Chapter 7: Reflection in a Broken Mirror "So Misty, lost one of your pals huh?" Nightwing asked as she carefully checked the bandage around his wrist. She glared at him, ice lacing her ocean blue eyes as they filled with tears. "Yeah, J-Jessie was killed," she whispered with difficulty. "Close were you?" the young man continued. Misty reflected on the 'sleepovers' they had spent together in her room, gossiping about various topics ranging from Ash, Brock and James, to their Pokemon they had kept and smiled vaguely as the tears ran harder. Jessie had been like her best girl friend she was never able to have travelling with Ash, as she had never really kept friends before that and had only been with boys. Jessie had even openly admitted James and Meowth had been her only friends before they had all ended up in Aradain, and they were both glad for feminine company. Misty had grown very attached to the impulsive and garrulous young woman, and missed her sorely. "Very," Misty answered truthfully after a long silence. "I'm sorry." She looked in wonder at the seemingly genuine concern from the young man whom lay stricken in the bed before her and raised an eyebrow. "Why were you in the alliance army anyway?" Misty asked brushing a strand of ebony hair away from Nightwing's face gingerly with a single claw. He smiled warmly at her and reached up to touch her cheek affectionately. "Money, that's it. I never wanted to ally with that witch Vinetra...Did you know you're beautiful?" he asked quietly. Misty blushed and smiled back sheepishly. "You're not so bad yourself," she said as she leaned down closer to him. "For a former alliance assassin?" he asked closing his eyes. "For anyone," she replied but as she could feel his lips on hers, she was startled by the door being flung wide open. Ash was immediately visible in the doorway, breathing heavily as he leaned against the frame, motioning for Misty to come with him. "I'll be back," she whispered tenderly to Nightwing and moved to join Ash, "what's the problem?" He drew in a deep breath and regained composure, motioning down the hall. "I-It's James, he's gone totally crazy now, he-he won't l-listen to us, he, he's leaving, and I...I think he said something about finding Jessie," he panted. Misty's eyes widened in terror as she bolted from the door, but turned as she realized Ash hadn't followed her and was still standing in the doorway palpitating heavily. "Come on Ash! We've gotta stop him now!" she yelled. "Well you didn't run down here," he muttered and proceeded down the hallway to find James still engrossed in packing for his trek as he had left him. "James, this is insanity and I won't allow it! Stop right where you are!" Misty yelled pointing an accusing webbed finger at him. He shoved the scroll of the mind into the pack he was preparing and ignored her, standing up while searching for something with merely his eyes. "I agree, yer just diggin' yerself in deepa. I miss Jess too, but I ain't about to go kill myself ova her! Dat dream was nuthin!" Meowth scowled. "I don't care, I know what I saw and it's not nothing," James muttered offhandedly. "James, you're in mourning, and denial, Jessie died. She's gone and there's nothing you can do about it, please listen to reason," Ash pleaded. James didn't stop, and simply glared daggers at his friends, still silently packing. "James don't go alone! I'm coming with you!" Jasper piped from his formerly silent vigil on the floor next to James' bed. The youth finally stopped his fury at the small plea, kneeling by the boy lovingly. "I can't take you Jasper, it's too dangerous," he said placing both hands on his small shoulders. "But what about you? And what'll I do?" Jasper asked fearfully. "If I come back, I'll have Jessie, if not, then I'll be with her so I'll be happy either way, and what you can do, is let Ash and Misty, Brock and Meowth and Pikachu take care of you," he said motioning to his two present friends. They both stifled a mutual sob and held onto each other, knowing they were near losing another friend, at least to his own insanity. "James please don't go," Misty choked weakly, "they'll still be after you, there's alliance soldiers around for sure!" James stood as she began to cry, taking her into his arms lovingly. "I'll be okay Misty, I have to go, at least for me. If Jessie really is dead, then this will at least help me feel like I didn't fail her. Please don't cry," he whispered into her neck as he stroked her flame colored hair affectionately. She sobbed bitterly and clutched the young man to her tightly, almost as if she never wanted to let go. "I have six best friends James, one of them is dead, and I don't want to lose