A boy no older than seven came running out of a mansion, his Growlithe not far behind. He breathed heavily, his short legs running fast. Finally he came to a stop, gasping for breath. He pushed his thick purple hair away from his eyes to look at his Growlithe. His friend. His only friend. The Growlithe stared back at the boy, a look of pure worry sparking in its eyes, urging the boy to confess he was running out of the mansion for a reason.
The reason.
The boy sighed and sat down. It didn't matter if his friend was a pokemon. He'd have to confess. He always did. It took a couple more gasps of breath to calm down. The boy looked out at the sky. The sun was just barely rising in the east. Morning dew sparkled in the lush grass, and cold air stung the boy's face. Only then did he realize he was still in his pajamas. But he didn't care. Not now.
"Growlie, I had the dream again."
The boy spoke in just barely a whisper, as if someone were watching them, listening to them. The Growlithe continued to gaze at him, even more worry appearing in its eyes. The boy sighed again and lay down in the damp grass as if he did this everyday.
"I know I've told you this a million times before. But I feel like if I don't tell someone, I'll..." The boy stopped. He couldn't quite explain how he felt. "Well, anyways, in my dream there was a girl. Again. And... she got killed." The boy took a deep breath. "Again." He stared out at the sky beyond for a moment. Oh, how much he hated explaining his dream, yet he still felt the urge to do so anyways! "After she got killed someone was screaming for me to wake up. I wanted to wake up. But I couldn't. But then I did. And... that was my dream." The boy finished. He had recited the dream like he always did to his Growlithe.
The two friends just stared at each other. Then the Growlithe licked the boys face, trying its best to comfort him. The boy smiled. "Thanks Growlie. Perhaps the dream doesn't mean anything. Perhaps I won't have the dream ever again." And then the two slowly walked back into the mansion.
That was the last time he ever had the dream.
About ten years later...
Jessie stood there in the brisk night air, watching James and Meowth huddle over the fire they had made to camp out for the night. She sighed and then weaved her fingers through her long blood-red hair. Finally she stood up straight and then put her hands on her hips.
"I am going to go to sleep!" Jessie announced. James and Meowth just nodded. Jessie sighed again and then turned around to trudge over to the sleeping bags. They were covered with grass stains and dirt. Various rips were here and there. Jessie turned to look at her two companions again. "Of course if you two actually ever listened to me we could catch some pokemon and actually get some decent sleep!" Jessie snapped.
James quickly turned around to look at Jessie, his purple hair whipping his face. He opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it. He was at a loss for words. Instead James just stared up at Jessie, a hurt look in his eyes. Jessie instantly felt guilty. Muttering under her breath, she got into the scratchy sleeping bag and closed her eyes to meet a world of blackness.
It wasn't a world of blackness for long, though.
Jessie just stood there, staring out into space. Golden glimmering fog wafted through the air. Nothing else was visible. She couldn't hear anything either, only the rapid beating of her heart in her chest. Starting to panic, Jessie whirled around, searching for some sign of... anything. Squinting, she could just barely see a small black blurry image in the distance. She started running. And running. The image was slowly clearing up. Jessie suddenly stopped, gasping for breath. She stood there and stared. Was that James?!
"James!" Jessie called out, desperate.
"Jessie." James replied softly. His voice sounded unnatural. Jessie ran up to him.
"James, we have to get out of here." Jessie urged. She stared into James' eyes. They were emotionless, full of emptiness. Usually there was a spark in his eyes that soothed Jessie's mind. She let out a quick gasp and hastily stepped back.
"What's wrong?" James asked softly. His voice still sounded unnatural. Only then did Jessie realize there was another emotion that was usually in James' eyes that wasn't there right now.
Care. Worry.
Jessie's heart ached. "Nothing. Just... come on, lets go." And with that she grabbed James' arm and ran. She didn't know where she was running as she dragged James along, breathing heavily, sweat dripping down her face. There just seemed to be more and more fog.
