jessica (Patreon)

Warning: The following story does contain angst and a major character death. Reader Discretion is advised.

This was supposed to be a normal day for Jessie of Team Rocket. Work with James and Meowth on their latest plan to capture Pikachu, possibly fail, get sent flying, land and then repeat. But as she and her archnemesis fled the woods that was supposed to be the sight of their battle, that was the last thing on their minds right now.

“Shit.” Jessie muttered as Ash tripped, landing face first in the rocks. Not quite able to catch him in time, she cursed herself for not being there to catch him. That was the least she could do here. Not wallow about in her own grief. The camp couldn’t be that much farther. There, they could get changed and do something to get that strange woman off their tails. If they even could do just that. “Twe- Ash, are you going to be alright?”

Ash let out a sigh. Everything felt so blurry at the moment. Was this the result of that strange woman? Possible. Right now, he needed to follow along. Jessie was bound to have some plan… right?

“I guess?” he answered, trying his hardest to sound considerate here. Easier said than done when you’re running for your life and hoping that the person who is pursuing you here hasn't decided to follow right behind for one reason or another. “Are we heading to your camp?”

Jessie nodded, trying to remember what exactly she had on hand. There was bound to be some hair dye, wigs and a spare set of clothes. Whether or not any of that stuff would actually fit Ash, remained to be seen. If nothing else, she could patch up his wounds and send him back… somewhere. But where could the trainer even go? That woman was bound to find him if she didn’t do something drastic.

“Yes. Then we’ll head to a base. There, we can have someone look over your injuries.” Jessie whispered as she reached out to Ash’s hand. Feeling him grab hold, her camp came into view. While technically belonging to James and Meowth as well, that didn’t matter right now. They had both given their lives to ensure that she and the twerp could get away. A tent had been set up, two backpacks right beside it.

“Okay…” Ash answered as he followed behind Jessie. Taking a seat by the bags, Ash watched his companion dig into one of the backpacks. While he couldn't make out what exactly was grabbed, the trainer had a feeling he wouldn't need to wait long to find out.

"Before I do anything, I want you to know that I'm going to try and do up your hair like a girl. That means doing a dye job, brushing and maybe a touch of hairspray. Is that okay with you?" Jessie answered and got a nod from her subject.

Bringing the brush up to Ash’s hair, Jessie got to work. Without anything in the way of hair care products, the trainer’s hair was quite dry. If she were his mother, she would have Ash at least make an effort to use something for his hair.

"What am I even thinking?" Jessie thought as she pulled the brush through Ash’s hair. What the hell did she know about being a mother? Her own had disappeared before she had gotten a chance to really grasp her parenting style. At the same time, sending Ash back to whatever woman he considered his 'mother' would likely result in her being killed. Then there was the matter of that pesky rodent. Somehow sneaking away before the action got in full swing, did he somehow know something that they didn’t? Possible, but it didn’t make sense. There had to be something she was missing here. Whatever the case, she took a moment to finish up the brushing. Looking over her handiwork, then came the critical part - actually dying Ash’s hair. A far cry from when she dyed her own hair, it was honestly kind of soothing. Not that Ash could say the same in the slightest.

“Okay. Hold still.” Jessie cooed and took a step back. Digging into the bag once more, out came a smaller version of her uniform. While sometimes referred to as a junior uniform, those people were just jealous. Especially with those stupid black uniforms. Setting the uniform down for now, she pulled out some scrunchies and a hand mirror. Taking a moment to check if Ash’s hair was dry (it was), Jessie got to work tying it into two short twintails. While it would’ve been better to do this before Ash got into the attire, it didn’t matter here. “There we go. Do you want to see how your hair looks first or do you want to get changed?”

Ash stared down at the ground.

“Get changed.” Ash answered, Jessie handing the uniform over. Turning around, she did her best to not look. Easier said than done, but the ‘mother’ liked to think that she did a pretty good job on that front. “I’m ready, mom.”

Turning back around, Jessie gasped. Before her stood a redheaded girl. Dressed in a Team Rocket uniform similar to hers, she would likely look cuter in a set of heeled boots. But those could come some other day.