another!" This caused Ash to burst into tears along with both of them, throwing his arms about his friends protectively. "I'm sorry, this is my fault I'm so sorry!" Ash, as well as everyone who had been given the gifts of the messengers, felt so impeccably close through their hardships and through the development of their powers, that it was if they had known each other for much longer than they actually had. They confided in one another as openly as they had in their own small groups as they had become inseparably close. Jessie's death had opened an immense void in the group's tight relationship, and no one could let her go. Especially not James. The cerulean-haired young man finally released his younger companions, wiping the tears from both their cheeks with his thumb tenderly. "I'm coming back, and if Jessie is alive, god help me if I come back alive and without her," he said firmly. Ash and Misty smiled vaguely at him, finally accepting that they could no longer help the grief stricken soul, and dried their own tears. "Well, if you're going to go, take this with you," Misty said removing the shell necklace she had bought the first day they had arrived in Vertigo. "I always thought of this as a good luck charm, lets hope it favors you," she added pressing it lovingly into his palm. He took it gratefully, tying it about his neck and shoving the shell into the front of his shirt to protect it. "I know it will," he promised her. Misty managed a smile and motioned to his shoulder. "Want me to clean that up for you a bit more before you go?" she asked. James smiled wryly as he moved the collar of his shirt to expose his newly healed shoulder. "I don't know how it happened, but it has to be a sign, and besides, the last couple of time you've taken care of me have not been pleasant," he mused fondly. Misty chuckled slightly as she remembered the time he and Jessie had been injured by their own Pokemon and she had tended to his arm, and recently when he'd been attacked, and both times she had been anything but nice about it. "Well, best get going before the sky's too black to fly," Ash said cutting the silence. James' face fell as he looked outside to the gray morning sky and the choking mist concealing most of the main courtyard. "I can't fly, there's bound to be alliance soldiers anywhere in the forest, and I can't risk getting shot in the air. I don't want injuries from falling as well," he said with a heavy sigh. The duo understood his reasoning well and when James had finished packing, escorted him to the palace gates. The sun filtered weakly through the gray skies as James heard the gate slam shut with an indifferently loud thud. He turned on his heels with a sigh, hope for the first time glittering behind the still sorrowful emerald eyes. "James please let me go!" Jasper pleaded one last time. James knelt and reached through the thick metal bars to caress the little boy's cheek affectionately. "I don't want you hurt too, stay here, and I promise I'll be back," he said and stood. He merely smiled at Ash, Misty, and Meowth, tacit goodbyes passing between them fulfilling any need for verbal affection. He sighed and turned, finally understanding what the scrolls had meant and what his mission was. "Mind, Body, Heart and soul asunder, all will come to death in thunder. By light of noon, or dead of night, fate decides, to love or smite. Remorse and guilt, the poisons that kill to let them claim you, is to surrender your will. Though sorrow reigns, with its despairing kin the answer my friend, lies in the wind. The myth, it beckons you, and calls out your name, you must answer the call, or all is in vain. Reach out to yourself like never you did you alone can rescue a soul from the shadows which it slid." It was all true, his heart, his mind, his body, and even his soul had been divided and forgotten with Jessie's death, and he knew he must answer her call, or all was lost. He remembered when Misty had first put Icthsique on the altar in the sacred room, he had mentioned something about bewaring the darkness, and his poem mentioned a soul sliding into it. It had to mean Jessie, there was no other explanation for it, and he had accepted the call of her soul to be rescued. "I won't fail you this time Jess, we'll be together, and when I get you back, I swear I'll tell you how I really feel," he promised himself as he wrapped his cloak tighter over his wings and took his first step along the dirt path leading away from Vertigo. "Ash, he's not going to make it alone," Jasper said meekly tugging at his flaming tail. Ash sighed deeply and crossed his arms across his chest, glancing down at the child. His lips curled from their former