Silver Apples of Life

The stars glistened brightly in the sky around the large marble platform. The silver apples hung delicately on the branches, shining in the light of the moon. The young man smirked as he looked at the tree in front of him. His two comrades looked in awe around them, surrounded by the many wonderful trees. Serian turned his head slightly to look at them.
"Take a good look, boys. All this is ours for the taking."
Derren faced him.
"Uh, but Serian, how do we know if they're edible at all?"
Verne nodded in agreement.
"Yeah. If they're really silver, they'll break our teeth."
Serian looked back at the tree.
"Only one way to find out," he replied, reaching up to grab one from the tree.
The tree shivered slightly, causing the three boys to step back in surprise. Looking down at the sparkling object in his hand, he gripped it and brought it up to his mouth. Derren and Verne watched in amazement.
"Wow, Serian's so brave!"
Serian closed his eyes and bit into the apple. For a moment, he was still. Derren and Verne waited anxiously for a reaction. Serian's eyes suddenly snapped open, bright and sparkling.
He grinned and spun around to face the other two.
"Serian…?"
"Boys! This has got to be the most wonderful apple I have ever tasted in all my life! It tastes like…it tastes like…oh, I don't know! I can't explain it! But it tastes absolutely marvelous!"
Walking around the boys, he pulled off two apples from another tree, which promptly trembled like the first. Smiling brightly, he turned to face them and held out the apples.
"You must try one!"
The two exchanged glances. Seeing their leader like this was scary. Hesitantly, they took the apples and their trembling hands brought them to their mouths. Serian took another bite of his as they tried the apples. Soon, all three of them were grinning from the taste of the apples. They danced through the orchards, as if they hadn't a care in the world. Serian looked at the trees.
"This is all ours! All these apples belong to us! And we can eat them forever!"
The three fell to the grass and laughed as the silver apples shifted slightly in the wind of the coming dawn, knowing silently that while things were heaven for these three…it would be hell for another…the one who's life was tied to the trees in the orchard they were romping in. The rustling leaves sang a sad song as the wind blew through them, but the boys' laughter drowned out the sound.

James' emerald eyes snapped open as a sharp pain shot through him. He sat up slowly, allowing his eyes to adjust to the darkness. He looked around, trying to make out any form of life. Seeing nothing, he frowned and placed a hand on his chest where the burning pain still remained. He lay back down, wondering what could have caused this extreme pain all of a sudden. He closed his confused eyes and tried to go to sleep, but the pain remained there, unending, keeping him awake the whole time.

*The music that plays when they announce the name of the episode starts playing and Team Rocket's voices say…*

Team Rocket: THE SILVER APPLES OF LIFE

"All right, so you two will dig a hole…"
"We always do holes, Jessie…"
"They always work…"
"Yeah, for about ten seconds…"
"Well, you need to make them deeper…"
"Hey! I don't see yous down dere helpin' us out, so don't…"
James stared into his coffee, his partner's arguing voices far off in his mind. He tried his best to ignore the sting that was still settled in his chest. He didn't say anything. He knew how annoyed Jessie gets when he complains. Even though he thought this was something legitimate to complain about, Jessie might not.
Jessie and Meowth glared at each other as they ran out of points to argue over. Jessie crossed her arms and looked away, at James. She raised an eyebrow.
"James?"
James continued staring into his drink, too consumed in the thoughts of his pain to hear her. Jessie uncrossed her arms and reached across the table to nudge him.
"James?"
Meowth looked at him and frowned, puzzled.
"James? Jimmy, what's wrong?"
Jessie bit her lip to hide the how worried she had suddenly become. She reached her hand out and slapped him hard across the face. James winced and looked up at her, the burn of her slap bringing him back to reality. Meowth smirked.
"Geez, Jimmy. I was startin' ta think ya finally lost it."
James managed a weak smile and shook his head.
"No, I'm fine…Sorry, I kinda…got lost in my thoughts for a minute…"
"You have thoughts?"
James was in too much pain to be annoyed by the cat's comment and just laughed dryly. Jessie frowned slightly, but said nothing, not wanting to show how concerned she was.

