They kept running until the reached the gate of an enormous town. When they arrived, Jessie was already there, staring thoughtfully into the immense town and not the least bit out of breath.
"Wow. It's a town," said Ash, pointing out the obvious as usual
"It's huge." replied Misty, her eyes glittering as she imagined all of the fabulous stores that it must have
James glanced over and noticed a flashy sign just to the left of the town's gate.
"Primave City. Hmmm... I've never heard of it." He paused and cocked his head."I wonder why this sign is fish shaped."
"Look over there." said Brock, in reply to James' comment as he pointed to a monstrous dock near the tenements and shacks in the rundown part of town."Those are fishing boats. I bet that's how the people here make money."
"Doubtfully."
Misty sighed, both disenchanted and angry.
"Hey, look at that!" said Ash, with sudden excitement."It's a castle, just like in the story books!" He began a make-believe swords fight with Pikachu as his mind danced with memories from the bedtime stories his mother used to tell him.
Misty looked angrily at the ground as she tripped him."Cut it out! Let's get out of here."She began trudging back in the direction they had all ran away from just moments ago. Jessie quickly ran over and grabbed her arm."I wouldn't go back there if I were you kid." she said, warning in her voice.
Misty looked at Jessie, suprised."Why not?" was her reply, still a little angry.
"See What?!" yelled Misty, frustrated now.
"Don't yell at me you little brat! You had to have seen it; it was... some sort of pokemon. I'd say it was at least twice your height. If it decided to take you, you wouldn't have a chance."
Ash looked beside himself with joy."What are we waiting for? Let's Go!" Ash and Brock began to power walk toward the city.
"Wait!" they turned around to see Jessie's worried face looking back at them. She hesitated before continueing, "You don't want to go in there; it probably smells like fish."She made a fanning motion at her nose.
"Who cares if it smells like fish if there's a pokemon gym?" said Ash, continuing into the city alongside Brock with Misty following behind, pouting as she went. Jessie began to look around nervously, almost frantically."
"What's wrong, Jess?" asked James, treading carefully toward her.
"Ummm..." She looked at him, flustered. Then her expression changed, as if a brilliant idea had suddenly srtuck her. " Let's trail the kids through the city. We can uh.. grab a quick bite to eat while we capture Pikachu!" She said, balling up her fist and slamming it into her palm.
"Ahhh...That hurts you little fuball!"cried James.
Jessie was already well into the town."Come on you two! I have a plan!"
James sighed,"Coming Jessie."
Jessie led them through the shadows of the buildings into a secluded alleyway. Once there, she went straight to a dumpster at the end of it and threw out all but a few bags.
"What are you doing, Jessie?" said James, confused.
"Are you crazy? Meowth ain't climbing in no dumpster." said Meowth stubbornly, still on James' shoulder.
"You'll get in there or I'll throw you in there!" she again whispered, almost yelled with fire in her angry eyes. But, James was no fool. He realized that Jessie would do it and with Meowth on his shoulder, he figured that the odds would be in his favor if he just went in before a fight erupted. So with a tiny "EEE...", he practically hurled himself into the dumpster.
Afterwards, Jessie ripped open a trash bag out of sight of Meowth and James. After digging around awhile, she pulled her hand out, covered in stagnant blood.
"What're ya doing with that?" said Meowth, putting up his guard as he jumped off James' shoulder into a pile of trash bags Jessie had left in the bottom of the dumpster. Without a word, she pulled James close with her clean hand and smeared blood all over his uniform with the other. She took his right hand and smeared most of the remainder into his palm."Put some of this on Meowth." She said, wiping the very little remaining blood on her own uniform
"Don't move until I come and get you." She said as she ran down the alley way and down the street. Noone noticed the mysterious dark-haired man across the srteet staring intently at Jessie, who, after watching her take care of James and Meowth, seemed to vamish out of sight.
James looked at his blood soaked hand and then at Meowth, who almost instantaneously drew his claws out."You get one drop of that on me and you'll regret it."
Jessie ran down the winding streets straight to the dock, as if she knew exactly where she was going. She went over to the water and dipped her hair in, ruffling it out of her trademark style. She pulled a hair-tie out of her pocket and quickly and messily began brading her thigh-length hair. Then she began to stroll casually to the town square where, she knew, they always had an open-air market each morning. But, though her stride was leisure, her heart was pounding. Jessie knew she had very liitle time to do her task.