frown as inspiration struck and he knelt by Jasper's side. "I do believe I have a solution for that." @->->- James sighed as he watched the blood red sun finally sink below the horizon, leaving the landscape a lonely blue with twilight that shadows melted into to sleep for the night, and stopped in his tracks. He wouldn't be able to travel any further that day, and would have to find a place to set up a temporary camp. He didn't dare fly, as alliance mercenaries were bound to be patrolling the area and he knew that their policy was shoot first, ask questions later if the victim happened to live. James took a small beaten route into the wooded areas flanking the established trade path he had walked that day, searching for any sign of an escarpment or someplace to get his bearings. "Shadowrun, Riley read that it was somewhere in the mountains, so maybe Jasper's old town, if anyone's still there, has some information," he whispered to himself. His hard, determined expression softened to happiness as a small hill came into view and he jogged briskly with a new joy in his heart. He reached the crest of it easily, and his grin widened as the tall spires of the mountains that the ravaged town lay in. "Just keep holding on Jess, I'm coming for you," he whispered as a triumphant wind whistled past his ear. He smiled and spread his wings, letting the winds play along them as well. "I'm sorry I yelled at you, you were right after all. And you told me once to tell Jessie how I feel, and so you'll be right again." The winds caressed his cheek tenderly, accepting his apology, and he smiled as they were once again kind, the clouds above parting slightly to reveal the diamond stars against a blue velvet sky. "You're the wind beneath my wings, I'll always love you Jessica, with all of my heart and soul," he whispered wistfully. "Who're ya talkin' to?" James jumped in terror and whirled around at the small voice at his feet. The innocent stare back from Jasper sent him crashing to the floor in exasperation. "Damn it! Do not scare me like that!" James gasped clutching at his chest. The little boy smiled warmly, despite James' angry response to him, and was instantly at his side, his arms wrapped around his neck affectionately. James sighed in defeat and hugged Jasper back, smiling slightly himself. "Jasper! Good to see you buddy! What are you doing here? How'd you find me?" he rattled, genuinely glad his young friend had found him. Jasper pulled away and smiled wickedly. "I told you not to go alone! And I meant it!" he replied. James laughed as he stood, bringing the boy with him and brushing the dirt off of him, and his own wings and tail. "Well, I can't afford to waste time taking you back, so you might as well come with!" he said warmly. James never had a shred of an intention to take his friend back to Vertigo, but he let the child believe he had beguiled him into accompanying him on his quest. Jasper squealed in delight, clinging to James' hand, and a wave of paternal feelings flooded the winged young man's heart. "When I have kids someday, I'll cherish them. Probably spoil them rotten, but who cares? They'll be the love of my life, and Jessie too, and maybe they'll even be our kids," he thought to himself, "or maybe we can adopt Jasper." He scooped the child up into his arms laughing warmly, grateful for something to find comfort in while Jessie was gone from his life. James reflected on this as he located a small cave for them to share and placed both his things and the child in it. "I'll be back, I'll get us some firewood, won't be gone long," he promised him. Jasper nodded obediently, and James kissed him quickly on the forehead before slipping inconspicuously from the mouth of the cave, but he sighed as he strolled nonchalantly near the shelter he had found for the night. Jasper had been his only ray of hope in what seemed like an eternal void of darkness, and he had been the only comfort since Jessie had been gone from his life. He couldn't explain it, but having him seemed to help James to miss his friend less, and ease the pain. Jasper was the only reason he had the will to search for Jessie, and the only reason he hadn't killed himself. He sighed wistfully, wanting to see Jessie once more and hefted the small bundle of dry timber he had collected to make his way back to the cave. Jasper leapt from his spot on the ground the instant James was visible, babbling excitedly at some accomplishment. James set the wood down and smiled at the unfurled sleeping roll he had packed, several pots and pans awaited his attention for dinner, and the food he had packed lay neatly by a ring of stones set up for a fire pit. "You did this?" he