The annual party after the Indigo League championships was a huge affair, and almost everyone in the place was dancing. Except for two figures who lingered on the sidelines, arguing.
"James, aren't you going to dance with Jesse?"
"Quit bugging me, Meowth. Maybe she doesn't want to dance with me."
"I don't understand you, James. You dance with her reciting the motto, you dance with her in a cave, but now you've got a band and a dance floor and the whole bit, and you're standing in the corner looking at her. You're just pathetic."
"Well, excuse me, Mr. Romance Expert! What do you suggest?"
"Hey, don't make fun of Meowth, I'm trying to help you here."
"Help me what, make a fool out of myself?"
"Hey, I know, James, you should dance with someone else, and then maybe Jesse will get jealous or something!"
"I don't know what you're talking about. Jesse sees me every single day; if she were going to get jealous over me she'd have done it already. Anyway, I don't know anybody here."
"Sure you, do, James, there's a girl you know!" Meowth pointed to a girl in a white dress standing a few feet away."
"Meowth, are you out of your flipping mind? That's Misty!"
But Meowth was already headed over to here, saying "Hey, Misty, c'mere, James wants to dance with you."
Misty got the same expression on her face as James. "He wants to steal my Pokemon or something, you mean. Get out of here."
"Well, fine, dance with me instead then," said Meowth loudly.
Misty turned red. "I'm not dancing with a Pokemon. Now be quiet, people are starting to stare." People were staring, and starting to giggle.
Finally James rolled his eyes and grabbed Misty by the hand. "Look, dance with me this once, Meowth will shut up and leave both of us alone. I don't even have my pokemon here, don't worry."
James was much taller than Misty, but he was an excellent dancer and Misty wasn't so bad either. As the music played, Misty began to relax and enjoy herself a little. This time Jesse stared at James on the dance floor, wondering what on earth was going on.
Finally the dance ended. James winked at Misty and handed her his white rose. She turned pink and giggled.
Finally James turned to Jesse. She was still staring at him. James walked to her, and without a word he led her out for the next dance.
Jesse and James were an incredible couple on the dance floor. Slowly, most of the other couples stopped dancing just to watch them dance together. When the music ended, people applauded them. They left the floor hand in hand. They still hadn't spoken but the atmosphere of romance was obvious.
Half an hour later, Misty was standing with Ash and Brock outside among the trees, getting some fresh air.
"Where'd you get the rose, Misty?" asked Brock.
"Didn't you see me dancing with James?" replied Misty.
"James from Team Rocket?" asked Ash. "Yeah, right, you danced with him, like I really believe that."
Brock and Ash both started laughing. Misty shrugged and sniffed the rose.
Suddenly they heard a woman's laughing voice. "You can't catch me..."
Jesse appeared partly in view, with James running behind her saying "Yes I can!"
"She should run faster," said Ash. "Look, he caught her already."
Brock broke in at that point, "Uh, Ash, I think you're supposed to stop looking now."
Ash turned red and they all turned their backs and began walking in the opposite direction.
Finally Brock said, "So Misty, if I believed you danced with James, I'd have to think you were jealous of Jesse now, huh?"
"Don't be silly, Brock," said Misty. "A dance is just a dance. But I guess I would have to say Jesse's lucky."
Brock and Ash just laughed. But as Misty heard Jesse and James giggle in the background she planned to press the rose in a book to be kept.
The End