From: "Globie Leung" Day 3 is here...but for you Rocketshippers and James-lovers, I warn you: Your eyes will be wet, so get a box of Kleenex (A BIG one, not an inky dinky one!) Enjoy, eh! -Globie, who's going off to see Pokemon: The First Movie tonight! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pokemon League: 2027 By Globie Day 3 (Battle Mode ON) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- (We join a match in progress at the Water Field between James and Jessibelle. Each of them is down to their last Pokemon.) Jessibelle: Vileplume, go! James: Weezing, I choose you! (The two combatants toss their Poke Balls into the ring, and their Pokemon appear) Jesse: (Yelling from the stands) Come on, James! Beat that snotty little rich girl! Meowth: Yeah, you can do it! James: Will you two pipe down? You're practically the loudest two people in the stands! Jessibelle: Now, James, darling, sweetie-pie, are we gonna stand here all day or what? James: You know it! Weezing, Sludge attack! Jessibelle: Vileplume, Poison Powder! (Weezing shoots jet after jet of sludge toward Vileplume, but it dodges, and a cloud of Poison Powder hits it.) Jessibelle: Vileplume, Solar Beam! (Vileplume begins collecting solar rays, but can't gather the full tank, as Weezing fires a desperate shot of Sludge at Vileplume.) James: Weezing, Explosion! (Weezing glows, and then, explodes. When the smoke cleared, both Vileplume and Weezing were out cold.) Line Judge: Vileplume was first to fall. Victory goes to red trainer James and Weezing! (The crowds cheer, and Jesse and James jump to their feet as the final green light is turned off, and Jessibelle's picture disappears.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- (Battle Mode OFF) James rushed onto the field, and gave his Weezing a hug. While on the other side, Jessibelle was with her Vileplume, angry expression on her face. "You almost killed mah Vileplume, you monster! You're a philistine, just like that girl!" She shouted. "Call me monster, philistine, whatever you want, Jessibelle, I'm not coming home with you ever!" James replied. Jessibelle returned Vileplume into the Poke Ball, and headed toward her platform. "James Kojiro LeBlanc, if it has to lead to mah death, I'll make sure you'll be at the altar with me!" "I'd like to see you try, Jessibelle!" Jessibelle's platform disappeared into the ground, and James sighed. That's Jessibelle for you, he thought. Always the bonehead of the whole town...Then, after returning Weezing, he, too, exited the arena. Later... Jesse walked down the street, and smiled. James still won't admit it, but she knew it was true. Ever since that fake marriage to fool his folks, along with the time on Operation Alaric, she knew James harbored a secret desire for her. Sooner or later, he would come up to her with a 24k-diamond ring in his hand, begging for marriage. She could see it now. James on his knees, singing praises of the ancient Greek goddess Athena and how she compared to her, and so on. And that's what James was planning. As we speak, he's still at the mall, the jewelry shop, to be precise, shopping for the most beautiful diamond ring he could find that also could fit within his budget, which was substantially better than when he was a Rocket. Back with Jesse. As she continued to walk down the street, a black Pontiac emerged from the previous street corner, with a very familiar face at the wheel. The mystery car then suddenly revs up, and charges toward an unsuspecting Jesse. Then, as the car began to close in on Jesse, James appeared, with ring in hand. He opened up the case, and Jesse rushed over, still didn't notice the speeding car hurling towards her. Then, the driver's grip on the wheel loosens, and the car began to go out of control. Across the street, Snap was walking up the sidewalk, on his way to the village for his next photo shoot, The car charged toward them, and James, pushing Jesse aside, was rolled under. He rushed over, and looked at him...He was badly injured. Jesse looked at the ring, and began to tremble. She broke into a steady stream of tears, and started shaking James's body while the mystery car quickly skidded into a side alleyway a few meters away, and disappeared. "Jesse..." He whispered, and then, lost consciousness. Later, at the IBC... The Pokemon League Tournament