asked, pleased. Jasper grinned with relish, snatching some of the wood and began arranging it in his makeshift ring. "Well, I'm hungry, and I didn't want to wait for you to do it!" he explained. James laughed heartily and joined his friend on the ground helping to arrange them correctly. "No, you've got to make kind of a cone like this," he instructed, finishing with a few bits of dry grass for kindling. Jasper raised an eyebrow quizzically as James ushered him away and moved for the flint stones in his pack. "How'd you know that?" he asked. James looked furtively back at him, and ignored the question while he attempted to ignite the wood with the sparks. "Man do I ever miss Ash right now," he joked nervously, attempting to change the subject. Jasper inched closer to him, his brow furrowed with worry. "Answer my question," he said, "because if something's wrong- Oh wait, is it about Jessie?" James stopped a stroke with the flint halfway and bit his lip to ward off tears. "K-Kind of," he admitted, as he had learned it with her while being trained for Team Rocket field agents. Jasper was silent as crimson flames were born onto the wood, beginning to tear at their meal voraciously, and James sighed deeply, cradling his forehead in his hands mournfully. "Jasper, listen, first of all, I'm not trying to be mean when I say this, but could you please, not mention Jessie for a while?" he asked, throat tight with threatening tears. The boy sidled up closer to his friend in an attempt to comfort him and softened his gaze as a few wet patches made themselves known in the dirt beneath James. "I'm sorry. It hurts a lot doesn't it?" he asked stroking his wings affectionately. "It almost literally hurts me physically I miss her so much," he whispered, the pain boring with a new tenacity at the back of his mind. "What is it that you miss?" Jasper asked easing himself into James' lap. He smiled slightly, wiping the tears from his cheeks and sighed deeply. "Probably everything about her, her determination, her sarcastic attitude, her lust for life and even the way..." he paused, his tone and attitude changing and fresh tears landing next to the initial ones in the dirt, "and even the way she said my name, the way she always had to have her hair perfect, like she was dressing up for some grand party where anybody who's anybody goes to. How much she loved working on her powers, how she just knew we'd come out on top someday. Even her beauty, her eyes, her smile, even the way she carried herself, always with an air of grace and charm about her. The way she used to talk about the future, she always said 'us' and 'we', she always included me, even the way she would be delighted at any plan I made up. It wasn't always so obvious how close we were, but I always loved how we never had to tell each other how much we meant. The words "You're my best friend" rarely ever left my lips, and I don't think she ever said it to me, but we didn't have to," James explained, his voice wavering with the inevitable tears. "And even the way she used to beat me into sense, and-and even when she wouldn't let me go, ever, not to my parents, not to enemies, Team Rocket, and even death." Jasper smiled, his eyes shimmering with hope that he and James would be able to find the one woman they both knew he was destined to be with. "You really love her don't you?" he asked getting carried away. James could no longer control his sobs at that, burying his face into his hands in utter sorrow, sobbing bitterly. "Every minute she's gone it's like a needle through my heart! She was my other half, she always made up for what I lack, she had strength for my weakness, determination for my cowardice! Hell! Even our names are part of a whole!" he sobbed, "and I couldn't even tell her how I felt. I'm still a coward." Jasper looked away at the sudden outburst, understanding everything James had said about Jessie, and closed his eyes as he realized that he had caused it. "Oh no, James, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean-" "No, no Jasper, it's not your fault that..." he cut him off, and was unable to finish his sentence. "I won't talk about it anymore," the boy assured him. James wiped the tears furiously from his cheeks, his gaze set hard on a conglomerate crack in the stone walls of his refuge, and remained silent. Jessie and James had indeed been two halves of the same, mutually broken soul. Ever since childhood they had both felt the sting of want, James of love, Jessie of rectitude from life, and they had found it in each other. James had loved Jessie's spontaneity, and her ability to pull him through anything and everything, and he treasured the genuine friendship and