“You look so pretty, tw- dear.” Jessie answered, trying to push back the emotions welling up within. Handing the mirror over, her thoughts turned to a possible name. Jamie? No. Too close to James. How about… Jessica? Yeah. That would work perfectly. “How does Jessica sound to you?”

‘Jessica’ looked away. While ‘she’ would’ve preferred to be called Ash, that was not an option here. ‘She’ was just going to have to go with it for the foreseeable future. Not helping matters was ‘her’ blurry vision.

“That works for me.” Jessica answered and reached out to Jessie’s hand. Missing a couple times, her hand eventually met that of her mother’s. Taking the time to clean up camp and to leave no trace behind, the last thing they needed was that woman from finding them.

.

Sitting in the waiting room of the Team Rocket base, Jessie felt on edge. Normally, she, James and Meowth would just pick themselves up after one of their failed attempts. But this felt different to her. Jessica had no doubt taken serious damage to her eyesight. What if the doctors here weren’t able to do anything for her? Jessica would likely need glasses. Team Rocket was not the kind of place who would have the nicest of glasses. No, she would likely get a pair that kids would make fun of her for.

“Miss James, the doctor is ready to talk to you.” a voice called out and Jessie got up from her chair. Letting out a sigh, she took a moment to compose herself. There was little use in arguing with the doctors. No, the grunt would just accept whatever she was told here.

Heading to the door, Jessie was faced with a woman in a labcoat. Decorated with the customary red ‘R’, she had chosen to compliment it with a plain black top and matching tube skirt.

“Okay.” Jessie answered and the doctor made her way down the hall. Much like everything in the base proper, the walls and floor had been done up in reinforced concrete. Electronic lights had been installed for the sake of safety and to provide the various faculty members an easy way to get around. Thankfully, they didn't need to go far.

“Your daughter's right in here.” the nurse explained and Jessie pulled the door open. Inside, Jessica was waiting with the doctor. A pair of big black glasses sat over the junior grunt’s eyes, while a set of breast pads sat in her lap.

“Oh. Hi mom.” Jessica announced and shifted her gaze to Jessie. Pulling a seat over, Jessie’s gaze fell upon the breasts pads.

“You don’t need to go that far.” Jessie whispered, only to be met with a head shake from Jessica. Was this the result of the incident at Celadon City? Perhaps. But at the same time, there was likely some level of the junior grunt that wanted to be a girl. Now faced with an unbelievable situation, she had made her choice.

“This is what I want. I don’t want to alarm you, mom.” Jessica whispered and Jessie shook her head. What followed was an attempt at slipping the pads under Jessica’s shirt. While the results left a touch to be desired, that didn’t matter right now.

“Miss Jessie, I assume that you’re aware that your son wishes to transition into being your daughter. Correct?” the doctor explained and Jessie’s gaze swiveled over to them. Dressed much the same as the nurse, they seemed kind enough. In a supportive kind of way. If one could even exist in a place like this.

“Correct.” Jessie answered, hands falling into her lap. Eyes still focused ahead, so many different questions bounced across her mind.

.

Jessie looked the documents over one more time. While she was grateful to have a roof under her head and a cover story, that didn’t stop her from looking over her shoulder in fear that ‘woman’ might show up and finish the job. There was no information to be found in Team Rocket’s databases. At least, beyond killing James and two of the twerps. What were their names? Right. Brock and Misty. For as often as she had referred to them as ‘twerps’ these were both renowned battlers, gym leaders of their respective towns. With Kanto’s strict refusal to open up its border and in turn bring with it trade, it fell to them to ensure that things were going smoothly. Yes, Cerulean had the Waterflower sisters and Pewter had… Flint (the useless fuck), but that didn’t change the fact that this was technically her fault this mess was started in the first place. If she hadn’t gotten the stupid id-

Shaking her head, Jessie let out a deep breath. There was no use in dwelling on the past. She and her daughter would just need to continue forward and hope for the best.

