I stayed up late wiriting ^^Disclaimer: I don�t own anything except the stuff I make up.

Author�s Notes: Thanks again to all my great reviewers. I can�t get enough reviews� I love it! ^_^ So thanks again! Also, thanks to AC Ishida and Mystique Meowth for their beta reading. Well, this time I really don�t have much to say. I feel really bad for James� sorry James fans! I love him too! Really!



~*Forget Me Not*~ part 5



The night was early, and stars twinkled in the velvety, darkening sky. The moon was full and pale, shining brightly into the window Misty stared out of. Jessie�s murder at the pokemon center caused the police to evict all the trainers who were staying there. The injured pokemon were sent to another center about twenty miles down the road, and their owners were allowed to stay at the nearest hotel for no charge, much to the owner�s chagrin.

�Still no sign of Ash,� thought Misty anxiously, putting a hand to the pane of glass and glancing at the empty street. After a time, she got up and headed for the door, cutting through the living room. Brock�s voice stopped her.

�Where are you going?� he asked, sitting on a couch holding Vulpix. She paused.

�I think there is something up with Ash, and I have to find out what�s going on. It�s not like him to be this way,� Misty explained, hoping Brock wouldn�t disagree with her. She didn�t want to make a conflict out of this. She was truly worried about the younger boy, and wanted to find him before trouble did.

�It�s pretty late, Misty. Maybe I should come with you,� Brock offered.

�N-no� it�s alright, you should stay and look after Togepi and Pikachu,� said Misty, turning the doorknob. �I�ll be back soon. I won�t go far.�

�OK,� Brock replied as she walked out. He didn�t like the sound of this, but Misty had seemed determined. He�d suspected there was something going on between his companions, too early for them to admit it, but developed enough for them to feel it. Brock smiled a little. There would be bickering, but he thought they would make a nice couple. After all, if they can stand seeing each other at every waking moment now, there would be no big problems to conquer down the road. They knew practically everything there is to know about the other.

Of course, there was always the chance one of them could go off with a different person. But Brock highly doubted it.

~*~

Misty was thinking about Jessie. She was reliving all the times they had seen each other, fought each other, and in few cases, helped each other. Misty realized tears were forming in her eyes. She looked down and hastily wiped them away. Secretly, she made a vengeful wish that the killer would be found and locked away.

Hugging herself, Misty felt silly for not taking a jacket out here. The night was chill and she began to shiver. The darkness seemed to close in on her, and the shadows could be easily mistaken as anything the fearful imagination wanted.

A though seized her and rattled through her brain. The murderer still hadn�t been caught� and the forest was a great place to hide. How could she have overlooked that? Fear rising within, she stepped back and looked around. Everything suddenly seemed eerie and deceptive. No matter where she turned, she felt as if someone was going to seize her from behind.

�Is this how Jessie felt?� she thought miserably. Misty now wanted nothing more than to dash back to the hotel, but she also understood that Ash was in danger of meeting the killer, too. Slowly and haltingly, she wandered deeper into the forest.

The trees closed in and blocked out almost all of the light. Misty could barely see two feet in front of herself, and she was all the more terrified for it. Seriously contemplating going back to where Brock was, safe and sound, she almost didn�t notice the soft but defiantly human moan when she stepped on something soft and padded, certainly not a branch.

Someone was there next to her, and her heart leaped into her throat. Her vision grew momentarily sharper as panic raged within her, and she noticed a put out campfire a little to her right. A person had been living here temporarily, and there was no doubt in her terror filled mind as to who it was. The murderer. She was next.

The person murmured something inaudible and unzipped a sleeping bag. Misty wanted to run, everything in her told her to do so, but she was planted to the ground, breaths coming in quick gasps. She thought she heard a hand groping about, and then a loud click. The light of a flashlight shone in her eyes, and her hands flew up to her face as she cried desperately, �Don�t kill me!�

The flashlight dropped to the ground and lay there, making a circle of light illuminating dead leaves and sticks. Misty remained in her same feebly defensive position, expecting two hands to come and throttle her at any time. She let her arms down slowly when she heard what she thought was sobbing.

