Chapter 6: Shadow of a Doubt Margaret held her hand in front of her face in the dim purple light, still only barely able to distinguish its features. Something was different about it, and it didn't seem right to her, but she gave up trying to deduct what and laid it back down on her stomach. "I don't get it, obviously I was born, and I have a name and a past, but I don't remember any of it," she said anxiously, her brow furrowing with deep thought. "Try to think, don't concern yourself with the words 'I have to remember,' but instead let the memories return on their own, they will," Shadow assured her. Margaret sighed and looked to the still dim purple light as a deft shadow crossed it. "I want more light, maybe if I see myself I'll remember something," she said. "That's enough," Shadow answered bluntly. The girl understood the embedded message in the tone of the voice and Margaret was forced to consent to it. "Do you feel you could handle a few memories?" Shadow asked again at length. Margaret brightened, smiling warmly. "Yes! Of course! Please show me!" she piped. "Very well, close your eyes Margaret, I wish to show you something," Shadow replied cheerfully. "But-" "Don't argue!" she said impulsively. Margaret frowned, but closed her eyes as the entity bid her. Instead of the blackness she expected, she found she could see quite clearly, and she was standing outside of a building. It was deathly quiet except for a jovial young voice shouting cheerfully. Margaret smiled at the unusually familiar setting and looked for any sign of a memory. "Where are we?" she asked when she found nothing she knew. "Take a look at your surroundings, then see if you can tell me," Shadow's disembodied voice echoed in the hollow of her mind. Margaret shivered against the snow that was falling and looked up to the roof of the building. It was immensely dilapidated, composed of what looked like a row of tiny houses or apartment complexes. A little girl played in the snow happily a few yards away, her long red hair sparkling with beads of water and pure snow that clung to it. She tossed a tiny snowball into the air and let it land on her head, laughing with pure delight. "Snow, snow I love it so!" she sang brightly and Margaret smiled at her antics. "Who is this child?" she asked. "She died a long time ago," Shadow answered. Margaret's face fell at the news of the untimely death of such a happy looking little girl and she sighed. "Jessie! Snowgasboard's ready!" a warm and tender voice called from the open door of one of the apartments. "Oh boy!" Jessie piped and dashed inside closing the door behind her, leaving Margaret standing alone. She winced at the words and closed her eyes remorsefully. "Are they so poor they have to eat snow?" she asked. "Come back now Margaret," Shadow answered. "No! I have to help Jessie!" the girl answered. "Jessie is dead, this is her past self, there's nothing you can do, now come!" Margaret felt herself rush back into the conscious world and she opened her eyes to the familiar black, tears sliding without sobs down her cheeks. "I want to see you Shadow! And I want to know what's going on! Why did you show me that little girl? Why am I always in the dark?" she asked quickly. No answer came from the inky blackness, and Margaret let the tears run harder. "Answer me!" A deep-throated, agitated growl resulted from her outburst and the brilliant white again enveloped her. Margaret closed her eyes against the pain of the light, and didn't open them until Shadow's voice resounded in her own ears. "This is my natural form, though I do have the ability to change it," she said. Margaret opened her eyes to the sight of a sleek black cat sitting casually on a pure white background. She had absurdly large purple eyes, and her body was elongated more so than a normal cat, long lithe legs bore gold bangles, and a gold medallion hung from her neck. The medallion bore an odd symbol, an eye with delicate coiled designs around it, and it glinted cordially to Margaret as she looked on. The creature looked infinitely intelligent, perhaps even possessing powerful techniques of the mind. She smiled, baring her snow-white fangs and curled her long tail about her drawn in legs. "Welcome to my world Margaret," Shadow said, speaking human words with a feline mouth. Margaret relaxed at finally seeing who held her captive and smiled. "Well I got one question answered, now why did you show me Jessie?" she asked, continuing the interrogation. "I had hoped it would trigger a memory, but apparently not, I shall have to show you more," Shadow said