The day went incredibly slow for James. The pain seemed to intensify hour after hour, until by the afternoon, it was almost unbearable. He took in a sharp intake of breath as he leaned against the door of his room. He gritted his teeth and felt his chest, trying to find something, anything that could cause this hurt. Jessie knocked softly on his door.
"James? Can I come in?"
James turned around and opened his door. Jessie stepped inside his room and closed the door behind her.
"James…you would tell me if anything was wrong…right?"
James nodded slowly.
"Yeah, I guess…"
Jessie knew he didn't have a reason to tell her when anything. She never really listened…
James looked at her.
"Um, is that all you wanted…I'm kinda tired, so…"
Jessie nodded.
"Yeah…yeah, that's all…"
She turned back and headed out of the room.
"I'll wake you up before we head out tonight, okay?"
"Okay…"
James closed the door after she left and tried to remember what their catch-Pikachu plan for tonight was. Giving up, he fell back onto his bed and, once again, tried to ignore the pain and sleep.

Serian twirled an apple slowly, staring at it. He looked up at Derren and Verne, who were running around a tree, singing in loud voices. He cleared his throat and waited for them to stop and pay attention. They continued to carry on despite him. Serian frowned and crossed his arms, clearing his throat again…and again, they ignored him. Scowling, he clenched his fists.
"HEY!"
Derren and Verne came to abrupt halts and looked at him.
"Uh, yeah Serian?"
Serian smiled and pointed to the apple in his hand.
"I just got an idea." He closed his eyes and let that hang in the air for a while.
There was silence.
"Uh…well, what is it?"
Serian snapped his fingers.
"I'm glad you asked! Derren, I want you to fly back to the city!"
"What? Why?"
"Because…we're going to make a profit!"
Derren and Verne's eyes got wide.
"Really? How?"
Serian smiled.
"We're going to sell these apples. They're delicious! And they're coloring makes them very rare! I'm sure no one has had anything like them! The money will come rolling in!"
Derren and Verne grinned.
"That's a great idea!"
Serian smirked.
"I know."
There was another silence. Serian frowned at Derren.
"Well, go on."
"Oh well…what will I do?"
Serian sighed.
"Use your head for a change! Make some posters for advertisement!"
Derren nodded.
"You got it!"
And so, he called out his fearow and was soon soaring back towards the city.

Giovanni stared at the piece of paper in his hand.
"And you found these around the city?"
The Rocket member in front of his desk nodded.
"Yes, sir. They were on practically every block."
A small smile spread across his face.
"An apple like this…is very rare. I must have it."
He looked at the member.
"You have done well."
The member smiled. Giovanni looked back at the advertisement.
"Tell my secretary to get Jessie and James on the line."

******

Meowth grinned as he looked out the jet's window.
"I can't believe da boss actually gave us dis mission!"
Jessie's eyes sparkled.
"I know! Maybe he doesn't think we're useless after all!"
James smiled slightly. He was glad , but it was hard to really get excited when it felt like a knife was being stuck through your entire body.
Jessie landed the jet on a marble platform and James stepped out into incredibly thick fog. At first, he couldn't see anything, but as he walked further trees loomed ahead, and soon he found himself in the middle of a large apple orchard. Apple trees that went on as far as the eye could see, sparkling with silver.