Board of Governors came up to the stage, and took their seats at the press room table. It was 7 hours after the horrific accident, and all matches had been halted for a brief period of time. "Today, we've witnessed a true tragedy." The first governor began. "James Kojiro LeBlanc, one of the league's newest and brightest stars, has been struck down by a rival on Water St., and passed away shortly after arriving at the hospital." "The rival, whom police haven't been able to identify, is still at large. But we are here to announce that from this moment on, Mr. LeBlanc's position in the tournament will be taken over by Miss Jessibelle Lafayette." The cafeteria... "I can't believe it! Jessibelle?" Misty shouted. "Couldn't they have found a better person?" "How could that be?" Ryan added. "I went to the match, and Jessibelle barely put up a fight!" "I dunno. I'm just suspecting that vast sums of money is involved somehow." Brock continued. "Hey, where's Jesse?" Ritchie asked. "She's in her room. Some trainers are there, trying to get her to come out of there and eat something." Ash replied. "Where's Scott?" Brock asked. "I don't know. Ryan, have you seen him?" Ritchie added. "No...But I saw him at a café in downtown this morning, but not after that." Ryan replied. "Never mind. Maybe he's busy training his Pokemon for the next round..." Misty replied. "But now, let's hit the buffet!" Later that night... The floodlights at the Air Indigo Sky Arena was suddenly turned on, and the next battle began. Giselle (From Pokemon Tech) versus Mikey (From the episode, "The Battling Eevee Brothers.", in a midair Pokemon battle. Even on the wake of James' sudden and tragic death, the Pokemon League decided it was in the best interests of all trainers that the tournament be continued, despite widespread opposition from a few trainers and media. But, many trainers decided to grin and bear it, and continue to fight their way toward the finals. The winner of the finals will then face off against 2 gym leaders they select, and then, followed by the Elite Four. Once that was clear, there was still one match, and that was to face off against the current champion, Randy Phillips, for the legendary Silver Scepter, the Vince Lombardi Trophy of the Indigo Island Pokemon League, in a one-on-one duel. (Battle Mode ON) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- (In the arena, the two platforms begin to rise, lifting Giselle and Mikey into the night sky. Half-dozen floating platforms appear from a shed in the stands, and the battle begins.) Giselle: Graveler, go! Mikey: Eevee, go! (Graveler appears from its Poke Ball, and Eevee jumps out onto the platforms.) Giselle: This should be easy...Graveler, Rock Throw! Mikey: Eevee, Quick Attack! (The two Pokemon clash the center of the platforms, with Eevee jumping around, confusing Graveler.) Giselle: Graveler, Stone Barrage, now! (Graveler throws a barrage of rocks toward Eevee, but they all miss. Suddenly, a rock hits Eevee, slowing it down.) Mikey: Eevee, Head Butt attack! (Eevee charges toward Graveler, and knocks it off its platform. It falls down toward the ground.) Line Judge: Graveler has fallen onto the ground. Victory goes to green trainer Mikey and Eevee! (The first red light under Giselle's picture is turned off, and the crowd cheers) Giselle: Graveler, return! Marowak, go! (Graveler disappears, and Marowak appears from its Poke Ball. It lands right in front of Eevee, startling it.) Giselle: Marowak, Bone Club! (Marowak throws its bone, and hits Eevee right on, knocking it out cold on the platform.) Line Judge: Eevee is unable to battle. Victory goes to red trainer Giselle and Marowak! (The first green light under Mikey's picture is turned off. Mikey is now getting frustrated.) Mikey: Eevee, return! Vaporeon, go! (Eevee slowly hobbles back onto Mikey's platform, and Vaporeon appears from its Poke Ball to take its place.) Giselle: Marowak, Bonemerang, now! Mikey: Vaporeon, Hydro Pump! (Vaporeon shoots a jet of water toward Marowak, which sends it tumbling off the platform, but it catches the platform...slightly.) Giselle: Marowak, get up! Mikey: Vaporeon, use your Tackle attack! (Vaporeon rams the platform that Marowak is hanging onto, and knocks it off, and falls to the ground.) Line Judge: Marowak has fallen off the platform. Victory goes to green