getting up. "Please follow me," she said beginning what looked like a trek with no final destination, "and whatever you do don't stop walking." Margaret nodded and followed obediently, looking for any sign of what the cat might show her next to trigger memories. The pure white slowly faded to a lush green place, where splashing and joyous laughing could be heard. The scenery solidified into what was obviously a small clearing in wooded areas just outside a city and as she strained her eyes farther, she could barely discern two figures, enjoying an afternoon outdoors. They were obviously children, and Margaret swore that one of them was the little Jessie she had seen before. "Who are they?" she asked in awe. "So many questions, just look and see if you remember anything," Shadow answered. Indeed the little girl was the Jessie Margaret had seen earlier, but she was with a young boy, and the girl smiled as Jessie whooped loudly and shoved the boy into a nearby lake. He resurfaced soon after, flipping his now wet shoulder length blue hair over his shoulders, still laughing. "Try to think, Margaret, what does this remind you of?" Shadow asked softly. Margaret closed her eyes, and for a split second, an image of an older man, but with the same blue hair turning over his shoulder to smile at her flashed across her closed lids. "James!" she yelled suddenly, startling the cat from her perch. Margaret felt tears sting the corners of her eyes as a wave of nostalgia passed over her. "I-I'm sorry, his name is James, I remember him for some reason," she replied. "I-It's weird, I remember Jessie too, she was really good friends with James, they were like joined at the hip, completely inseparable," she remarked fondly. "Good, reflect on James, think about him, what do you remember?" Shadow asked, her tail flicking nonchalantly. Dizziness swept over Margaret's psyche as she thought of the little boy again, falling to her knees with a shriek. Shadow did nothing but watch as she jerked suddenly and her eyes rolled dramatically back into her head, falling to the ground. "Now we're getting somewhere," she mused. Margaret again found herself faced with the white nothingness, and she swallowed hard, wondering what Shadow was putting her through. Images slowly began to take shape in front of her eyes, and she found she was lying on her back, hands behind her head. She looked up to the sky as her body slowly began to regain feeling. Her clothes were wet, but she was pleasantly warm, as it was a hot summer day and a light breeze cooled any part of her that was hot before it was too uncomfortable. "Well Jessie, what do you think that one looks like?" She jumped as she heard a familiar voice next to her. Upon inspection, she discovered it was James who had spoken, and he lay on the ground next to her. "W-What did you just call me?" she asked incredulously. James looked confused and laid a hand gingerly on her forehead. "I think you've got a fever Jess, and now you don't even remember your own name!" he said genuinely concerned. "But, my name is Margaret!" she said sitting up. "Well I know that, but you hate your first name! You always went by your middle name!" James replied fearfully. "My middle name?" Margaret asked. "Yes!" James assured her, "Jessica, but you always go by Jessie." Margaret felt her entire body lurch with terror and she crumpled to the ground, a sharp pain piercing her stomach. Everything was black, and the only sound audible was a dull roar of blood in her eardrums. "Jessie please don't leave me!" An anguished and terrifyingly familiar wail rose above all other sounds clearly. What was going on? She tried to open her eyes, but found her entire body ached, most of all the white hot feeling of a sword driven through her. "Don't die Jessie! Please don't let this happen!" "Die? What had happened? The sword, Rill... James..." Margaret remembered. "The seven powers, Ash, and my friends, I'm not Margaret I'm-" "Jessica Burkely, as you legally changed your name to later in life." Jessie opened her eyes and sat up violently, screaming James' name. "James! What have you done with him? And the rest of my friends? Why am I alone here?" she yelled. No answer came to her pleas, and she blinked back tears threatening to fall. "Where are you Shadow?!" she cried. Jessie reached to her side for her sword at length, but found it missing from the empty sheath that still hung there. "M-My sword," she groaned. "I feared this, I'll have to detain you," Shadow mused and Jessie felt cold metal snake around her wrists, ankles, and her still aching stomach. "No! You