Beta Read by: SinikkavonWolperting, istorleyourcheesecake and DragonRiderSayomi

So, as always, I'm late to the pokemon fandom. xD But, I've always watched the show when I was younger, and I've been rewatching it as an adult. And, of course, I have fallen into nostalgia and was reminded why James was my favorite character growing up. Anyway, here it is, a James fic that was long overdue.

Let me know what you think. :D I do have more ideas for future stories should this go well. lol

James glanced the building up and down, pausing momentarily as the trio drew closer. His teeth dug into his bottom lip as his nerves began to get the better of him. Before taking another step, he looked over to Jessie, as if silently asking her if it was really necessary for them to be here.

"Stop standing there and let's go," she sighed at that look. "You know as well as I do, The Boss doesn't like waiting."

The man took another deep breath and steeled himself. "Yeah, you're probably right," he half whined. She usually was. Still, it wouldn't have hurt to have a bit of hope left. With his partner's back now to him, he heavily exhaled and straightened himself up, putting forth as much confidence as he could muster. With each step, he could feel his heart rate increase. Could feel it throbbing against his ribs until he was sure he could hear it pounding in his head. He always hated coming here, despised it.

His lip now stung as a slight taste of copper coated his tongue. However, the pain didn't register. James was too busy mentally preparing himself as they finally passed over the threshold of the front entrance. His legs resisted against his mind's demands to continue forth. But, every fiber of him wanted to fight this meeting. To be honest...if it weren't for the fact that Jessie and Meowth were there, he'd likely have just turned around and left, never to return.

With a sharp intake, he jogged on, momentarily losing himself in thought long enough for the others to gain some distance on him. "Hey, wait for me!" he called after them, nearly stumbling over his own feet.

"If ya'd stop daydreamin', then ya wouldn't get left behind," his feline companion replied with a slight smirk. His paws were folded behind his head as he strolled, but even from the back it was easy to tell this demeanor was nothing more than a facade.

Even Jessie had a noticeably different air about her, though she did a fair better job at hiding it when compared to the others. Something that most would have been unaware to. She was clearly on edge, which was understandable. By now, James was right next to her, staying somewhat close and not allowing her to get more than a foot away from him. To his dismay, they were nearing the end of the hall. Not much farther to go, and within a few seconds, they would all be faced with the one man that was able to make their blood run cold.

And ice, it turned, as they faced the pair of double doors, none of the wanting to be the first one to knock. They couldn't stand there forever, so James took it upon himself to swallow down his fear and tap the back of his knuckles against the sleek surface. The sound echoed down the hall as it all but stopped their hearts.

Without a word, the doors creaked open, slowly enough to give them time to reconsider really being here. Though, they all knew it was too late to go back now. The moment they stepped foot inside, they had sealed their fates. Jessie was the first to move, being the natural born leader that she was. That, and she knew that if she didn't, then they'd be standing there til night fell. It wasn't without first casting a knowing glance back.

"Sorry for the wait, but-" she went to apologize, only to be cut off with the wave of a large hand.

"No need to give your excuses," the gruff voice sighed, almost in annoyance as he rose to his feet. The Persian at his feet mewed with the movement as it nudged its head against its master's leg. "Not as if I was expecting anything more." From the tone, it was clear to hear the wearing of his patience. His steps were slow, precise as he descended the stairs. His eyes never wavered from the three of them.

James didn't react to the slight pressure that backed into his leg.

"What do you need of us?" the redhead asked, cutting to the chase as usual. There wasn't a chance he'd summon them just for small talk. The fact that he was calling them at all was a bit strange to her. Weren't they nothing more than insects - failures - in his eyes? And the thought of firing them in person was nearly laughable. Giovanni wouldn't go through that much trouble just to send them on their way again.

The larger man let out a small chuckle as he reached the center of the room. He paused with a snap of his fingers before crossing his arms. "I have somewhere to go, and that means I will be in need of someone to watch over the gym." He caught a sight of their eager expressions. "But, don't think it's because I have trust for you. I simply have no other options. The rest of Team Rocket have been successful. You three are about the only ones that can be taken from the field without putting a dent in the influx of Pokémon."

Those words should have been biting, and would have to others, but to them, it was nothing but relief.