“Are you ready to go, Jessica?” Jessie called out and poked her head out over the counter. There, Jessica was proudly wearing a pokemon tech uniform with her glasses. For some reason, they had sent over the uniform with a pair of heeled loafers. By no means the ideal footwear for someone on their first day of school, Jessica had taken the time to practice. While rough, she was getting the hang of it. Even if there had been a couple near misses with the floor. As for her hair, that had been done up in its usual short twintail style. Dyed red to keep up with appearances, Jessie had a sneaking suspicion that it wouldn’t be that much longer before Jessica could stop dying her hair and they could begin experimenting with makeup and other mother-daughter activities. Not that Jessie could think of any at the moment.

“Yeah, mom.” Jessica answered, her tone trying its hardest to match that of her mother’s. Much like her ability to walk in heels, that too was a work in progress. But considering that she was doing a mix of vocal training and hormones, that could be looked past at the moment. Especially in the face of other pressing matters when it came to school.

“If you need me, just call. Okay?” Jessie answered as they exited the home. Outside, the streets leading to Pokemon Tech were generally bare. While a touch early, they had documents that needed to be delivered to finish registering Jessica. When she was a kid, they didn't need half of this stuff. Considering the state of the world, that was probably for the best.

“I will.” Jessica answered as the school came into view. Reaching out to her mother’s hand, Jessie grabbed hold. Giving a squeeze, she got a smile as well. So pretty with the minimal makeup on her face. Pulling her gaze away, it was over to the front of Pokemon Tech. Relatively unassuming as buildings went, that lent to its charm. A set of steps led into the entrance, while an appropriate wheelchair accessible ramp was ready for use by students with disabilities. Not that Jessie and Jessica were planning to use it. Taking the stairs, the pair made their entrance.

Inside, the interior of Pokemon Tech was pretty plain. Tan walls with wooden beams served to hold down the tile floor. All while lockers served to hold students' belongings. Pulling their gaze away from that, it’s over to the nearby office. Or at least, the door leading into the room. Jessie let out a sigh, taking a moment to compose herself. Hopefully the person on the other side of the door wouldn’t bring up the fact that she had flunk right out of this place. Thankfully, Team Rocket didn’t care about grades or the like. For the better, of course.

“Oh! Hello, Ms James!” a voice announced as the pair entered the office. Quite a quaint room, between the blue carpet and wood paneling, there was almost something homely about this place. A far cry from the sterile environment that Jessie so readily remembered. Yet, something about this room still brought forth those feelings.Try as Jessie to place what it was that brought it forth, she couldn’t place it. Even as the source of the voice came into view. An older woman, the sound of her oxford heels echoed across the carpet. Matched up with a dark blue skirt suit, locks of black hair had been tied up in a bun. Sparkling green eyes stare out, matched only by the light makeup on her face. Sitting in front of the counter, an aura of intimidation hung in the air. “I trust that you’ve brought the last of Jessica’s paperwork?”

Jessie nodded, taking a moment to grab a chair. Jessica did the same, doing her best to split focus between her mother and the woman who was likely the principal of Pokemon Tech. Wouldn't want to make a bad impression on her of all people.

“Correct.” Jessie answered and set the paperwork down on the counter. Letting herself relax for just a moment, she took on a serious expression. Now of all times it would be bad to fold and give away too much. “Is there anything else I need to fill out for my daughter so my daughter may attend your school?”

The principal shook her head.

“Everything’s here.” she announced, setting three pokeballs down on the table. Focusing on Jessica, that was the junior grunt’s cue to scoot forward. While Jessica had to leave behind her original pokemon when that weird woman attacked, could she really take care of another pokemon? Pikachu was still missing after all. Wouldn’t it be better to wait for him to show up? No. That was a fool’s errand. One that could only end with things being worse than they already were.  “Jessica, one of these three pokemon will help with your time at the acade-.”

Jessica nodded, gingerly reaching out for the middle pokeball. She couldn’t say with certainty why she chose that ball over the others. Perhaps it was destiny, fate even. Giving the white sphere a tap, the ball opened up. A lavender colored nidoran appeared in her lap.”

“Nido.” she announced, taking care to not prick Jessica here. Afterwards, the pair’s attention shifted back to the principal.

"I'll take her." Jessica announced, just catching a smile from her mother. o Not paying it any mind, she watched the principal scoop up the other pokeballs. Setting them under the desk, the principal took the time to set down Jessica’s schedule. Picking it up, she took a moment to look it over. “Am I free to go?”