can't do this!" she yelled in protest. The purple light faded to black and Jessie flinched as she felt the limber cat leap up onto the stone platform with her. She leaned close to Jessie's face, and the girl turned away from the thick probing whiskers and hot breath she could feel down her neck. "Lets see if you remember more now!" the feline hissed and Jessie felt her body paralyze. "No! Please don't!" she screamed as she felt herself begin to fall. She remembered when James had saved her the day he learned to fly when she had fallen, and sorely wished she could have seen him one last time before she finally left the mortal coil. She sensed the ground near her and she tensed in preparation to meet her death, but found she never did hit the ground, and when she dared to open her eyes, the only sight that met them was the clear night sky. She gasped and sat bolt upright, placing a hand to her pounding chest. "W- What?" she muttered breathlessly. The sudden movement had startled the lightly sleeping figure next to her, and he sat up swiftly to meet her. "Jess? You okay?" She whirled around to see James ease himself out of his sleeping bag and sit next to her. Jessie looked down to see that she had also been asleep, camped out by a dead fire in the middle of a forest. "James I-" she paused, noting that something was horribly wrong. She frowned at James, and put a hand on his shoulder, turning him around slightly. "What are you do-" he was interrupted by a high pitched shriek from Jessie. He drew back in fear, but pulled Jessie into his arms as he witnessed a look of sheer terror spread across her face. "James, your wings! Your tail!" she cried, for he was just as he had been before the fateful day they had wandered into Periwinkle village. "My what?" he replied, confused. Jessie flung herself out of his arms, putting a hand to her head where the cat ears were absent. "My ears!" she looked at her hands, which now bore the fingers and bright red nails they once had, "and my claws!" She paused remorsefully, afraid to find her favorite appendage missing, and reached behind her, closing her eyes in sorrow as she found exactly what she had feared. "My tail too!" she cried. James' expression changed to one of understanding as he embraced his friend again. "Jessie you were having a dream, it was all a dream. A freaky one, but a dream," he assured her. "It was so real. You looked like an Articuno, and I was a crossbreed of an Abra!" Jessie whispered. "Yeah I know, one time I could have sworn I was falling off of a Ferris wheel, but I woke up before I hit the ground," James said. Jessie chuckled and relaxed, sliding out of James' arms. "Really?" she asked. James smiled wryly at her and laid back down swiftly. "Yeah, now get some sleep, we have to report in early tomorrow and believe me, the boss did not sound happy on the phone," James said frowning. Jessie instantly felt guilty for forcing James to call in for them the previous evening. She knew how impulsive the Boss could get and James couldn't and didn't handle it well. "Night James," she whispered settling back down. "Night Jess," he replied. Jessie smiled at his already groggy response, but that quickly faded as she reflected on her dream. Aradain, Cerise, Captain Roker, the ship, Icthsique, all of it had seemed so real to her, and it was hard to believe that all of it had been a dream. She had felt like she really knew Ash, Misty, and Brock, and they had really been her friends. She had gone through so much, and it had seemed the dream had lasted for months, but it had all been a figment of her imagination. Jessie sighed deeply and cleared her mind to sleep, the feeling of having a tail still lingering as she drifted into a dreamless slumber. Jessie awoke the next morning to the sounds of James and Meowth arguing loudly over something. "Well I say it's a bad idea, I tink youse should just stay here," Meowth yelled. "And then he'll be even more pissed the next time we go in! I don't know what your problem is Meowth, but if Jessie and I want our paychecks, then we've gotta report in!" James shot back. "Dis feels wrong, I don't want youse guys ta go!" Meowth said, his voice laced with tears. Jessie sat up at this, concerned and watched silently as James embraced the feline, who had finally let the tears fall. "Oh Meowth, don't cry! Nothing's going to happen! It's okay! Please don't cry!" he assured him. "I-I know, but I just gots dis feelin'," the cat replied through his sobs," sumthin bad's gonna happen, I don't know what, but it is!" Jessie stretched and yawned broadly, slipping