trainer Mikey and Vaporeon! (A second red light under Giselle's picture is turned off under on the scoreboard, and Giselle snarls.) Giselle: So you want to play the Eevee route, huh? Well, try this on for a size! Marowak, return! Jolteon, go! Mikey: Vaporeon, be careful! Use your Water Gun! Giselle: Jolteon, Thunder Wave, now! (Jolteon launches off a Thunder Wave, but Vaporeon jumps away, missing by mere inches.) Mikey: Vaporeon, use your Tackle attack! Giselle: Jolteon, Thunder Punch, now! (Vaporeon tackles Jolteon, but too late. Jolteon launches a huge Thunder Punch on Vaporeon, knocking it out.) Line Judge: Vaporeon is unable to battle! Victory goes to red trainer Giselle and Jolteon! (A second green light under Mikey's picture is turned off, and the two clenched the teeth. This was crunch time.) Mikey: Vaporeon, return! Flareon, go! (Vaporeon disappears into its Poke Ball, and a Flareon takes its place in a fiery glory.) Mikey: Flareon, Ember! (Flareon shoots fire toward Jolteon in a flame-thrower fashion, but Jolteon dodges it all.) Mikey: Flareon, Fire Spin, now! (Flareon fires off Fire Spin, which encloses Jolteon, but when the fire dissipated, Jolteon wasn't there.) Giselle: Jolteon, Thunder Punch! (Out of nowhere, Jolteon appeared, with Thunder Punch flying in front. Flareon dodges.) Mikey: Flareon, Fire Spin, again! (No go. Flareon is clean out of fire. Jolteon appears, and charges up its Thunder attack.) Giselle: Jolteon, Thunder attack! (The sky fills with thunder, and suddenly, a thunderbolt strikes Jolteon and it deflects the power onto Flareon, knocking it out.) Line Judge: Flareon is unable to battle. Victory goes to red trainer Giselle and Jolteon! (The third and final green light was turned off, and Mikey's picture disappears from the scoreboard. The crowd cheers.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- (Battle Mode OFF) Later that night... Jesse was lying on her bed, still awake. Everyone had already left, and the still unmade bed of James's stood empty. Every night, she'd stare toward the stars, and ask them for the day when James would ask to marry her...but not tonight. James was gone. If only he hadn't pushed me away, where would I be now? Jesse thought. This has to be Jessibelle's doing. She was probably trying to kill me, but killed James instead. Now, no one can have him, and nothing could bring him back. She gently picked up one of James' Poke Balls, and realized that inside the Ball was Weezing, the Pokemon that she had gotten him for a Christmas gift oh-so-long ago when they were still in the Young Rockets. The door swung open, and in the doorway, stood a tall, buff man, holding onto a bowl of hot Beef Stew. He walked over, and tapped on Jesse's shoulder. She turned around, and realized that it was Scott. A few more figures appear at the doorway...one female, and 2 males. She sat up on her bed, and slowly, silently, took the bowl of hot stew, and slowly ate. "I know how you feel, Jesse." Misty began. "I lost someone like you a long time ago..." Jesse looked up, and stared at Scott. "Peter was an old high school buddy that I had a crush on...Then, he died one day in a car accident...I was like you right now then, Jesse." She explained. "The Police will find the culprit, Jesse." Brock added. " No matter what happens, they'll bring James' killer to justice." "And we'll be here to continue if they fail." Ash added. "What good does that do?" Jesse tearfully snapped. "James isn't going to come back." "Well, once the culprit is caught, maybe you'll find inner peace that'll help you cope with James' death." Ash added. "Come on, Jesse. Let us help." Scott continued. Jesse didn't reply, and waved them away. Our friends then walked out of the room, closed the door, and left the house. Jesse placed the empty bowl onto the night table, and clenched her fist. If you want a job done right, do it yourself. She thought. To be continued... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Coming up in Day 4... - Ash vs. Mandy, Round 2! - Gary's first match! - Who is the culprit behind James' death? - Ash and Misty: Will they say it? - Brock: Has he finally found the perfect woman that won't shoot him down? - The appearance of the mysterious "Tom Wilson"! All this and more, coming in Day 4 and beyond, in the next installment of "Pokemon League: 2027"!