The principal nodded, her gaze turning to Jessie. Hands resting on the desk, the grunt had a pretty good idea of where this conversation was about to go.

“I trust that you had initially flunked out of our courses. While we aren’t allowed to accept you once more, we can provide virtual classes so that you can get your diploma, free of charge. How does that sound to you?” the principal explained and Jessie raised an eyebrow. There was no way that the principal was being serious here. This was clearly a trap. There was no way that such an opportunity was being given to her.

“I would like that. When does it start?” Jessie inquired and was met with a new piece of paper. Looking it over, this all seemed simple enough. Whether or not she would actually be able to complete this, remained to be seen. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. “Thank you for that.”

The principal nodded, Jessie taking the time to get up from her chair. Pushing it and the one Jessica used back, she took the time to wave.

.

With Jessica getting admitted and Jessie getting to her own kind of learning, it seemed like things were starting to get normal. Yet, that was not a reason to get complacent. If anything, that was all the more reason to be cautious here. That woman could still show up and throw everything out of whack.

“Look, mom!” Jessica announced and Jessie craned her neck to see what was going on. In this case, a nidorina was playing what appears to be a bellsprout. Likely cultivated from Celadon or Fuchsia, they both looked to be playing happily. Jessica sat in front of them. Taking a moment to wave, she got a smile from her mother.

“That’s nice, honey.” Jessie answered, fingers dancing across her keyboard. Coming to a stop, she looked over what she had just written. Satisfied with the results, she got up from her chair. Taking a seat opposite of her daughter, she gingerly reached out to Bellsprout’s leaf. Bellsprout accepted the gesture, shaking Jessie’s hand to the best of their abilities.

“Do either of them have names?” Jessie inquired and Jessica shook her head. Nicknames weren’t really a thing that came to the junior grunt. At least, not without them being forced upon her for one reason or another.

“Not really. Do you want to nickname them?” Jessica inquired and Jessie stared down at the pair of pokemon. Taking a moment to think her daughter’s question over, a head shake followed. The gesture was nice, but wasn’t necessary. Instead, she reached behind herself. While keeping her own pokeballs in a special compartment in the back was not the greatest idea, it worked. Setting them on the floor, her gaze turned back to Jessica.

“You know, I don’t think that I ever showed you all the pokemon I had. Here goes.” Jessie announced as she took the time to tap each ball. Opening up, a Koffing, Ekans and Lickitung appeared. Looking around their new surroundings, an attempt at ‘hugging’ followed. In Lickitung’s case, a licking. A feat they promptly regretted, poison bubbles exiting their mouth right after. “Jessica, do we have any spare antidotes?”

Jessica brought a finger on her chin. They should. Getting up from the floor, she headed over to a cabinet. Opening it up, out came an antidote. Throwing it over to her mother, Jessie made quick work of Lickitung’s poisoning.

“I get that you’re happy to be with other pokemon, but these all have a tendency to poison you. You need to be more careful.” Jessie lectured, freezing upon saying it. Memories of that day came flooding back in. Holding back the tears, Jessica approached.

“Mom?” she called out and pulled Jessie in for an embrace. While it helped, it did little to soothe the feelings that were held within.

“I just remembered that day. That's all." Jessie answered and embraced her daughter. Keeping the tears in, the memories of that day stopping for now. Letting go of Jessica, she looked over to the crowd of pokemon around them. Resisting the urge to pet them, their attention shifted to the kitchen. It was just about dinner time, after all.

.

Jessie bit her tongue here. This was an important part of her daughter's transition. Yet, she felt like a shitty mother here.

"Jessica dear, I get that we're both a bit clueless when it comes to bra shopping. But we do need to get you a couple. Okay?" Jessie explained and watched the door open up. There Jessica stood, topless. 'Girls' on full display, she had very much blossomed.

"Can I borrow a bra from you for now?" Jessica whimpered and watched her mother reach behind her. Out came a plain red bra. Nothing fancy, but more than enough to protect her modesty.