"Yous can count on us!" Meowth piped up, unclinging himself from the man's leg to step a bit in front of the two. However, there was still that bit of stiffness in the way he stood. The other two were quick to agree with their Poké-companion.

Giovanni showed no sign of hearing what was said, there was a complete lack of interest in anything they ever said or did. For the first time, he allowed his sight to leave them as it drifted to the side, his attention caught by something to his right. The others followed his gaze, and James' hands clenched at his sides as he watched. The Boss's treatment of Pokémon and general view of them was known well enough throughout the organization, but witnessing it never got any easier for the man. It was true, if they weren't strong and obedient, then they served no purpose to him.

Despite his bubbling temper, the lavender-haired agent kept his mouth shut and restrained himself from acting. It took everything he had, the tensing of every muscle in his body to restrain himself. Even so, his eyes couldn't tear themselves away from the Machoke as he carried a silver plate, glass of wine resting on its surface. He was using them as servants! That's all any of them were to this man: servants, tools and pawns.

It was disgusting.

James made eye contact with the creature for a brief moment. But that was all he needed, all which was necessary in order to see the sorrow in his eyes. He was miserable, as he was sure all of the Pokémon were here. Honestly, it repulsed him that they were going out of their way to capture Pokémon for someone such as this. Alas, what choice was there…

His focus was back on Giovanni a second later when a startled and irritated grunt made its way passed his lips.

"You daft and incompetent beast!" he spat, flame-filled eyes cast downward at the stain spread across his shirt. Just the acidic tone in his voice was enough to cause the muscular Pokémon to flinch in anticipation. What happened next was more of a blur to the trio, it was so fast, none of them knew what was happening before the resounding 'crack' of a whip cut straight through to their ears.

They stood there, too shocked to react - to process what was happening - as the Machoke all but crumpled on the ground as strike after strike licked its body. His hands were raised over his head, doing what he could to protect at least that. And, from the looks of it, it was the only part not receiving punishment for his clumsiness. Each blow caused another jolt to radiate from James' heart. He kept his head bowed, using his hair as a curtain, a shield to block the events on the other side. Nails dug into the palms of his hands, which shook at his sides.

"Stop…" he whispered, unsure if the word escaped or not.

"Stop," he repeated, louder as he snapped his head back up.

He took a deep breath, unable to stand by any longer. "That's enough!" The next noise he let out was a small cry of pain as a sting of agony whipped across his shoulder. Eyes wide, he stared down, again meeting the pleading eyes of the Machoke. Confusion invaded his mind...he didn't remember moving, his body must have moved on its own as he now stood between the Pokémon and his superior. He then slowly turned to look at his protesting shoulder, wincing at how the whip had ripped partially through the fabric.

That one outcry was the last sound heard for a solid few seconds. Everyone was at a standstill, both bewildered and surprised by the interruption. Jessie stared, eyes enlarged as her sky gaze flickered from one man to the other. Her pulse quickened with fear, yet her heart swelled with pride. The man was foolish, compassionate, but a damn moron sometimes.

The grip on the whip tightened, enough so that the grinding against the leather was obvious to the others. The last ounce of tolerance he had had been severed in that moment. A chill ran through the room, chasing out any remnants of confidence and relief the trio held. James turned his attention just a little bit more until he could see the expression the larger man wore. Right then, he wanted nothing more than to retreat, but his legs refused to move, would not listen to a thing his mind commanded.

"Perhaps...James," Giovanni nearly whispered - yet loud and clear, "you'd like to take its place since you feel so compelled to stand in the way."

Said man swallowed thickly, his entire being yelled at him to just step aside. He wanted to, needed to, but he just couldn't. There was something holding him back, and he knew full well what that something was. And he could still hear it whimpering in front of him. He turned his head back to give the Machoke a small nod. A reassuring gesture that said: I won't let anything else happen to you.

James offered the creature a small smile, one that was swiftly ripped away by another lash. This one was clearly more harsh than the first, and it was accompanied by a gasp from his two companions. At least he was more prepared for it this time. Though, that did little to make the sting any less painful. Still, he would bear it. He offered another small nod to the Machoke, who looked back in understanding.