Then she tripped. She felt her self loose grip of James' arm and tumble down into the fog. That's when she realized that James wasn't reaching out to grab her, to prevent her from falling. She shut her eyes tightly as a sharp pain raced up through her spine, and then back down again. Opening her eyes, she met the eyes of James just standing there, staring down at Jessie sprawled on the ground. She felt dizzy. Perhaps it was that dizziness that made it seem like there was more golden fog than usual.
Jessie tried to sit up, but failed. She couldn't move. The dizziness increased. Her head ached. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. She wanted to speak to that figure standing in front of her, looking straight through her. No, she did not want to speak. She wanted to scream. Inside she was screaming, and it felt as if she was killing herself.
"Jessie! Jessie!" James' voice called out. But the James standing in front of her did not make any movement or sound. Where was that voice coming from? Wherever it was coming from, she yearned to reply back.
Again James' voice called out. "Jessie! Wake up! You have to wake up! Please!" The voice sounded clearer, louder, more desperate. As everything started going black, Jessie was just barely aware of a small tear rolling down her cheek.
"Jessie!!"
This time Jessie met the sight of both James' and Meowth's faces staring down at her. At the sight of pure worry swelling up in James' eyes, Jessie knew instantly that this was the real James.
"I'm awake." Only after saying it did Jessie realize it came out as a whisper. Both James and Meowth sighed in relief. Jessie sat up, still dizzy, her head still aching.
Her heart was still aching too.
Jessie touched her cheek lightly. The small tear she had felt roll down her cheek right before she woke up wasn't there. Good.
"Jessie, you had us worried! Both Meowth and I kept shouting for you to wake up but you wouldn't!" James said, his voice shaky.
"Really? I only heard your voice." Jessie said softly. James' face turned red.
"Well, anyways... you were thrashing about madly. That's why we wanted to wake you up. But the thing is, we were trying to wake you up for ten minutes!" James continued. Jessie just sat there and blinked up at him. She wasn't sure what she was feeling.
"Well, it was just a nightmare, that's all. I'm okay." Jessie said, sighing.
"Are ya sure you're okay?" Meowth asked. Jessie nodded impatiently. "Then what did ya have a nightmare about?"
Jessie stared at the ground. "Nothing." She simply said. She didn't want Meowth, or especially James to know about her dream. But she herself wasn't so sure about the dream.
All Jessie knew was that it wasn't normal.
Jessie turned to look at James. "James!" Jessie called out.
"Yes, what is it Jessie?" James asked. Jessie looked into his eyes. They weren't emotionless and full of emptiness like the James' eyes in her dream. Instantly she felt herself calm down. She was no longer dizzy and her head no longer ached. "What is it?" James repeated.
Jessie now yearned to throw herself into James' arms and tell him about the dream. But she couldn't do it. She sighed.
"Never mind."
Three days later...
"Well, I'm going to go to sleep." James said. Without waiting for a reply, he crawled into his own scratchy sleeping bag. Jessie trudged over to her own sleeping bag, but did not crawl into it. She sat down and sighed, staring at James. Only after a few minutes did she hear the soft snoring of James sleeping peacefully. She was then aware that Meowth was staring at her curiously.
"Jessie, what is it?" Meowth asked. "You've been acting strange ever since that nightmare that you had." Jessie just stared up at the twinkling stars in the pitch-black night sky. No moon was visible.
She really didn't want to tell Meowth about the dream. She really didn't. But James was asleep, and something inside her was screaming to get out.
Jessie took a deep breath. "Okay, I'll tell you about my nightmare."
And so for the next couple minutes, Jessie went into a full explanation of her dream. She had to pause inbetween some parts to take a deep breath. The farther she went into the dream, the more skaky both her legs and voice became. Jessie was afraid she was going to start crying. But she managed to finish. She expected that screaming inside her head to stop, but it did not. She didn't feel any better than before, perhaps even worse.
Meowth just sat there for a moment, blinking. "You should tell James about the dream. It would probably make you feel better. Believe me." Meowth said.
"No!!" Jessie shouted. She hastily covered her mouth. She hadn't meant to shout. She heard a groan from somewhere behind her. Whirling around, she saw James sitting up in his sleeping bag, blinking sleepily.
"What is it?" James asked, still half groaning. Jessie felt her face get hot.