Although her good sense told her to run, something stopped her, and she listened until she was sure the person in the sleeping bag was shedding tears. �Um�� she faltered, feeling confused and not sure of what to say in a situation like this. Gathering whatever courage she now had left, Misty inched forward, balking several times, until she was near enough to grab the flashlight. Then she shined it down on the mysterious person, and nearly fell backwards when she realized his identity.

�James!� she cried for what had to have been the third time that day. How she kept running into him, she didn�t know, but she felt relieved knowing that he was here instead of some murderer. Somehow she honestly didn�t think he�d hurt her.

However, it didn�t even seem like he was paying attention to her as he cried into his pillow. A wave of compassion washed over her and she knelt down.

�I� if there�s anything I can do, or anything, I�� she attempted, not knowing how to make someone who just lost his best friend feel better. She felt embarrassed, but wanted to at least say something to him. It wouldn�t feel right if she had just walked away, leaving him in misery.

James�s sobs abruptly stopped, and he turned his head. Misty met his wet green gaze, and he pushed himself into a sitting position.

�I didn�t kill Jessie,� he said in a low tone.

�I never said you did,� responded Misty, wondering why he was talking this way. She knew he couldn�t have killed his partner because he was walking with her before they came to the scene, and the only time they had been apart before then was the short period in which she had walked away from him and had gotten lost. And she highly doubted anyone could kill Jessie in fifteen minutes.

�You told me not to kill you,� he said in the same monotonous voice. Misty had never heard James talk this way. He lacked every bit of the flair and melodrama she and the rest of her friends knew him for. Now he just seemed� empty.

�I thought you were the killer hiding out here,� she said. �I was just panicked, that�s all.�

He exhaled suddenly and drew in a shuddering breath. Misty could tell he was trying not to cry. A pity that she did not expect burst forth within her and she came closer. �You know,� she said, �you can cry if you want to.�

For a minute things were quiet and Misty wondered if James had heard her. Then he spoke. �M-Meowth s-said that he thought I did it,� he stuttered, and broke down once more.

�Meowth said that?� she breathed in amazement. He and James had always seemed to have a good relationship. Why would the cat suddenly turn on him like that?

�Yes,� whispered James. He looked up at her, not knowing why he was telling her this. But he was desperate for someone to talk to. Now that Jessie and Meowth were gone, he was alone, and all the emotions boiling inside of him were threatening to explode.

�But why?� she asked.

�I d-don�t know,� he said painfully. �He just came and asked me w- what happened, a-and then left for a while, and th-then came back and accused me of k-k-killing Jessie.� He seemed to lose the strength to sit up, and fell back down onto his tearstained pillow.

Misty looked down. �I know you didn�t do it.�

He didn�t meet her eyes. �I might as well have. It was entirely my fault.�

She swallowed hard and sat down carefully, trying to be close enough and yet far enough. �Why do you say that?�

James explained to her as he had explained to Meowth what seemed like forever ago. Of course, Misty didn�t understand Team Rocket�s relationships with each other as well as Meowth had, but she listened to his every word. She felt odd doing so, for Misty had never heard much more of his voice than the motto he would say and an occasional jeer or taunt not often directed at her. She was almost entranced by its smoothness, and soon she was blushing for making such a big deal of it and glad it was dark.

After he was finished, Misty tried her best to make him feel better about it, saying Meowth was just under stress and probably as strung out as he was, but taking it out in a different way. She continued by telling him that Jessie, wherever she was, knew that is wasn�t him and had forgiven him. Misty stressed mostly that it wasn�t his fault. Despite her efforts, this seemed to comfort James little. He looked exhausted and pale.

