Chapter 14 - "I Feel Fine"
Laughter was heard among the beautiful garden where the grass grew green and the sun shone in the sky. Neo King Jessica and James played in a small fountain decorted with water Pokémon, including Magicarp. Both were soaked to the bone, splashing and running through the cool water. Jessica slipped and fell. When James ran past her, she grabbed him by the legs and pulled him down with her. They laughed.
"I haven't had this much fun in a long time!" James sighed, dunking his head in the water.
"Yeah...Nor have I," the Queen said softly. She bent over James and kissed him on the nose. "What do you think of your Kingdom now?" she giggled.
"Wonderful," he replied. "But I'm afraid I've ruined my Kingly attire." He stood up and wrung out the small cape connected to his shoulders. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be," she laughed, standing and joining him. "They're your clothes to do with what you please. Besides, you have plenty more royal outfits."
"I do?"
"Yes. Come on inside! We'll get dry and I'll show you the rest of your 'Kingly attire'."
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Tack set off on his journey in a totally different direction from Jessie's. He would not be able to kill her, but that was no matter. He had killed James and had his revenge. He laughed menacingly. "I did it! I did it! Ha ha ha!" He walked for miles, not caring if he was hungry or tired. He had taken out his revenge, and that was all that mattered.
He came to a small town. A familiar-looking town. Ah, yes. He had been in that cafe before. He decided to stop by and have a cup of coffee. When he entered he shouted at the top of his lungs. "I have returned! Remember me?" The commotion stopped and all eyes turned on the crazy man in front of them. Tack walked up to the counter. "One cappacino, please." he grinned. He picked up a newspaper and began to read it. Everyone again went to what they were doing.
After he finished, he left the cafe and set out to find a new job. He saw a woman walking across the street. She looked like a business woman and might need to hire someone. "Hey, lady!" he called. "You need a good serial-killer?" The woman screamed and ran off. "I wonder what her problem was."
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The four, saddened beetles cried that day. Not because they couldn't think of a song, but because their friends Jessie and James were gone.
"I really liked those blokes," the Elder sobbed.
"I have another idea for a song."
"Not now!"
"Hear me out, bro...Why don't we write a song about life in general? A song that talks about everything we've been through?" The others looked at him with tears in their eyes. "A song dedicated to Jessie and James."
They all smiled slightly. "Mate, that's an excellent idea," the Elder said, patting his friend on the shoulder. "Blimey! That's exactly what we'll do!"
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James sat at a large table fit for a feast with a small cup of hot coca. He felt tiny next to that table. Neo Queen Jessica got a fire going in a fireplace and joined him. "Feeling better?"
"Yeah."
She put her elbows on the table and rested her chin in her hands, gazing deeply at him. He was so handsome, so fair. There was a familiar charm about him that she couldn't remember where she had seen it. Nevertheless, he was a fine man, this James she had taken from the Past. Jessica stood up and grabbed him by the arm, laughing. "Want to see your wardrobe now?" James nodded, and she pulled him upstairs.
They entered a very large room, adorned with the finest linen and furniture. Jessica ran to a door and flung it open. "What room does that lead to?" James asked.
"Silly, it's the closet!" she giggled. "Inside are your other outfits." She pushed him forward and sat down on the bed.
"Are these all mine?" he exclaimed. He ran inside and looked at all the suits. They were nothing like he had ever seen before. Amulets, jewels, sashes, and silk. Everything was overly-fancy. Such colors he had only seen in a box of crayons.
Outside, Jessica fell backwards and closed her eyes. She was so happy. "Try on anything you like, James," she sighed.
His head popped out from one of the sides. "What room is this? Is it yours?"
She stood up and sauntered over to him slowly. "Actually, it's ours..."
"Ours?"
"Yes...Yours and mine. Our bedroom."
He quickly got what she was getting at and blushed. "Aw, Jessie-chan..."
"It gets very lonely when my husband isn't home," she mock pouted. Neo Queen Jessica again sat on the bed, taking out her earrings and kicked her shoes off. "Tonight, would you like to lie in a bed, fit for a King?"
Chapter 15 - "In My Life"
Tack had filled himself to the brim with happiness as he exited the local bar. "La la la!" He ran out into the streets, singing at the top of his lungs. "I am da eggman! Goo goo gajoob! Boy, whoever wrote dat song ish a pure genious!" He smiled and grabbed the edge of a wall so that he wouldn't fall over. He laughed and rubbed his face.
He continued walking. Walking and walking until he came to the street. He set one foot out. A car whipped past him. "Whoa!" he laughed. "That was sure close fer me!" Then he continued into the street. No cars were coming. He sat in the middle of the road and hummed his song.
Lights. He saw large, yellow lights coming toward him. "Ah!" he squeeked. "The Angels have taken pity on me. Farewell, world!" He stood up and held his hands out to his sides, welcoming the Angels. The lights came closer and closer.
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Jessie and...Jessie slept in a small hotel just on the outskirts of the city. They slept until about twelve in the afternoon and then went out to lunch. Jessie was glad to have some company, even if it was a Pokémon. She needed someone to talk to and the daughter of Meowth was a lovely friend.
"Do you think you'll ever return to Head Quarters?" Jessie the Meowth asked.
"I can't," Jessie said. "The Boss would never let me, and I'm not sure I want to return." She looked at the Meowth who seemed a tad disappointed. "Of course," she added brightly. "You can go back, if you want."
"No way!" Jessie-chan purred. "I want to stay with you forever."