Meowth appeared behind him and then Jessie materialized out of the fog.
"Well, at least it didn't take us long to find the apples!" Jessie said.
"Yeah, it was kinda weird the way James came right to da right place," Meowth replied. James seemed hypnotized, walking slowly around the orchard, touching the trees.
"Just pick one and come on!" Jessie urged.
"I don't know that we should…"
"What do you mean?"
James looked at her.
"I don't know… it just doesn't seem right somehow."
"Yeah, well pleasing the boss seems right to me! Pick an apple and come on; our reward is waiting!"
James stepped up to a tree, and hesitated.
"I can't…"
"Fine – I'll do it!" Meowth reached up to pick the apple closest to him. As he plucked it from the branch, they could hear a tiny, little snap.
"Ouch!" James exclaimed, grabbing his foot and hopping around the base of the tree.
"James, what's wrong with you?" Stop all that noise! Someone might hear us!"
"Someone like who?"
"Like guards or sumpin (something ^_^)!"
"Like the Troll of the Trees?"
"The what…? Who said that?"
Jessie and Meowth scanned the treetop, realizing that they weren't talking to James, who had hopped back around the to their side of the tree.
"I think it came from up there."
"Who's up there and why are you spying on us?"
The branches shook slightly as a small man swung down out of the leafy bower to the ground beneath. He was about 4 feet tall, with a large head, covered in curly gray hair. So was his face. In fact, his beard reached down to his feet. And, he was dressed funny!
"Hey! Who's the runt?"
"Runt? But he's about as tall as you are, Meowth," said James.
"Keep your commentary to yourself! Besides, don't you have some moaning to do?" Meowth growled.
"Ahem!" the little man cleared his throat. "I was about to introduce myself!"
"Well, if you would make yourself useful by either helping me out of my misery or grabbing an apple for the boss!" James shot back, ignoring the little man's comment.
"I just did. Remember? It was when I grabbed the apple off the tree – like this…" and Meowth plucked another fruit off the tree.
"Ouch, ouch, double ouch!" James screamed and set off hopping around the tree again.
"Stop that!" yelled the little man and he stomped on Meowth's paw.
"Ouch!" Meowth exclaimed, grabbing his foot and setting off around the tree in the opposite direction as James, who ran smack into the pained feline. Both of them were laid out cold.
"I don't believe this," muttered Jessie under her breath.
"Well, do YOU want to know who I am?" the little man turned to Jessie.
She frowned slightly and nodded.
"I speak for the trees!"
James sat partially up.
"You're the Lorax?" he slurred and fell back down.
"Who's the Lorax? Is he that guy who works over in the next orchard? Please don't compare him with me! You may call me the Troll of the Trees."
"Hmmm…an alias! Shifty…I like it! But what's your real name?"
"The Troll of the Trees!"
"That alias sucks, then," Jessie remarked.
"Stop interrupting me…if you want to know how to save your friend."
"You know what causing these pains?"
"I will tell you something that few people know. Look around you. What do you see?"
"Ummm… trees?"
"Not just any trees. These are the Orchards of the Silver Apples. An orchard represents every person who is born. The trees in the orchard correspond to the health of the person. When you are sick, the trees are sick and don't produce apples. When all the apples fall off the trees, the person dies."
"But I'm not sick," James weakly protested, "or, at least, I wasn't the other day."
"Well then, your orchard was protected. But then, intruders came into the orchard. They have been picking and eating your apples…"
"Sounds kinda gross, if you ask me!" Meowth made a face.
"Nobody asked you!" James retorted.
"Shhh!" Jessie pushed them both back to the ground.
"Thank you!" the Troll straightened his jacket and continued. "As I was saying, they have been depleting the trees of apples and the person whose orchard this is suffers physically each time an apple is lost."
"You mean…" Jessie started.
"This is MY orchard!" James finished.
"Hey! Not bad, Jimmy boy," Meowth smirked.
"Thanks, Meowth. I owe it all to clean living, lots of exercise and 10 hours sleep every night."
"SHHH!" Jessie ordered. "Mr. Troll, what will happen if they continue to take the apples?"
"Oh, he'll die of course."
The three eyes' widened.
"Die! I'm too young to die! You've got to help me! Help me!" James cried, clutching the troll's leg.
"Let go of my leg! I'm trying to tell you how to stop this destruction. You must find the intruders and stop them. If they eat all the apples off a single tree, all the other trees will drop their apples and the, I'm afraid, the process is irreversible."
"How do we find the intruders?"
"Just follow the trail…" They looked down and saw several apple cores littered on the ground. "Follow the apple core road."
"Follow the apple core road."
"Follow the apple core road?"
The turned and saw the trail of apple cores leading off into distant trees. They turned back to where the Troll of the Trees was, only to find he was gone. They exchanged glances before facing the trail again. Jessie sighed.
"Well, let's get going."
James and Meowth nodded and they set off following the "road."

To be continued.