�I�m alone,� he mumbled more to himself than to her. Misty, not knowing exactly how to respond, reached out and awkwardly put her hand on his arm in a small gesture of comfort. James�s eyes slid shut, and for a while all was quiet save for his rhythmic breathing. Misty looked over his innocent, young face, thinking he was asleep. A few moments later, however, he said the words that shocked her most of all out of anything he had said through this entire ordeal.

�I want to quit Team Rocket.�

~*~

Brock looked at the clock and sighed. �Neither of them should be out this late,� he thought unhappily. He wondered if Misty had found Ash, and if so, what on Earth they were doing. He felt a little bitter that they two younger kids could find a love interest that was willing to reciprocate more easily than he could, but quickly pushed down such thoughts. He knew he was being hasty, but Ash and Misty admitting feelings to each other seemed inevitable. But hopefully it wouldn�t change their relationship as friends.

The clock struck a few times, and Brock realized it was past midnight. Glancing over at Togepi and Pikachu, he fleetingly hoped they would be alright if he left for a few minutes. But Pikachu was a responsible pokemon, and he didn�t think it would let the younger Togepi cause any trouble.

Getting up and heading for the door, Brock decided he was going to take a short walk in hopes of meeting Misty or Ash, or better yet, both, on their way back. If not, he could be content that he was getting out and breathing some fresh air. Wandering out into the hall and down into the lobby, the clerk gave him a sidelong look as Brock walked out of the hotel and into the cold night.

He turned left and walked along a path that was obviously meant for recreational means. It was dark now, but he had no doubt it was much more scenic in the daylight, with low, overhanging branches and a small stream running along beside it. Bushes grew on either side and low roots zigzagged in front of him. Brock absently wondered what kind of pokemon lived here, and if any pretty rangers worked here. Maybe he would be lucky enough to find one doing a midnight round. His pace quickened.

A moving shadow fell across the road and Brock stopped; on impulse his hand going up to his belt where he kept his pokeballs. Remembering he left them back in the hotel room, he tried to be as quiet as possible in order to see what it was.

But he wasn�t expecting for it to talk to him.

�Who is dat?� asked a voice which Brock recognized immediately.

�Meowth!� he said in a mixture of surprise and dislike. Then curiosity got a hold of him, and he asked, �What are you doing out here?�

�I dunno,� replied Meowth honestly.

Brock couldn�t say he believed the cat, but with the death of Jessie, he didn�t want to be too cold to Team Rocket. They may have been enemies, but Brock wasn�t about to cause them even more pain. He wasn�t that type of person.

�What do you mean you don�t know?� he replied instead.

�I mean I dunno!� said Meowth a little angrily. �I�ve nevah seen dis place before.�

�What about James?� inquired Brock. Somehow he didn�t think James would take Jessie�s death lightly.

Meowth�s face clouded over for a moment. �He�s pretty broken up about everyting,� he said softly, and then looked up suddenly. �But I don�t know why I�m tellin� you any of dis!� Turning, the cat began to walk off.

Brock sighed. �You don�t know where you are,� he pointed out. �I don�t think you�ll get very far.�

Meowth looked over his shoulder. �So what? I gotta find James.�

�How can you find someone if you don�t even know where you are yourself?�

The cat crossed its little arms indignantly, defiantly avoiding words. Brock considered him, and then said, �Why don�t you come back to the hotel room with me?� Instantly afterwards he felt strange, but the more he pictured Jessie, the more it seemed like the right thing to do. After all, while Team Rocket was recovering from such a terrible event, he doubted they would be very interested in stealing pokemon. It would just seem morbid.

Meowth eyed him suspiciously. Brock stood still, waiting for the cat to come to a decision. �I�ve got food,� he said. Meowth stepped forward.

Brock faced the other direction and began walking back. If Meowth followed would be up to the cat alone, he didn�t want to stick around all night waiting. Meowth sat on the ground for a moment; flicking his tail and watching Brock go, before getting up and trotting after him.

