After Jessie left, James headed back to bed, to warm himself as he collected his thoughts. Jessie was gone. She was really, truly gone. He may never see her again. This hit him all at once. He didn't know where she had gone or what she was going to do once there, but he trusted her.
After collecting himself, he went to get Misty and Meowth,but not before grabbing Jessie's family portrait. Maybe someday he could return it to her.
Jessie hurried down the snowy streets, hoping to escape to the unmarked building that haunted her dreams. It was so foggy then that she couldn't see the two children who were playing in the snow, sporting their bright, bulging parkas.
"Oh isn't pretty, Laura."
"Yeah. I wish it would snow like this every day!"
"I'd settle for a nice snow once a year, just like they have...outside"
"You know, I don't think its snowed here for at least a hundred years!"
"Hmm.. I hadn't really thought about it, but I think you're right. It hasn't snowed here since the Primave Elders took over."
"Tina, do you suppose," she paused and looked around. She then continued in a more hushed tone,"Do you suppose that its snowing because,She has come?"
The other child looked at her dubiously,"I doubt it, Laura. It's probably snowing because Damien's adoptive daughter has returned. You know how much she loved snow."
"Mmmm... Yes. She always whined at him for snow, but he never did bring any." She looked at the other girl brightly."Or maybe, his daughteris..."
They paused as they watched Jessie jog by. Their eyes widened. The looked at each other and then ran off, beside themselves with joy.
She finally reached the unmarked building.Now what? She thought.
"Jessica, how you could do this to your old father" Jessie froze. That French accent and broken English was all to familiar. She turned around and backed up. Then, before the horrid and happy memories came flooding through her head, an observation registered in her mind; He had been the one in the window earlier."I make snow it for you" He said happily, his arms outstretched, his lips smiling.
She backed away."No, no no no no! Get away from me! You're not my father, you, you killed my father, my my family, you're a mon-monster!" She stuttered out.
"What's wrong, little girl?" she softened slightly at the memories that registered at the sound of her petname thar only he used. But then, the sight of the building behind her brought back horrific memories of her rites. She screamed in agony as her head swam with conflicting thoughts. Damien ignored her as he plopped down into the snow.
"Let us make the angels of the snow." he said as he began moving his arms up and down.
The pendant around her neck grew hot and, without warning, Damien burst into flames. A slow, cruel fire slowly ate away at his flesh. It was then that all the good times ran through her mind. All of the love, kindness; everything wonderful about the burning monster on the ground ran through her mind. She fell to her knees and clasped her hand over her mouth. She began to cry. He turned his head to her and gave her a look that showed heartbreak and loss just before his face was completely blackened. It was then that it stopped snowing.
The blaze burnt itself out after Damien was no more than a pile of ashes. She crawled over andd layed in the ashes, crying her heart out, now unsure of what she really thought of this man.
The necklace around her neck grew cold as ice and she blacked out.
It wasn't long before James and co. reached the temple, which, in truth, looked more like a luxerious theme hotel (at least from the outside) than anything else. He gently pushed open the door to the temple once there.
"Um, hello? Anyone here?" They walked inside.
There were no artificial lighting units inside. The entire, two story place's only source of light were the enormous torshes that were placed everywhere.
"What is this, some kind of cult house?" Asked Meowth, a bit jumpy now.
"Whatever it is, I don't like it!" exclaimed Misty, clutching onto James' arm. He pulled it roughly away as he began to more closely examine the place.
He sure is acting flaky,thought Meowth, as he followed James.
They soon discovered that the room they entered into was a main hall. Numbered doors locked with key locks and French words(?) seemed to guard the doors from intruders.
"Hello, friends." They turned their attention to the man that now stood behind them."Are you here to pray?"
"No sir. A...very close friend of mine told us to come here."
"Oh?" The man cocked his head.
"She said that we should stay here until it's time to escape the city with everyone else." The man's eyes widened as he grabbed James by the hand and led him to an object covered in a cloth. He removed it to reveal a statue of what appeared to be Jessie, asleep in a pile of ashes in the snow.
"Is this your friend?"
His eyes were wide."Yes, that's...Jessie."
The man rose his eyes and hands to the ceiling."Oh thank heavens! She has finally come!" He brought his hands back down and stroked the statue with great reverence."The Aphotic Angel"
"The Aphotic Angel?" asked James
"Ah yes, at last!" He looked at the small group with a genuine smile."If you wish to know, I shall tell you The Legend of The Aphotic Angel."