"Do you need some help putting it on?" Jessie inquired and Jessica’s face went red. Attempting to shake her head, the result gave it away. Jessie stepped inside. Closing the door behind her, she got to work helping her daughter get her first bra on. Once she had, then came the matter of getting her school uniform back on. If they were going undergarment shopping, they could go clothes shopping as well. Having some casual attire would go a long way to at least pretending to be normal.

“Uh… thanks mom.” Jessica answered as she reached out to her mother’s hand. Squeezing it tight, her gaze met Jessie’s. As much as the junior grunt wanted this to be over, it very likely wasn’t. No, her mother had something else in mind.

“Jessica, would you be up for going shopping for bras and maybe some casual clothes?” Jessie inquired and Jessica stared down at the floor. For some reason, she had slipped on her heeled loafers with the rest of her clothes. Perhaps some part of her had a sneaking suspicion on where things were going here. Pulling her gaze up, Jessica reluctantly nodded. There was little use in denying her mother’s request. No, this was part of her transition.

"I would be fine with that." Jessica answered, squeezing Jessie’s hand one more time for good measure. Once she had, the mother-daughter duo headed down the hall. Taking the time to grab their pokeballs, their attention shifted to the front door. Even if that did show up, they were prepared to fight. But only as a last resort. If they could stop their nemesis from hurting anyone else, then everyone would win.

Shoving that thought away, the duo exited their home. Outside, Fuchsia City looked relatively the same as it always did. Quaint buildings from when the region was in the middle of the day of samurai met technological marvels of glass and steel. In Jessie and Jessica’s case, they were going to a building that was neither. No, it was a small shop that sold clothes and undergarments. Nothing in the way of the selection one can get from Celadon, but that could be looked past in regards to traveling and other factors.

“Do you see her?” Jessica whispered and Jessie looked around. Obvious as it would be, that didn’t change the fact that they needed to be on their guard all the same. It was not a question of if, but rather when it would happen. Today was not that day.

“No, thankfully.” Jessie answered and looked at Jessica. Getting a nod, she took the first step away from the home. Turning her attention in the direction of their destination, the walk that follows is relatively peaceful. Taking care to follow the rules when it came to the roads and sidewalks, the pair passed by a variety of people. Some with pokemon, some on their lonesome. What they all had in common was the fact that they were all trying to get somewhere. Whether that was Pokemon Tech, the gym or all manners of other places. Where exactly didn’t matter to Jessie and Jessica here. No, their attention was on getting to the clothing store, Jessica trying on some clothes and then heading back home. All without issue. Or a minor issue, at least.

“Anything in particular that you want me to look for?” Jessica inquired as their destination came into view. Slowing their pace ever so slightly, Jessie let out a chuckle.

“Beyond bras? A couple sets of clothing that you’re willing to wear on the weekdays. I get that you’re fine with wearing your school uniform regardless of the circumstance, but I think it would help if you had some regular clothes as well.” Jessie explained as they stopped at the door. Pulling it open, the duo stepped through.

Inside, the interior looked how you expected a clothing store to be. Racks of clothes were in the center, undergarments off to the right side, with the changing rooms set against the northern walls. As for the surfaces holding this place in, the owners had decided on burgundy walls with a plain white tile floor. A counter manned by a singular clerk awaited use by customers, the glass front showing off jewelry of all kinds. That could come once they had grabbed a couple bras and some casual clothes for Jessica. Yeah.

Heading to the right side of the store, Jessie felt Jessica squeeze her hand. Squeezing her hand back, the mother met her daughter’s gaze.

"I know that this probably feels scary, but I promise that it won't be." Jessie cooed and Jessica nodded. Gaze reluctantly finding its way over to the bras. All on clothing racks, attached to hangers, it still felt overwhelming. But, she had to take her mother’s advice in stride. Scanning her options a couple times, Jessica pulled a couple bras off the rack. Holding them up for her mother to see, Jessica got a thumbs-up from her mother. Nodding back, she headed for the changing rooms. Not even looking to see if Jessie was following behind, it was full speed ahead for the junior grunt.

Once inside, Jessica wasted little time in getting her school uniform top off. Staring down at her assets, off came the bra her mother provided as well. In its place was a plain white bra.. Relatively covering, it was a decent start. It did feel like it was lacking something. Not that Jessica could put her finger on what that was.