out of bed and moving to where James cradled the still weeping cat in his arms lovingly by the newly re-lit fire. She sat next to her friends and put a hand on James' shoulder smiling as the cat lifted his midnight blue eyes to hers. "Meowth we'll be fine, but why don't you stay here?" she asked softly. "No! I wanna protect ya!" he snapped instantly. James put a finger to his mouth, quieting him and smiled warmly. "Like I told you, nothing's going to happen, stay here and get some rest," he said. Meowth sighed as he realized the futility of his situation and crawled back into his miniscule sleeping roll. "But promise me you'll wake me up da second ya get back, and if yer not back by sundown, I come ta get ya!" he said raising a claw at James. The young man pulled the soft material more tightly around his friend's chin. "Sundown, if we're not back, you can come for us, and you can even call the police if you want, but we'll be back," he promised. Meowth seemed satisfied by his answer, closing his eyes and sighing as he settled himself. James scratched the cat between the ears one last time before standing and walking back to Jessie. He sat next to her, sighing deeply before turning to look her in the eyes. "Scared James?" she asked, seeing the look of terror in his emerald green eyes. "Hell yeah," he replied. "Me too." He patted her shoulder affectionately as he stood and moved to pack his sleeping roll. "James, just leave it, I'll get dressed and lets go now so we don't worry Meowth," Jessie said standing. James nodded in understanding, and sat back down, as he was already in uniform, to wait for Jessie to change into hers. If they were going to see the boss, they had better be in uniform. Jessie gathered her cleanest and most well kept uniform and changed quickly, her nerves already frayed by Meowth's panic that morning. It had scared her, for the cat had never acted that way before, and her dream the previous night did nothing to make her feel any better. Nothing felt right that morning, and even James seemed disturbed and changed by something. He normally had a quite childish and nonchalant manner, but as Jessie had already witnessed, he was acting serious for a change. The young woman finished changing and moved to James, who still sat on his sleeping roll, chewing a fingernail nervously. "Put your gloves on and let's go!" Jessie snapped. James silently complied, pulling on the black gloves that he held in his lap and standing to meet her quickly. "Now come on! We'll be late!" she said and took off running into the woods. "Jessie I don't wanna run!" James whined, but followed anyway. "Shut your trap! Maybe if we're early the boss'll forgive us for a few things!" Jessie shot over her shoulder. James didn't have an argument for that one, so he ran as well. They reached headquarters indeed, early, and they sauntered through the door to Giovanni's reception office quite pleased with themselves. "Team name, and appointment time," the receptionist inquired, not bothering to look up from filing her nails. "Rocket team 'Meowth' and we're scheduled for 10:30," Jessie announced casually. "Right," the girl said punching a few keys on her computer, "Jessie, James, and your Meowth. Right? We're running an hour early today you guys are late." Both Rockets winced at this, exchanging nervous glances. Technically, they were on time, but according to the boss, his time was universal time, and even though they had no way of knowing they would be running early, in his mind they were late. "So will he-" "He'll see ya now," the girl answered Jessie's question before she had finished. "Come on James, it'll be alright," the red haired girl said taking his hand. He cringed, but followed her as she led the way through the immense double door and into the dreaded office. James feared going in there after what had happened last time. Jessie had forced him to speak to Giovanni, and he ended up bearing the brunt of his aggressions, eventually ending with James staring down the barrel of a gun. He hadn't spoken to Jessie for the rest of the day, and things had been a bit rough between them since the incident, but James felt more secure now that Jessie held his hand in hers. The room was silent as the two Rockets entered, and the Persian resting on an elaborate cushion at Giovanni's feet lifted its head to glare at them condescendingly. A low growl resounded from deep within its throat as it leapt into Giovanni's lap, and the only movement visible from the infamous leader of Team Rocket, was a single stroke down the creatures spine. "You, you wanted