Jessie smiled. "But won't you miss your family?"
The Meowth sadly lowered her head and nodded. "I already do."
"Then maybe you should go home..."
"No!"
"Alright."
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Neo Queen Jessica awoke the next morning in the arms of a man who was not her husband. He looked like her James. He sounded like her James. Still, he was not her James. Just like Tack murdering this man, this was not supposed to happen. She cursed herself silently and softly edged out of bed, as to not awake her partner. She pulled on a turquoise bathrobe and walked downstairs.
The fire had died out long ago, but the embers still glowed. She walked to the table and sat, burrying her head in her hands and sobbing. "Damn!" she said. "I...What I just did..."
Footsteps. She turned around and saw James standing in the hallway. He looked at her sadly. He was wearing the same expression she was. "Jessie..."
"I'm sorry!" Jessica cried, running over to him. "This was never supposed to happen."
"I know," he replied, taking her in his arms and comforting her. "It's alright. I forgive you."
"I should have taken you home immediately," she said. "We never should have even come here."
"I want to go home," James said. He took Jessica by the shoulders and held her out in front of him. "I want to see my Jessie again."
Jessica nodded and cried. She touched his face. It was similar to her husband's, but not as rough. It was so much younger. "I will take you to her."
He took her hand off his face and just held it for a moment, looking back at the Queen. "You are so like Jessie."
"And you are so like Neo King James." They stood there gazing at each other for a long time. Then the symbol on Neo Queen Jessica's forehead glowed. "I return you to Jessie. Wherever she is, you will be..." She kissed him on the cheek. "Goodbye, James. I love you." As he began to fade away, the great doors to the palace slammed open and trumpets sounded.
"Jessie! I've returned..."
The Queen ran to the front of the house, brushing away tears and sadness. "James!" she said, nearly pouncing her husband.
Neo King James laughed and kissed her. "And how did you make out while I was gone?"
"M-make out?!?"
"I mean, how did you get along?"
She grimaced and got a head full of sweatdrops. "Uhhh...Fine."
He just shook his head and continued holding her tightly. This man was Jessica's James.
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Jessie sat at the table with Jessie the Meowth. They had filled their bellies well and were satisfied.
"Can I get you anything else, ma'am?"
She groaned at the waiter. "No, I've had my share, thank you. Just bring me the bill."
"The bill for what?"
"For my meal! What else?" she growled and looked up at him. Her eyes widened. "Oh my God...It's you!"
The waiter grinned and pulled her out of her seat. "Miss me?"
"James!" Jessie exclaimed, throwing her arms around him and smothering him with kisses. "Oh my God. Oh my God! You're alive!"
"You can't kill James Roquet that easilly!" he laughed. "Nor Mrs. Roquet either."
"Mrs.?" she gasped. James nodded. Jessie squealed and hugged him even tighter.
Jessie the Meowth's eyes filled with tears. "James-sama!" she said. "Mommy and daddy will love to hear you're alive!"
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Meowth sadly plodded up the stairs to Jessie's room. Now was the time for the dirty work. He entered and gasped. "Where's da body?" He looked up and down Jessie's former room. James' body was nowhere to be found.
He ran throughout Team Rocket Headquarters asking people if they had seen it. No one seemed to know of its whereabouts, not even Giovanni. Meowth approached Meowthy. "Great," she muttered. "Now, not only have we lost our daughter, we've lost James..." Then her eyes lit up. She remembered that Jessie was able to come back to life a while back. So...
"What am I gonna do?" Meowth cried. "Now, I'll never be able to fulfill Jessie's promise."
"Meowth-chan!" Meowthy gasped. "James-senpai is alive!"
"What?"
"I'm sure he's alive. He must have been brought back to life by Neo Queen Jessica!" Meowthy smiled.
Meowth's eyes watered. "Ya know, Meowthy, I think you're right." He hugged her close. "And I'm sure little Jessie is with them, and happy."
The two Pokémon held each other closely and purred. Yes, Meowth had a feeling he would see his friends again someday.
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High overhead, golden wings fluttered. An icy tail swished through the sky. Wings of fire soared through the heavens. Three figures flew back to Vermillion Beach. They entered the cave and sealed the entrance, never to be set free again.
The End
Epilogue - "Yellow Submarine"
"La di da!"
"Just keep walking, junior. The nice jacket will keep you warm and cozy."
"I...I have perdy wings like a butterfly!"
"Yes, yes. I'm sure you do."
"And my wings fly me high into the air! Everyone will appreciate me now."
"Uh huh...Listen, you're going to stay in this custom-made cell for criminals like you."
"Good! My friends will come with me. They're all aboard my submarine which flies on butterfly wings like mine."
"Yes, Tack. You may bring your friends with you. In ya go..."
And so, Tack lived happily ever after in his sea of green where his band began to play. His friendly bugs would come and visit him.
"We all live in a yellow submarine! Hello you lovely little bugs. What kind of bugs are you? You look like beautiful black beetles with butterfly wings."
The four beetles looked at each other and all got sweatdrops. "Uhhh..."
"This kid is totally wacko..."
Tack grinned. "Let's all sing! We all live in a yellow submarine..."
"He's out of it," one beetle said.
"Hey!" one small beetle said. "This time, I know what song to do!"
"What? Now?"
"This kid may have something. Let's write a song about a submarine that sails into the sun, and stuff."
"Nah!" The leader waved him off. "I mean, who in their right mind would make up a song about a Yellow Submarine?"