"Its nothing, James. You can go back to sleep now." Jessie said. James collapsed back into his sleeping bag. Meowth gave Jessie a look.
Jessie finally crawled into her own sleeping bag. "If you tell him..." Jessie hissed, right before closing her eyes to fall asleep.
"Jessie, please wake up."
This time there was thick black smoke. Jessie was so dizzy she couldn't concentrate on anything, couldn't feel anything except for the arm she was clutching. The arm of James. Or was it really James? She couldn't figure anything out. But it seemed more like the figure she was holding on to was dragging her around. But she couldn't tell.
Jessie waited for the voice to tell her to wake up again, to help her come back to her senses, but she did not hear it. It did not call for her again. The screaming inside her head was now louder than ever. Everything was swarming through her mind. Only then did she realize the screaming inside her had escaped. So that was why it was so loud. Jessie took a few quick sharp breaths to stop herself from screaming so she could instead shout to the voice.
"Wake me up!!" Jessie cried, tears now streaming down her face. "Please!!" She was afraid she would be swallowed up by the nothingness that seemed to swim around her.
"Jessie!!" This time two firm hands grasped Jessie by her shoulders and shook her. Jessie awoke to the sight of James staring down at her worriedly, sweat dripping down his face, breathing heavily. Jessie too was in the same state. No, she was worse. Touching her cheek she realized the tears she had felt in the dream were real this time.
Jessie just stared at James for a moment. "James..." Jessie whispered softly. Then she burst out sobbing. She was just barely aware that she was in a small white room of a hospital.
"Jessie, please calm down." James said. But it was clear that James wasn't about to calm down soon either. "I awoke to find you thrashing about again. Meowth and I tried waking you up, but that time it didn't work. So we took you to this hospital. I had to carry you."
The thought of James carrying Jessie a long distance would've usually made her heart leap to the skies, but this time it didn't. She was too scared and at the same time, sad and heartbroken.
James continued. "They tried waking you up too, but it wouldn't work. They said to just wait. Jessie, you've been asleep for three days."
Jessie stopped sobbing for a moment. Everything was silent. Then she started sobbing again, this time even louder.
"And then next time I have the nightmare it will last even longer!" Jessie cried, gasping for breath so that she could speak. "That's why I'm crying! That's why I'm so afraid! I'm afraid that someday I'll just fall asleep to this nightmare and... and... never wake up again!" Suddenly she stopped sobbing again.
"James, tell me... would you be sad if I died? Would you be crying just like how I'm crying now?"
James just stood there, gawking. Finally he spoke. "Its all my fault." He said in a hoarse whisper.
"No it isn't!!!" Jessie shouted loudly. She ran from the room, crying, out the hospital to the outside.
"Wait, Jessie!" James cried, following her.
The boy sat in a large chair, staring out at the birthday cake before him. A large eight was drawn in purple icing, purple, just like his hair. The boy grinned. His Growlithe barked excitedly, sitting beside him. The boy's father shushed the Growlithe.
"Now, blow out the candles and make a wish!" The boy's mother told him, smiling. The boy closed his eyes, deep in concentration. Finally he opened them and after breathing in deeply, blew hard. The fire-lit candles went out almost instantly. His mother and father clapped. His Growlithe barked excitedly again.
"What did you wish for?" The boy's father asked. The boy stared at the ground.
"I wished that I would continue to not have that horrible nightmare ever again." The boy said, not thinking. His parents exchanged looks.
"What horrible nightmare?" His mother asked slowly. The boy sighed. He instantly regretted telling them the wish he had made. He knew he'd have to explain the dream no matter what. He was able to tell it to his Growlithe for the last time a couple of months ago, but telling it to his parents would be different. For one thing, not telling them the dream wasn't a choice. So he took the time to tell his parents the dream and about how he had been having a lot, but then stopped having it.
"Son... we, er, have to tell you something." The boy's father said. And so he began.
"When you were born you were inflicted with a curse. Well, it was a different type of curse, that is. When you get older we want you to marry a girl of our choice, so we can make sure you end up with the perfect wife. But you're too young for all of this right now." He took a deep breath. "The point is, if you ever grow up to fall in love with a different girl than that of our choice, then she will be inflicted with the curse."