to see us sir?" Jessie croaked stepping forward. No answer came to her inquiry, and James took a step farther behind his friend. Jessie was more than willing to let him hide behind her, as she knew how much he feared their leader, but she was not satisfied with his silence. "Sir?" she ventured sheepishly. She heard him take a deep breath and clear his throat slightly, but was silent for several more minutes before finally speaking. "I did indeed wish to see you two today, because I have something very important to discuss with you," he said evenly. Jessie and James drew in a collective gasp, because in Giovanni's terms, that meant something quite serious was at stake. "You two are the most unreliable, most incompetent, stupid, and idiotic agents I have ever had the misfortune of working with. I cannot believe I have people like you working for my organization, in particular James. Whatever I was thinking when I hired him was completely insane, and I was wrong in doing so. He is the worst of both of you, and I truly believe you, Jessie, could have gone far with us had it not been for him," he said finally turning around to face the terrified agents. James' expression twisted in hurt and he was forced to look to the floor to hide his tears. Jessie put a hand reassuringly on his back, scowled as she witnessed his plight and stepped completely in front of him in his defense, remaining composed. "You hired him because he's my best friend, and I refuse to do anything without him," she answered calmly. "And I only hired you because you are the daughter of the best agent I've worked with. Unfortunately the gift died when your mother did, you're nothing like her. She was beautiful, talented, even-tempered, and completely charismatic. She was charming and could get her way with anyone and anything. I miss her sorely, and I wish she never had you, you weighted her down, and no less her actions on the mission that killed her were impaired because of thoughts of you," he spat cruelly. Jessie looked away, tears at the mention of her mother whom she had loved deeply dying, and the accusation that she had indirectly killed her falling freely and causing even her heart to shatter. James took her tenderly into his arms, both of them glaring maliciously at the floor, wishing they could turn their gaze to Giovanni. "I've had it with you two, you are fired, and no that doesn't mean you don't get a paycheck every month any longer. You two will spend the rest of your lives in my personal prison, but not before you've had a sound lashing. Guards, take them away, no one leaves Team Rocket knowing as much as you do," Giovanni snapped his fingers as Jessie and James' jaws dropped in utter horror. They felt themselves being pulled apart as they were seized by several of the guards in mock Roman attire and they both cried out in surprise. "Jessie!" James cried reaching out for her. His arm was immediately beaten back and he yelped in both pain and surprise. "Hey! Leave him alone!" Jessie yelled struggling forward. She managed to wrench herself free from the burly grip, but she didn't get far before she was struck with unnatural force in the back with the blunt end of a spear. James reacted instantly as she hit the ground with a sickening thud, he himself tearing free and rushing to her side. "Grab them you idiots!" Giovanni screeched. "No!" James yelled as Jessie allowed herself to be reclaimed. "It's no use James," she whispered staring into his eyes mournfully. He scowled and kicked the guard behind him firmly in the knees, scrambling to his feet. "Kill him if you have to just detain him!" Giovanni barked. Jessie tensed as she heard the sound of the stout hunting knives she knew the guards carried being drawn, but didn't make a move to escape, knowing if she did cold steel would be turned upon her. James backed up fearfully, artfully dodging a clumsy lunge by one of the guards. He turned to face her and stopped for a moment, stunned. "James don't try to escape! They'll kill you!" she yelled to him. He shook his head to indicate he wouldn't give up his struggle and bolted for the door. He caught a small nick in the shoulder as he ran, a guard close at his heels, and several more waiting at the exit. "No!" Jessie screamed as a particularly large man caught up with James and her friend cried out in pain, dropping to the floor with a long slash mark torn through the back of his uniform, blood already seeping through it. He rolled over, groaning, and opened his eyes just in time to ward off another blow with his gloved hand. The blade tore easily through both