sisterly love she showed him, which he had lacked from his own parents as a child. Her strength was her asset, and what she lacked in tenderness, James had brought it out in her. He had always been sensitive, and had calmed more than an intense rage or two with a soothing word. This was merely because she had been hurt deeply at a young age, fate betraying her by taking her mother, but James always liked to think that he somewhat filled the void in her heart that Miyamoto had left. She indefinitely confided in him and James refused to break the promise they had made to each other so many times in the past, and that hadn't been marred until the fateful day Jessie was taken from him. A promise to stay together forever, no matter what the circumstances, and to always remain the one beautiful whole they both knew on merely a subconscious level. James sighed as his sobs abated and brushed his hair back to keep it out of his eyes and turned to Jasper, who had a look of sheer terror and remorse at breaking his heart. "It's alright Jasper, you didn't mean to make me cry," he whispered brokenly. "I...I know, but I did. I thought talking about it might help," he said on the verge of tears himself. "Your heart was in the right place," James promised him. The young man knew it was paining him to keep his feelings inside, but he was afraid. Terrified to know that he was weak, and that he couldn't help Jessie, if she was even alive. He had failed to save her life in return for her heroic acts to save his during their trials at Team Rocket, and he blamed himself for her death, knowing that if he had been brave enough to kill Rill when he had the chance, he wouldn't have had the opportunity to murder Jessie. He could still feel her blood pouring over his fingers in an obviously vain attempt to keep her alive, still hear her dimming voice, see her dying eyes, and her last words echoed for what seemed like the millionth time that night for James. "I'll always be with you James, and I'll always be your best friend." "Oh Jessie, I wish none of this had ever happened to us," he moaned, beginning to cry again, "why do I have to love you so much?" He rocked himself gently in front of the now blazing fire, tears drying on the hot stone of the ground near it quickly as they fell. Jasper wrapped his arms about his neck and rested his head against his chest affectionately. "We'll get her back James, you're meant to be happy, and meant to be with her," he whispered sternly. "I hope you're right," he replied softly. "I know I am, because only whole souls can live in the afterlife," Jasper said. James raised an eyebrow, unsure of what he meant and backed away from the intense heat of the flames, unnecessary for his already burning cheeks. "What do you mean?" he asked with difficulty. "If Jessie is part of you, then her soul can't go anywhere without its other half. You both have to die at the same moment, because you'll never be apart, and your souls have to be together, even in death." James sobbed harder hearing the small anecdote of wisdom from the boy, holding him closely as he began to cry alongside his grief stricken friend. He realized that Jasper was right, and though he could barely hear the name Jessie without beginning to cry, he needed to be strong for her. It was what she had done for him so many times, and it was what he knew he needed to do. "We'll get her back Jasper, and I'll tell her how I feel. I'll come right up to her, take her hands into mine and look into her eyes and say 'Jessie I've loved you all my life, you complete my soul, marry me' and we'll all live happily ever after," he said mimicking his spoken acts with Jasper in Jessie's place. Jasper brightened as James did, ecstatic to finally hear some words of optimism from his mouth. "Just promise me I can go to your wedding," he said with a smirk. James laughed as he released him and nodded the affirmative, moving to his supplies. "I guess we need to eat huh?" he asked drying the last of his tears from his cheeks and eyes. "Yeah, I'll help," the boy replied as he handed him the rack to hang the miniscule pot over the fire. James attempted to keep a cheerful attitude while he ate with Jasper, but his mind kept wandering back to their previous conversation. "Jess, if you're truly with me always, please give me the strength to go on," he thought to himself, wishing that she could be there in person to reassure him, "I can't do this alone." He sighed deeply at his own thoughts later that night as he lay on his back, watching as the fire dwindled, and Jasper's rhythmic breathing of sleep lulling him. He couldn't help but feel the little boy was a godsend, as he had always been with