"So, take it in his place it is then, I see," Giovanni half chuckled as he drew the whip back once more. "Machoke, get out of the way," he instructed, burning gaze lingering on the man before him. "Looks like you've had a lucky break for the time being." He snatched the whip back to crack it against the ground. He couldn't help the satisfied smirk as James flinched at the sound.

"I-Is this really neces-"

"Jessie," her partner cut in, glancing her way, "It's alright." Before he could say more, another lash stung right across his back, and he was sure he could hear the material ripping in its wake. The only thing he let out was a small and pained whisper. But, he refused to show more discomfort than that. At least while the others were right there having to witness it all.

There was only a fraction of a second of reprieve before Giovanni was bringing the leather down again. A few more strikes followed in swift succession, and by the fourth or fifth, there was no more holding back the cries as he felt it cut into flesh now. By the eighth, he was on his hands and knees, his legs refusing to support him any longer.

Did he have any intention of stopping?

Underneath his own heavy breathing and soft whimpering, he could faintly make out the voices of Jessie and Meowth, but the words were lost to him. They sounded worried though, that was just like them. Though, he really wished they wouldn't concern themselves so much over him. He asked for this, he was the one to step in, so it was only right that he should be the one to bear this. The both of them should just stay quiet and not get involved if they could help it.

James had lost count somewhere around the tenth strike, all of it was blurring together; his back nothing more than a mass of throbbing and fire. His arms were shaking, barely managing to keep him in the position he was. It would have only taken a few more lashes before his face was pressed against the floor. In a way, he wanted that, to just curl up and lie there, unmoving for hours, maybe even days if it would help.

"Get up."

It was an order, no, more like a threat. Exhaling with a shudder, the man shakily pushed himself up to his knees, but he struggled to get anywhere beyond that.

"I said get up!"

This time, it was an agonized scream that ripped from his throat as a heavy handed lick trailed across every fresh laceration. All the effort it took to get upright was for naught when he fell back forward. The moment his hands made contact with the floor, his arms gave out as well. He rolled over to his side as he took in deep breaths and waited for the next strike to come. A strike that never fell.

A shadow stretched over him, one he could see through his tightly closed lids. Slowly, he cracked one open and instantly recognized the familiar silhouette.

"Jessie?" he rasped, despising how small his voice was.

Without looking back, she quickly snapped back, "James, just shut up, will ya?" Then, directed at Giovanni, "Please, I-I think he's learned his lesson." It was a plead, almost on the verge of begging with the man. "I promise…" she now cut her eyes back, as a warning, "it won't happen again."

There was a moment of reluctance before he hummed thoughtfully. "You lot aren't worth my time. Very well, but if I get this same insubordination again, I guarantee, I will not be anywhere near as merciful. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," Jessie instantly replied. But Giovanni still stood there, looking past her. Getting the hint, she nudged her foot back, immediately regretting the action when her partner let out a small groan of discomfort.

"Y-Yeah," James muttered, against his better judgement. He lacked the energy to argue right now. Not to mention, his entire form nagged him to agree with whatever it took to make it all stop.

"All of you, get out of my sight," The Boss commanded. "You know where your quarters are, I suggest you head there before I change your mind. Besides, you'll need to get settled in; you start looking after the place first thing in the morning."

James could hear is receding footsteps, followed by a pair of heavier ones. He could only assume those belonged to the Machoke. No doubt he was still going to get punished anyway. He let out a small sigh at that. This little act of his was likely for nothing, but he couldn't do it. He couldn't just sit by and watch as a Pokémon got beat right before his eyes. His fingers curled, nails grating across the rough flooring before balling into a fist and slamming harshly against it.

A moment later, Jessie was kneeled by him, that concerned expression plastered upon her face. "What the hell, James? Are you trying to get yourself killed or something?" Despite her words, her features never changed.

With help from his comrade, he slowly and carefully made his way into a sitting position. Hisses and groans were constantly streaming out of his mouth in the process. The subtle gasps that came from the others did little to reassure him on the condition of his back. Though, if it appeared anything like it felt, then he wasn't so sure he wanted to know himself. It was absolutely on fire, nearly to the point of being numb.

"We should get you cleaned up," Jessie said, surprisingly caring for the woman. Unsteadily, the two of them got James back to his feet. If it weren't for Jessie supporting him, he would have ended right back on the floor in an ungraceful heap. If that were to happen, he was completely positive there was no getting back up.