black fabric and flesh, and James was finally at the mercy of his tyrannical leader. He screamed in anguish as the attack did not abate, a dagger tearing through the soft flesh of his wrist and another piercing through the center of his hand. He squeezed his eyes shut harder as he felt someone kick him sharply in his side, turning back over onto his stomach. The last assault Giovanni allowed before calling for the guards to stop, was the searing pain of a dagger being driven into his back near his shoulder. He screamed as loud as his lungs would allow in sheer agony and Jessie mimicked him, knowing her friend would not survive long with his wounds. James lay motionless on the floor, the hilt of the blade protruding grotesquely from his back, a small pool of blood forming beneath him. "James?" Jessie called. He remained motionless, trying as hard as he could to show her he was still alive, but his muscles wouldn't allow it. "No... James? James please answer me," Jessie began to sob as no response came from the young man on the ground. Giovanni smiled at his handiwork, snapping his fingers again to get the guards' attention. "Seventy lashes for her, and the special treatment for him," he said casually. The guards that held Jessie nodded and she didn't struggle as they led her down a guilefully hidden stairway to the darkness within. She closed her eyes and kept them closed until she was thrown roughly onto her stomach and her hands and feet bound to unseen posts. "Well girlie, ya might me Miyamoto's daughter, but I'm really gonna enjoy this," she didn't recognize the voice of the entity above her. The only thing in her mind was the brutal beating of her best friend she had just witnessed. If he wasn't already dead, he would certainly die in the cell with her. She sobbed and barely felt the first sting of the whip as it bit into the exposed flesh of her back. "James," she whispered mournfully. "Jessie," he whispered back, not even having heard her as he struggled to stay standing. He leaned harder on the guards that held him erect so he could witness the torture of Jessie. She screamed in pain as her back split open under the force of the leather whip, and James let the tears fall. "Why didn't we listen to Meowth?" he thought to himself as the cracking of the whip ceased and the only sounds were the muffled sobs of Jessie. "Throw them in the same cell, I'll let them die together," James bristled at the sound of Giovanni's voice, but his consciousness soon failed him, and everything faded to black. Just for good measure, they whipped him a few times, even unconscious, and forced his grief stricken friend to watch. Jessie allowed the guard to help her to the damp moldy prison cell at the farthest end of it. They had been assured the smallest, darkest, and generally the most miserable cell Giovanni knew of in his personal dungeon and as Jessie hit the floor roughly, the last sound she heard before blacking out was the final slam of the gate, a knoll of destiny, and her fate. Jessie awoke what seemed like days later to her, and sat up with extreme difficulty, forgetting her torn and bloodied back. She opened her eyes to find mostly darkness, but a dim light from outside shone on the one thing she had feared seeing. James lay sprawled in an unnatural position on the floor of the cell. "No! James!" she cried hoarsely. She crawled cautiously to his side, and her hands were instantly at her mouth at the sight of his mangled body. "James? Wake up," she whispered shaking him gently. He didn't stir. "James? Come on pal, please wake up," she begged shaking him harder. When he still remained lifeless, a sob escaped her throat as she began to cry. "Please don't be dead, you can't leave me! Not now, not now...Oh god please no, you mean the world to me James. Please, please wake up," she whispered. He stirred, and Jessie smiled in relief as his eyes slowly managed to slide open. "J-Jess?" he croaked. "Oh god, James!" Jessie cried, tears of pure joy streaming down her cheeks. He winced in pain, closing his eyes again as a low moan resounded in his throat. Only then did Jessie remember his slit wrist and the dagger that had to still be lodged in his back. She moved her hand to his shoulder to find cold metal and confirm her suspicions as she gripped the hilt nervously. "I'm going to pull it out James, and it's going to hurt like hell, so brace yourself," she said firmly. He nodded and braced himself for the inevitable pain. Jessie gritted her teeth and began easing the dagger out slowly. James tensed as he felt it move slightly and the blood