him when the pain of Jessie's death had threatened to kill him, and there was definitely something strange about the child. He always seemed to know exactly what to say, and it was never what a boy of his age would say about love and wisdom. It was as if something, some transcendental force, had created him to replace Jessie while he searched for her, to give him strength. "No," he whispered aloud, suddenly comprehending he was horribly wrong, "to make me realize the strength I've had all along." James smiled broadly and closed his eyes, knowing that nothing was impossible, especially in the world of Aradain, where everything was of suspicion, and nothing was tangible. For all he knew, it could all be some wild dream derived from underdone food, or he could even be dead. Perhaps he had died in Jessie's arms in the Team Rocket prison, but James smiled as he reminded himself that he knew that it was real. He felt too strongly his blazing, undying love for Jessie, and the gnawing suspicion he had in the back of his mind ever since he had first placed her sword in the ground that she was alive. All of his friends, the seven messengers, knew deep in their hearts it was very real, and their old world had been the false one. They all shared the same desire to liberate the place they belonged in, and the feeling of duty doubtlessly passed down from their ancestors who had freed Aradain centuries before them. James vowed that he would fulfill his part of the legend, and he would never give up hope as he drifted off into a dreamless sleep. The duo didn't take the time to have breakfast the following morning, as James had a new tenacity and hope burning in his heart, glimmering with a fresh valiancy behind his renewed and exuberant emerald irises. He looked upward as they trudged through the forest, the same eyes directed for any sign of the town. It took about a days walking to get there, and he had started late the previous day, leaving time for inquiries and exploration once in town. "Think they'll remember me back home?" Jasper asked as James helped him down from a small outcropping of rock. "Of course they will! You haven't been gone that long," he assured him as they started along the dirt path again. James felt a pang of remorse at taking Jasper back to hometown where his parents had been killed not long ago, and he'd witnessed a brutal slaughter and raised an eyebrow at his wide grin. "You sure you don't mind going home?" he asked warily. Jasper chuckled and shook his head. "Not at all! Why should I?" he replied. James winced at his severe denial, but shrugged it off, knowing it was a part of grief, even once believing himself Jessie wasn't dead, even if it was for a brief moment. "Do you know of anyone we could talk to there?" he asked after an unnerving silence. "My grandma! She knows all the legends and stories! My grandpa was the town elder before he died!" he said excitedly and James winced again at the news of another death in the poor boy's family. "Great! I bet she could help us," he said with determination in his voice. "I know she can." James smiled, completely awestruck at the child's wisdom far beyond his years and placed a hand on his shoulder. He spread his wings slightly to stretch them as he knew he would need to fly soon and he had barely flown since the day Jessie had been killed. They were out of shape, but with Jasper's help he had finally managed to get them clean, and he had once again begun to look like the person he once was. He ruffled his feathers slightly to ward off the chill of the mountain morning and both he and Jasper drew in a collective gasp of awe as the spires of the tallest buildings of his old town were visible at the end of the path where the section of forest dividing it from Vertigo ended. They took off running and soon found themselves at the still broken gates of the city, and James read the name of it, having neglected to before. It read, "Welcome to Shadow River." He grinned broadly kneeling to look Jasper in the eyes. "Do you know what this means?" he asked excitedly. The boy drew back apprehensively, shaking his head in terror. "Shadowrun! Which, with the words separated means exactly what I want it to! Hold on Jess! Just a little bit longer I promise you!" he stopped to laugh, "Jasper we're almost there!" He took the boy's hands in his own, twirling him around in a wide arc as he began to laugh as well, a few feathers blowing loose from his outstretched wings. "James you're crazy! What does my town have to do with anything?" he asked with a smirk. James grinned crookedly as he stood again, lowering his eyes seductively at the gates of Shadow River. "Run, is another word for River."