~*~

Ash hadn�t talked in a long time now, but Lucille couldn�t say that it bothered her, or that she particularly cared. It had taken her a while, but she had found her way without a body back to where she left Ash. He was in the same spot in the same position, mind left open and unbarred just as it had been when she departed. She slipped back into control and his brown eyes opened.

Hauling Ash to his feet, Lucille touched the bump that was forming on his head. �Not mine,� she said happily, and looked up at the sky.

�It�s been so long since I�ve seen the stars.� She should have felt cold, but she was enjoying the night air on her skin. It had been what seemed like eons since she had felt anything.

Her excitement subsided and she grew bored. �Ash,� she though. �Are you ignoring me?� She smiled as she waited for his reply.

<Leave me alone.>

�Don�t be so mean,� she pouted mentally. �I just wanted to talk to you. Is that so wrong?�

<No,> Ash said with a slight edge to his voice that had never been apparent in the past. <But using me to kill Jessie is pretty wrong.>

�Come now, dearest!� she said out loud. �The fun is just beginning!� She hummed as she walked away from the forest and into the night. Ash�s body hadn�t gone far when a tiny egg shaped pokemon rolled into the path.

�Togeprrrri!� it trilled, and Lucille stepped back.

�What the-?!� she said, scratching her head under the red and white league cap. �I�ve never seen one of those before��

<Togepi�> Ash murmured. <Don�t touch Togepi!>

�What�s a Togepi?!� she replied, frustrated. Leaning down, her gloved hands picked it up and scrutinized it. �What does it do?�

Ash didn�t have time to answer before Pikachu stepped into sight. The rodent was ecstatic to find its trainer, and dashed towards Ash. Lucille awkwardly caught it and was hold both the yellow mouse and Togepi.

�How did you two get out here?� she asked.

<Don�t do anything to Pikachu, please!> pleaded Ash.

�I�m not,� she said, smiling and patting the unsuspecting Pikachu. �I just think it�s so cute!� After Lucille put it down, it turned back to her.

�Chaa�� it said, and began walking down the sidewalk. Lucille realized it wanted her to follow, and in no time they were standing in front of a hotel. She trailed it up the stairs and stood in front of the door, ignoring Ash�s voice telling her to stay away from his friends.

Slowly and excitedly, she turned the doorknob. It was open. She wandered right in, hands on hips, surveying the place. Someone came to greet her.

�Ash! Misty was worried about you. She left to look for you� I was out for a while, I guess I didn�t know the window was open� Pikachu and Togepi are��

�Pika!� the mouse said.

<Brock� no� please, get away from here�>

�Er� I found them, Brock,� said Lucille, hoping this person was the Brock Ash was taking about. He must have been, for he sighed and looked relieved.

�That�s good. Misty would have killed me if I had lost Togepi.�

Both stood in silence for a while, Lucille not knowing what to say. She didn�t know who Misty was except for a couple of brief glances. Did Ash like her or hate her? Brock shifted a little, and then said, �Well, I�m going to go to bed. Are you staying up, Ash?�

�Yes.�

�By the way, Meowth�s here. He�s asleep in my room�� Brock faltered, hoping Ash wouldn�t have too extreme of a reaction.

�The one that talks?!� Lucille shrieked, and Brock looked confused.

�Yes� you know, Meowth��

�Oh,� Lucille said, embarrassed. She didn�t want anyone to be suspicious of her, but things were beginning to look like she was running into problems in that category. She debated leaving or staying. �Did it say anything about me?� she asked, and Brock looked ever more puzzled. She realized she was making a mistake, and waved him off. �Never mind. Go to bed.�

She hoped Ash was usually this way, but the way Brock regarded her told her otherwise. Lucille knew she had to leave. She felt like a fool for even coming. After one last glance, Brock wordlessly left the room and she rose, straightening her vest and t-shirt underneath, all the while wishing she had a new wardrobe. Pikachu stared at her curiously as she threw open the door and dashed away, hoping fervently that Borck wouldn�t reemerge from his room until late in the morning.

~*~

to be continued