The boy blinked. "I don't understand. Then does that mean if I don't fall in love with any girl at all that the curse will still be inflicted on me and something will happen to me?" The boy asked. His mother sighed.
"Its all very complicated for an eight-year-old like you. I don't expect you to understand. But no, if you don't fall in love with any girl at all nothing will happen to you." His mother said.
"So I really don't have some curse inflicted on me then." The boy said. He was still confused.
"No, you do. If your love for the other girl is just as strong as her love for you, maybe even stronger, and you confess it, instead the curse will stay on your side. And you will get the punishment." His father explained. The boy continued to just sit there and blink.
"Oh, okay. I get it." The boy said. But in truth he really did not.
James finally reached the outside to find Jessie staring at the sky beyond. She was no longer sobbing, but instead silent tears were rolling down her face.
"Jessie." James stood next to her, gazing into her eyes. Jessie continued to look at the sky as if James wasn't there. "It really is my fault. If you can tell me the nightmare you've been having everything will be okay. Believe me."
Jessie finally turned to look at James. "Are you sure?" She whispered. James nodded. Jessie took a deep shuddering breath and then began.
It was unlike when she told the dream to Meowth. For some reason her legs and voice were not shaky. She still had to pause to take deep breaths here and there, but she did not feel like she was going to begin crying. She could not bare to look at James while she was talking, though. Finally, after what seemed like forever, she finished. Everything was silent.
"Now I know for sure its all my fault." James said softly. "Let me tell you my tale now."
And so James began. Memories of his past suddenly seemed to be swarming in his mind. Growlie, his Growlithe. His one and only friend. Living in that mansion with his rich parents. The nightmare he always used to have. The conversation he had with his parents on his eighth birthday.
The conversation.
James saved this memory for last. It took time to tell it all to Jessie too, for he could not remember his parent's exact words very well. But after he was done, everything made sense. The two of them just stared at each other.
"So you really do love me?" Jessie asked in a soft whisper. James nodded slowly. Jessie just stood there for a moment, thinking. "Well, please don't. Don't say anything. I don't want you to be in danger like I am right now."
"Jessie, I'm not afraid to die." James whispered. A tear rolled down his cheek. Before Jessie knew what was happening, James was holding her in his arms. Jessie closed her eyes. She didn't want to watch what happened next, but at the same time, she did. She felt something warm on her lips. It took her a moment to realize James had just kissed her. She kissed him back.
Suddenly they broke apart.
"I feel different. I think don't think I have your curse anymore." Jessie said softly. She didn't know whether to feel sad or happy about everything that had just happened. She was so confused.
"But I don't feel different either." James said. He stared at Jessie. "My heart does though." Jessie smiled weakly.
"Oh, now I understand!" A voice exclaimed. Jessie and James turned to look at Meowth staring at them.
"Meowth..." Jessie was at a loss of words to say.
"What do you mean, 'now I understand'?" James asked. Meowth just grinned a big wide grin.
"Ask me later."
About ten more years later...
Jessie and James stood there, the cold rain falling from the sky prickling their faces. They were holding hands. Meowth stood next to them. Up ahead was an old building, in the process of being torn down.
"Its a shame the old hospital has to go." Jessie said, sighing. "It was a nice place."
"That's right, we've been here before!" James exclaimed, grinning.
"James, stop acting like you can't remember anything from ten years ago." Jessie said.
"Well, I can remember Meowth telling us to 'ask him later'." James said, smirking at Meowth.
"Oh yes, that's right." Jessie said. She looked into James' eyes. "Luckily you don't have a curse inflicted on yourself anymore." Both of them turned to look at Meowth.
Meowth grinned. "Look at you two. Your love for one another is so strong. One can't love the other more than the other loves them." Jessie and James blushed.
"Meowth, enough with that. Just answer our question. The one we asked ten years ago. Ten years ago when James and I kissed for the very first time." Jessie said, sighing.
"I already have."
And with that Meowth walked away, leaving Jessie and James alone in the rain.
Note: It may take little while to figure out the ending for some people. If your one of those people, don't ask me about it. Think of it as a challenge.