"Thanks," he whispered, afraid that any louder than that and his pain would betray him. Not that he was doing a great job of hiding it now.

With a small smile, Jessie bowed her head. "Just shut up and walk."

It was a difficult process, and a slow one at that. But, with some effort and more than the occasional pause for catching breath, they eventually made it to their room. There, James was gently lowered to sit on one of the two beds. She didn't have to instruct him to lie face down, he was already in the process of doing so before she could even turn around to get the items she required.

His body was still rigid with waves of agony. "I-I really messed up, huh?" he asked light-heartedly, opening one eye to gaze at Meowth. His feline companion, however, did not share the same amused expression. No, he had the same mask of concern that Jessie wore. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause trouble for you two, but...I just couldn't…"

"Yeah, we gets it," the Pokémon muttered, trying his best to come across as nonchalant. "Though, a warnin' next time would be nice, ya know."

"There won't be a next time," Jessie said lowly. "Will there?" She stepped back into the room, bowl of water and rag in her hold as she cast the man a glare. "This was stupid even by your standards." Setting the bowl on the table, she gently reached for his shirt. "We need to get this off," she said sympathetically, knowing it wasn't going to be pleasant to peel off. Already, it was clinging to the jagged gashes. The slightest tug had James squirming and burying his face against the pillow.

This wasn't going to work, not without causing him more suffering that was. But, it had to be done. She couldn't just leave the wounds as they were. They still glistened with blossoming blood.

As she stood in thought, Meowth stepped up, his claws extended and ready. "I got this," he said with an edge of pride before cutting easily through the fabric with outstanding precision. With ease, the material fell away, aside from the bits that hugged the lacerations. But, with care, those should be able to be peeled off without causing too much discomfort.

"Alright, you're not going to like this, but I have to do it. Just...try not to move too much and I'll get this over with as soon as I can." Her voice was soft as she wrung out the rag and, as gently as she could, pressed it against the worst of the wounds. The reaction she received was instantaneous as he instinctively tried to pull away with a low whimper. "Sorry," she muttered over and over again, hoping it would provide some sort of comfort. Of course, it did nothing, the words falling on ears deafened from agony.

By the time she finished, the water was dyed crimson, and James was panting with a fresh sheen of sweat on his face. The way his eyes were distant was the biggest worry though. Then again, with the amount of blood she cleaned off him, it shouldn't have been much of a surprise. He would be alright though, none of the injuries were lethal.

Either way, they still needed to be disinfected lest the chance of illness be risked. She wanted to cringe at the thought of doing that. Just cleaning with water had been bad enough. The only thing she could do was hope he'd just pass out from the pain of it.

She almost didn't want to do it, but that wishful thinking was quickly chased away when she took in his pale complexion. "Alright James, I know that wasn't exactly pleasant, but I think it's only right that I tell you, this next part is going to be far worse." He didn't seem to fully register what she was saying, but he nodded regardless. Maybe it was just his way and saying that he had at least heard her.

As she poured a healthy amount of the substance onto a clean rag, she hesitated as it lingered above his marred back. A single drop fell, eliciting a hiss as the man bit hard against the pillow case.

"Just...do it," he begged, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible. He couldn't take the anticipation any longer. If she was going to do it, he wanted to just go for it. He could take it, he would be fine. She must have listened, because not a moment later, he felt the full force of it as it raged tendrils of flame through his spine. He couldn't stifle the soft and strained cries that escaped him, muffled only by the cloth between his teeth. Hot tears pricked at the corners of his eyes.

Every light touch shot a spark of guilt through the woman. It wouldn't be too much longer though. As soon as this was done, she could bandage him up and be done. Then, he could sleep, could escape to the world of slumber where there was no pain and no worries.

"I'm almost done," she promised, going just a tad bit faster.

The moment she pulled her hand away for the last time, James relaxed, exhausted and nearly depleted of energy. Light puffs of air were huffed out as light tremors wracked through him. Meowth sat silently by, not uttering a single word since this started. For once, he had nothing to say. His jaw was tight, teeth pressed firmly together and paws in his lap.