Pulling that bra off, she grabbed the next one. The cups had been decorated with red lace, almost as if to mimic that of a rose design. Not that it even came close to their inspiration in the slightest. Instead, it looked more like a mishmash of shapes. Even if it somehow wasn’t, something about the material felt itchy against Jessica’s skin. Pulling it off, she moved onto the next bra.

What followed was the junior grunt trying on about a dozen more bras. While most of them worked, a couple very much didn’t. Separating out the pile and getting them back on their respective hangers, she got her school uniform back on. While it would likely not stay on for that much longer, that didn’t matter to Jessica as she exited the changing room. Handing off the bras that had worked, she made quick time in putting away the bras that didn’t. Once she had, the junior grunt headed for the center. Grabbing clothes that she thought would work, her mother could only watch on. Cracking a smile, it took everything in her power to not chuckle. Even if she did, Jessica was likely to not hear it. Which was all the more reason to just watch patiently.

“She really is my daughter.” Jessie thought, just catching a glimpse of Jessica slipping back into the changing room. A couple seconds later, she came out with the first of many outfits. While ankle-length sundresses were not normally a thing that Jessie ever thought she would see her daughter in, but that beautiful red frock really showed off her rapidly developing curves and bust.

Next was some jeans and a top with puff sleeves. It reminded Jessie of her Jessica’s school uniform. Just lacking in the way of a skirt.

The next couple outfits were just a repeat of the first two in different colors and patterns. While all nice, it didn't really scream 'Jessica' in the slightest. There had to be something he-

"Mom, what do you think?"

Jessie did a double take. Going with a red blouse with white lace buttons and matching skirt, Jessie’s heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t even seen that garment on the rack, yet she highly doubted it was stolen.

“I like it. Are there any other outfits that you want to try on or are you ready to look at jewelry?” Jessie inquired and Jessica pointed to the counter. That was all Jessie needed to see here. Waiting a moment for her daughter to pick up the clothes, she headed over to the counter. Perhaps they would have earrings just like hers.

“Anything in particular that you’re looking for, ma’am?” the clerk inquired, Jessie taking the time to point up at her own earrings. Getting a nod from the clerk, she pulled out a box. A variety of orb earrings in a variety of colors and shades stared back. Jessie stared over all of them, taking the time to look over all of them in the hopes of finding a set that looked just like hers.

“How about… this one?” Jessica announced, picking out a pair with a slightly darker shade of green. Holding them up for her mother to see, she had taken the time to set the clothes they wished to buy for her.

“Those would look perfect on you, dear.” Jessie answered, taking care to get the bras all up in such a way that they could be scanned. Once she had, out came her card. Watching the clerk scan everything they had picked out for Jessica, a part of her thought she may have overdone it. This was at least a week worth of clothes and then some. As long as her daughter wore most of them, that was all that mattered.

.

Jessica took a moment to compose herself. This was a big moment. She was actually at the Pokemon League. The next match would be the one that would decide whether or not she would take on the elite four. She should be excited. And yet, that woman was no doubt here. Knowing her luck, she would serve as the wall that needed to be crossed over or perhaps, die trying. The latter was far more likely than the former.

“I can do this.” Jessica thought and stepped out into the stadium proper. Coming to a stop, there the woman stood. Doll-like proportions on full display, she seemed intent to stare into Jessica’s soul. An orange dress on the verge of being a minidress was paired with red heeled slip-on shoes. Expertly styled locks of dandelion blonde hair hang down to the stadium floor, making her brown eyes and plasticky pink lips all the odder. Of course, that was nothing on the massive bell masquerading as a pokemon.

“IT’S YOU. LET ME CUT TO THE CHASE.” the woman announced, Jessica reaching out to her first pokeball. “COME OVER HERE AND LET ME END YOU. I’LL MAKE IT QUICK AND PAINLESS. UNLIKE YOUR FRIEND. HE MADE FOR A WONDERFUL MEAL. A SHAME THAT THIS IS THE END FOR YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE.”

Jessica let out a sigh. Looking over to her mother, she got a thumbs-up. Turning back to the woman, it took everything in her power to not break down and charge the woman down. No, she would stand her ground.