begin to flow down his shoulder. "Just hang on James, hang on," Jessie said evenly. The pain intensified as the dagger slid farther out of the young man's flesh, and James squeezed his eyes shut as hard as he possibly could, and set his jaw, determined not to scream. "Almost, doing great James, I'm almost there," Jessie promised stroking the back of his head reassuringly. She set her jaw as well as the blade cleared his back and a stream of blood ran down it to the floor, gathering in the miniscule puddle beneath particularly that shoulder. Jessie smiled in victory and threw the knife with a vengeance to one corner of the cell, gathering James into her lap. He shook violently as she removed her black gloves and white Jacket, pressing them both against the wound in his back, with fear, cold, and pain. "Jessie, I-" "Shhh, you were very brave James, but save your strength, you'll need it for when we get out of here," she whispered brushing his hair away from his cold, wet forehead. Jessie gasped as she recalled watching his wrist being slit, and lifted the bloodied hand from the ground. James cried out sharply in pain and she hesitated, gripping the fingers of his black glove apprehensively. "I-I need to get this off, hold on again," she said somberly. James nodded and this time didn't suppress his piercing scream on agony as fabric grated against rendered flesh. Another sob escaped Jessie's throat as she was instantly forced to press her thumb into the profusely bleeding wrist, and even James could not bear to look at it. "Oh god," she breathed and slipped her white Rocket's jacket out from underneath her friend. "Okay, James, I'm so sorry, but you're going to have to hold this while I get something to tie that up. It won't be much, but I'll do for now, just as soon as we get rescued," she said moving James' hand to his side where he could grip it with his other hand. He begrudgingly obliged, pinching his wrist as hard as he could with his remaining strength. Jessie swallowed hard as she found the hem of the jacket, ripping a long strip from it in one swift movement. "Jessie, don't," James whispered weakly. Jessie stopped her motion suddenly, her jaw dropping as she looked down to her friend. "What? Why?" she asked in complete disbelief. James drew in a labored breath, his body shuddering as he released it gently and lifted his mangled hand to Jessie's view. "Jessie, I-I don't think I'm going to make it, but you should try and save yourself, you'll get sick down here without your jacket. Don't lose your life on a hopeless cause," he said quietly, causing tears to spring to Jessie's eyes. "Well James, I have only one answer for you. I'd rather die down here by your side than live my life without you. You mean everything to me, you're the only reason I have to go on, now give me your hand!" she said angrily. James let his tears fall as his friend snatched his had from his grip, tying a makeshift tourniquet unbearably tightly about his slit wrist. "You'd die for me?" he asked meekly. Jessie stopped regarding her friend firmly and laid a hand tenderly on his cheek. "I would kill myself in the most painful way possible if it meant you'd be alright," she assured him and went back to work. It was then James realized that what he had tried to avoid for so long, the thing he had feared most about his relationship with Jessie was true, and he could no longer deny it. His intense feelings of love for her were indefinitely confirmed and it pained him to think he was dying and would never be able to tell her. He found himself quite unable to reveal his feelings then and decided against it, knowing that if he did so, it would only hurt the person he cared most about in the world. Jessie finished the bandage in silence and rested his hand on his chest gingerly. "There, done," she whispered hoarsely. James struggled to press himself as close to her as he possibly could, tears falling unabashed to the blood stained and damp floor. "Jessie?" he ventured. "Hm?" she replied stroking his cheekbone in comfort. "I'm scared," he whispered, "I can't hold on... I'm so tired." Jessie gritted her teeth in determination and shook James back awake as she witnessed his eyelids drop with fatigue. "James you have to stay awake, and don't be afraid, we'll get out of here, and we'll get away from team Rocket. We'll run away just you and me, and Meowth too, and we'll be happy again! I promise you," she assured him, smiling gently. James let the tears fall as he looked into the reassuring eyes of his best friend. "I can feel myself slipping. My body's giving up