stirring up a cloud of dust.
The swirl blinded the inhabitants of the room, and when it finally died down Mother, Father, and Jessibelle were surprised to find that the others had gone. Jessie, James, Meowth, Growly, and the birds had all made a clean escape.
Jessibelle stomped her foot again. "Damn!"
Mother and Father glared at her with distaste.
"Doesn't this thing go any faster?" Jessie asked.
"Earlier you wanted me to slow down!" Meowth laughed. They all joined in. The feathered distraction was all they needed to make a quick run to the garage and get their rental car.
"We didn't get any money though," James sighed.
"Wrong!" Meowth giggled oddly. Jessie and James both looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
"Look at Growly's collar," Meowth said. James pulled the Growlithe to him and felt around underneath the collar. With a great deal of surprise he pulled out a wallet from behind the buckle.
"This is my father's wallet!" James said, looking through it.
Meowth laughed again. "Ha ha! I picked his pocket when dey were cat-napping me!"
"Why didn't you tell me?" Jessie asked with a hint of anger.
"You never asked."
Jessie rubbed her forehead. "I never thought to. They caught me off guard, but I assumed they did the same for you."
"They did," Meowth said, adjusting the mirror. "But they didn't knock me out. I guess they figured that once I was in the towel I was helpless." He grinned toothily and shook his head. "Your Mother didn't like it when I ran between her legs, James."
James laughed. "She always has been a stiff." He scratched Growly between the ears. The Growlithe barked happily and licked James' face. "How did Growly help?"
"Oh, lit a torch, kept us warm," Jessie said. "The usual heroic canine stuff."
"I was more heroic," Meowth pointed out.
"Yes, Meowth," Jessie said, "Of course you were."
It was a busy morning at the airport, and the group couldn't help but look over its shoulder to make sure they weren't being followed.
At the Pokémon Airlines ticket counter they bought tickets using the cash advances from James' Father's credit cards. Four first class tickets to their connecting flight, and six on the flight that flew to Fuchsia City Intercontinental Airport.
While waiting for their plane to board, Jessie and James changed into their civilian clothing. James gave Jessie a quick kiss as they sat down in the waiting area, 'just to make sure', as he explained it.
"That dress was giving me an itch," Jessie complained.
"An itch?" James said curiously, holding Growly by the collar. Meowth sat in Jessie's lap. They were getting interesting looks from other people in the terminal.
"Yeah, an itch to get out of it," Jessie said. They laughed. Meowth tugged at the collar they'd made him wear.
"Well I have an itch to scratch off this leather noose, how about I take it off?"
"Meowth, you know what the lady said," Jessie said. Meowth sighed and nodded.
"'No collar, no kitty.'"
"Exactly," James said. "We had a hard enough time convincing them that you and Growly could have regular seats because we paid for them."
"Yeah," Meowth sighed. "I know." He laughed to himself after a minute. "I still can't believe that you two actually convinced James' parents that you were married."
"What can we say?" Jessie said, trying to look modest. "We are the finest pair of actors, neh?"
"With my help," Meowth reminded them.
"Of course, Meowth," Jessie tried to keep her expression straight. "You're just always so helpful that we forget sometimes."
This seemed to be a good enough excuse for Meowth, because he hopped out of Jessie's lap and curled up for a quick nap in the chair next to them.
"So," Jessie asked, once sure that Meowth was asleep. "How did you know it wasn't me?"
"I didn't at first," James admitted. "It wasn't until she took a shower."
"A shower?"
James nodded slowly. "She came back after taking a shower, and when her hair started to dry, it curled." He glanced at her. "I know your hair never curls when its drying."
She smiled. "I'm flattered, I think."
James' reply was cut off by the announcement of the boarding of their flight.
"All first class passengers of flight 119 to Fuchsia City are asked to now please bring their boarding passes to the gate and board the plane," a chirpy pink-haired stewardess said into a microphone.
"That's us!" Jessie said, shaking Meowth awake.
"I just fell asleep!" Meowth muttered into the cushion.
"Well now you can go sleep in first class," Jessie said.
"Growllllithe!" Growly barked and licked Meowth. The cat jumped to his feet.
"Okay, okay, I'm awake and boarding," Meowth said. Jessie picked him up and handed him his and Growly's boarding passes.
They approached the desk next to the gate. Immediately the pink haired stewardess pounced upon the quartet.
"I'm afraid all Pokemon must be kept in their balls, or in the luggage compartment," she said. Her nametag read 'Tracy'.
"We've got tickets," Meowth said, holding up the boarding passes.
"Groww," Growly barked in agreement. Tracy blinked.
"Oh, I see," she said. "Go right ahead. Have a nice flight, Miss and Mr. Rocket."
Jessie giggled as they walked down the long walkway to the plane.
"Did you see the look on her face?" she wailed with laughter.
"It was like, urrrrr!" James giggled, imitating Tracy's expression.
"Dis should be fun," Meowth said.
On the plane Jessie and James sat on one side of the row, and Growly and Meowth sat in the two opposite side seats. After some arguing Jessie and Growly got the window seats.
"I don't want to be on the isle!" James whined. "The carts will hit me in the leg!"
"Well I don't want them to hit me in the leg either," Jessie said.
"So?"
"So be a gentleman and take the isle seat," Jessie snapped. James sighed in defeat and sat. Jessie realized her way in to the window seat was blocked.
"James!"
"What?" He looked up.
"I can't get to my seat," Jessie said. James crossed his arms.
"Climb," he said.
So she did, much to the amusement of the two old ladies sitting behind them.
They were among the first to board the plane, and eventually the people in coach began to board.
A little girl with two long blonde ponytails, accompanied by a wiry middle aged lady, started down the isle. She stopped, predictably, at Meowth.
"Oh, Mommy, look at the cute Meowth!" she squealed. "I want a Meowth just like it!"
"Yes, honey," the wiry woman sighed. She looked at Meowth, who was looking cute to humor the kid. "I say, that certainly is an adorable Meowth." She turned to James. "You've done a very good job of raising it, young lady."
James looked up at her and blinked. He burst into tears and put his face in his hands.
"Oh, did I say something to offend her?" the woman said. Jessie gave her an annoyed look.
"Yes, I think you did do something to upset him," she said.
"Oh!" the wiry lady looked down at James again. "Well, young man, you need a hair cut."
James recovered quickly and jumped to his feet. "Go pitch your fashion sense someplace else!" he shouted. At realizing that everyone within ten rows was staring at him, James sat back in his seat. The wiry woman dragged the little blonde girl down the row. Jessie sighed, half hiding her face with a hand.
"This is going to be a long flight."
End Chapter Two