“Go! Nidoqueen!” Jessica announced and threw the ball. Watching her prized companion appear, that brought with it laughter from the woman.

“YOU REALLY THINK THAT YOUR TOXINS WILL BE ENOUGH TO BEAT ME?” the woman announced and Jessica raised an eyebrow.

“Who says I was going to try to poison your strange pokemon?” Jessica countered as she made a hand signal to Nidoqueen. Charging for the strange pokemon, their horn glowed for just a moment. All that was needed to knock their opponent out.

“YOU DUMB BITCH! DO YOU KNOW HOW FUCKING HARD IT IS TO JUST GET A POKEMON THROUGH WITHOUT THEM BITCHING UP MY ASS. NO MORE MS NICE IT!” the woman screeched, charging for Jessica. Running right past Nidoqueen, Jessica didn’t have any time to react as what would likely be the end of her. Muttering a silent word, she prepared for the end.

Opening her eyes up a second later, Jessica found herself still very much alive. Looking down, she found her mother slumped down. Looking over at IT, a hole had formed in her dress. Right near the heart, it wasn’t enough. It was never enough. That thing was human once, but was now something that it very much wasn’t.

“Mom?” Jessica muttered and watched Jessie look up. Blood had begun pouring out from her chest, bringing with it a strange black object she didn’t recognize.

“Jessica… forgive me. I’ve been kind of a garbage mother to you here. I do hope you can forgive me.” Jessie muttered, the light fading from her eyes. Falling to the ground, IT’s gaze shifted back to Jessica.

“DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE BELIEVE THAT YOU’VE WON! I WILL HAVE MY POUND OF MY FLESH!” IT screeched, flipping the bird for good measure as she teleported away.

“You were a good mother.” Jessica whispered, waiting just a moment for the referee to disqualify her here.

.

Jessie opened her eyes.

Gone was the Indigo Plateau’s stadium, having been replaced with a boat of all things. An older woman with blonde hair looked to be using a long stick to move said boat about. Dressed in a crimson kimono, green and white fringe hanging around the edge of the bloused sleeves. Yellow geta hung to her feet, while fancy ornaments hung in her hair.

Dipping her stick into a sea of fabric of all materials, Jessie could only wonder where she was being taken. If that was the intention of the boat ride to begin with.

“Before you asked. Yes. You very much died.” the woman explained, her body looking… flat. Resisting the urge to give her a push, Jessie focused on the woman. “But Ho-Oh sees value in you. Value he/she/they don’t wish to let such value go to waste.”

Raising an eyebrow, Jessie tried to process what was just said. Her ears had to be playing some kind of trick on her. While the name Ho-Oh sounded familiar, she couldn’t put her finger on what it was that did it to her. Better yet, what did this woman mean by ‘value’? She was a (reformed) criminal, but there had to be better people that were of higher value.

“Uh… how so?” Jessie answered, only for the boat to stop. Watching the woman pull the stick in, she headed over to the grunt.

“You will serve as a pillar for future generations to nurture and support.” the woman answered, now behind Jessie. Giving her a little push, that was all it took to send her into the sea. What remained of the grunt turned into fibers, swirled about by the waves of reality. A patch of fabric formed on the surface of the water, taking root underneath. "Lord Ho-Oh, it is done."

Waiting a moment for the fibers to settle, the woman watched new patches form around the new addition. Reaching out with her stick, she pulls ever carefully to get a glimpse of the events unfolding in this particular universe.

.

Some time in the future; A familiar universe

“Are you certain that he’s our only option?” a woman announced, pacing back and forth in the main space of their hotel room. Magenta hair bouncing about with each step, her companions pay it no mind.

“Pretty much. We were told explicitly that we aren’t allowed to pass off pokemon as children.” her partner, a man with lavender hair answered. Hands falling to his side, his gaze shifted to the door.

“Okay. If you’re fine with it, I’m fine with it. How about you, Meowth?” the woman announced, looking over to their companion. Waving a claw about, that was all they needed to see. Not that this fact stopped the woman from looking over to her companion.

“Let me go get him then.” the man answered and headed for the door. Taking a moment to compose himself for the short walk to his destination, he and his companions were blissfully unaware of the chain of events that were about to be set in motion…