Jess!" he sobbed as his breathing grew ever more shallow. He coughed slightly at the exertion and a small bead of blood trickled down his cheek, drawing a collective gasp of horror from both Rockets. "Oh god, oh please no, I don't want to die. Please don't let me die!" James wailed weakly. Jessie began to cry alongside of him, holding his trembling body closer to her. "You're not dying James, you'll be fine, we'll be rescued and we can get you to a hospital and-" James interrupted her with a finger on her lips. "Who's going to rescue us? The police? We're Team Rocket, we deserve it in their minds. Meowth alone? We're doomed, we're both going to die," he whispered mournfully. Jessie snarled under her breath and leaned over, staring intently into James' eyes. "James look at me, and repeat, 'I am not going to die'," she hissed sternly. "Say goodbye Jessie, for me? Please?" he begged softly. "Say it!" she repeated, her world spinning into a blur. This was an all too familiar situation, and in her dream about Aradain, she had told the same story. James muttered something, but she didn't hear it as her ears hummed with a deafening torrent of blood against them. White enveloped her vision, and a voice rang out clearly in her mind. "We can make it through this, I know we can, as soon as we both snap out of it, we'll find a way out," Jessie recognized her words. "And we'll do it together." She wailed hearing James' determined response. An image came to mind, of herself and her friend walking casually in a forest, light conversation the only action, it faded quickly and was replaced by a split second of an ebony-haired little boy. He leapt forward landing in a winged James' arms, both laughing joyously. It had been real, and as she remembered Jasper, and her own 'death' clearly she knew it for sure and opened her now blazing purple eyes. "Shadow! Let me out of here!" she screamed, her throat protesting painfully, not noticing James struggle for breath in her lap. "Jessie I-I... Ugh," she heard him croak and his body went limp in her arms. She shrieked at this, reacting instantly and laid him gingerly on the floor, cupping his face in her hands. "James? No, no, don't. Don't you dare! Don't you dare die on me! James!" she hissed bitterly. He remained lifeless, and Jessie ran her hand along his cheek and through his hair one last time, a meek sob escaping her throat and her vision blurred with tears. "Damn you Shadow! Damn you to hell!" she wailed falling with her sobs onto James' lifeless body. She cried bitterly, the extreme loss bearing away at her psyche with undeterred force. "Take me if you have to, but please let James go!" she cried, gripping the soft fabric of his blood stained uniform in sorrow. She waited for any sign of the entity, but when she heard nothing, a final scream of agony resounded from her throat, echoing against the bare stone walls of the dungeon. Shadow chortled happily to herself as she watched Jessie scream in anguish over her best friend's body, smiling and turning to the young man next to her. His thin, bony features were illuminated grotesquely by the dim purple light of a crystal, which Jessie was visible through. It rested on the highest point on the arched back of a sinewy cat and it flickered as the young man put a hand condescendingly atop it. "Well Rill, like how I threw in killing her friend off? I think she'll be a lot weaker now," she mused. Rill smiled wickedly and laughed as well. "You did a perfect job of distorting that memory, too bad he's still alive, he'll be sure to come for her," he warned. Shadow laughed spitefully, nearly falling over with its sudden intensity at the ridiculous comment. "That weakling? He'll never beat me before I've broken her spirit and I can use her power to take over this world, and many others! That Vinetra is a fool and too stupid to realize her own powers, and once I can use Jessie's powers of the mind to my advantage there will be no stopping me!" the cat cackled. Rill shuddered as the venomous laughter filled the small recess of a cave where Shadow had taken up residence and looked to Jessie. She still lay bolted firmly to the ceremonially decorated stone slab, sweat pouring down her forehead as she struggled with the terrible world she had been sent to. His lips coiled cruelly and he turned back to Shadow, joining in her laughter. "Resistance is futile," he mused severely. Shadow calmed her raucous laughter and pawed the charm emblazoned with the symbol of the mind at her broad chest grinning in pure relish and delight. "And this is only the beginning of my plan."