Finally, Jessie could get to the actual binding part. Which, in her opinion, was the easiest. It would be the most tolerable for the both of them, she was sure. Of course, she was right, this part went quick enough. Though, it was obvious from the lack or responses she was getting that James was barely hanging on to consciousness.

"Try to stay awake until I'm done, if you can," she asked, glancing over to see him blink away the sleep for a moment longer. "Just for a few more minutes. Meowth, talk to him, will you? Just...keep him distracted."

The feline Pokémon didn't hesitate for a second before jumping to the task. "So," he started, leaning in close, "why'd ya do it? Ya didn't have to, yet ya still did it anyway." He already knew the answer to that, but he had to pick a subject that he knew the man could talk about endlessly.

And, like expected, the man took the bait. "I told you...I couldn't just watch. Someone...h-had to do something." He dropped his gaze, unable to rid himself of the images of that Machoke being...tortured the way it was. That's what it was, it wasn't punishment, it was flat out abuse. "I could never stand that man…" he added in a lower tone, as if Giovanni could hear him through layers of walls. It was ridiculous, but it wouldn't shock him if heard everything they said. He seemed to have ears everywhere.

"Ya really didn't think about it then…" Meowth summed up, something in his tone coming off as strange to the man. Maybe it was the lack of sarcasm there, replaced by what could only be described as pride.

James half shrugged, wincing as it pulled at his wounds. "Yeah...I guess. Kinda dumb in retrospect though… He's just going to beat that Machoke anyway." His face fell as the reality of it sank in deeper. "I probably just got in the way for nothing. If anything, I-I probably just...made it worse for him." There was genuine distraught in his glazed eyes.

"That's not true," Meowth cut in, now leaning to the point to where he was at risk of falling out of his chair. "It's probably been a while since that Machoke has ever seen any real compassion from another human!" He smiled down at his male companion. "I could see it in 'is eyes. Trust me when I say it, he appreciated it, and he will remember it!"

The lavender-haired man could only stare back. He couldn't remember the last time he actually got a real compliment from the cat. His gaze cleared a fraction more at the statement.

"What yous did wasn't for nothin'. It was stupid, but it wasn't for nothin'."

"All done," Jessie announced, rising to her feet and brushing her hands together. "Just, try to stay as still as possible. The wounds aren't bleeding at the moment, but I don't want to chance them reopening if it can be helped." She looked over her handiwork. It wasn't the best, but she wasn't a doctor, so it was the best she could do with what she had. The lacerations didn't look quite as bad once they were cleaned, but it was still enough to cause some concern. Would probably take some time to heal enough to be manageable.

"Thanks, Jessie," he muttered, feeling beyond tired once again. His back still pulsed with fire, but his mind was drained. He remained exactly how he was, fully aware that the moment he moved, the moment this slight comfort would be snatched away. He let out a heavy sigh, forcing his body to relax as much as possible. There were still those slight spasms that ran through him, but there was nothing he could do about those aside from ignoring them and hoping they'd fade away soon enough.

She waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah yeah, get some sleep. We have to get up early."

"You don't have to tell me twice," he half-slurred, turning his head the other way. It took a few minutes, but soon enough, his breaths were coming out evenly. Ragged and shallow, but even nonetheless.

The woman huffed in weariness and leaned back in her own bed, not bothering to change out of her own uniform. She draped her arm over her eyes and closed them tightly. She was relieved the day was over, to say the least. It was still relatively early, but with all that just happened, she would have believed it was late into the night. The redhead peeked out from under her arm towards James' sleeping form. It was obvious it was restless.

"He'll be alright," Meowth assured, hopping down from his seat to sit at the end of her bed. "He's too stubborn to let this bring him down. Watch what I tells ya, in a few days, he'll be back to normal as if nothin' ever happened."

"You're probably right," she sighed. Even if the guy didn't feel up to it, he'd try to put up a front for their sake. It both frustrated her and relieved her. Sometimes she wanted to slap him for that. But, she reminded herself every time, everything he did, he did so with thought for another. No matter the size of the action or gesture, it was rarely for himself. She smiled to herself at that. Meowth was right, one way or another, outwardly, he'd be fine. But, she couldn't help but wonder just how much that would positive outlook would wear over time.