Pookamon

Enter the Cavalry (James and Brooke)

"I awoke the sleeping Beauty with a kiss," Brooke stated to her friend.

"Eevee," the Eevee shrugged. "Ee vee vee."

James stared at them, his head was filled with shadows and darkness but he was aware of something. "I’m not dead," he whispered.

Brooke pondered this statement for a while, then picked up his hand, squeezed it, and he, relishing the fact that he was still alive, squeezed back, tightly.

"Usually dead do not get up to much," Brooke said with a smile. The Eevee jumped on his chest, causing him to wince in agony. Brooke quickly scooped her up. "You not hurt Mr James-man," she said.

James winced and smiled. "Somebody did," he whispered, "and he’s after you, Brooke."

"Why would anyone be after me? I just want to dance and play and sing and things. Why would some nasty-bad-person want to hurt me?"

"Eevee?"

"Dark man, not human, beast, golden halo, burning twilight eyes," James whispered. "He came to me, asked me where you were, threatened me and I had to tell him, then he tried to kill me anyway."

"That not good," Brooke said. "Perhaps you should have shown him the rainbow."

"I would have liked to," James replied, remembering how he had found Brooke, bleeding to death and she had said she was chasing the rainbow. Now he had almost caught it. But what had brought him back? Surely not the kiss. The girl’s mannerisms were cute but she seemed lacking of sense and was also a Pookamon, not his type at all. Perhaps it was something else… although at present, he was somewhat distracted by the fact that Brooke was not wearing anything. He gulped and answered her. "I ran," he added ruefully, "and kind of tumbled. That’s all I remember."

Brooke walked around the bed, almost skipping. "But you’re all right now?" She said, almost as a question. "And the sun will wash away the rain."

"Ee vee vee?"

Brooke scowled at her Eevee. "I came to help you I did, with nothing but Buttons and Cassandra to help me!" She beamed at him. And then there was a lengthy pause. "Cassandra! Where’s Cassandra?"

"Ee vee vee?"

"Who’s Cassandra?" James asked thoroughly confused.

But Brooke was too puzzled to answer. "You stay right there," she said, patting James on the knee and ran out the door, Buttons on her tail.

James rolled his eyes and sighed. His entire body ached, he’d cracked his ribs and broken his arm (when he tried to catch himself), but otherwise was not too badly off, all things considered.

He leaned back and stared at the ceiling, white and sterile, and reflected. How had Brooke known to come back? She should have been at Sereniti by now. Why had her touch brought him back from that dark place? Why had he gone to that dark place?

And why was Team Rocket sending an assassin after her?

*

"Have you seen my friend?" Brooke asked the lady at the desk. She had obviously forgotten the earlier encounter. "She’s about this tall, and you know, covered in plates. Or perhaps she's this tall," she held her hand up a lot higher, "I can’t quite remember, but she’s certainly some sort of height between here and here."

The receptionist scowled at her. "How did vermin like you get in here?" She growled, "and why hasn’t security thrown you out? And why aren’t you wearing any clothes? Security!"

"Never mind," Brooke replied, "I’m sure I can find my own way out." She scooped up Buttons and skipped out the door. Now, where would one take a Sandshrew? Or a girl? Brooke wasn’t made for this thinking business. Maybe she could find a charm that would do it.