Comfort in Grief The rainy afternoon hung heavy over the cemetery. The two small headstones, flanked by withered flowers, bore the names Bonnie and May. A current of unbearable sorrow pierced the air. By the graves sat Ash and Pikachu, their shoulders shaking with weeping. Ash clung to his little partner, tears streaming down his cheeks, while Pikachu whimpered in pain, his normally lively face distorted with grief. It was a sight that would have pleased their arch-rivals. But today there was no joy, only a deep, unexpected compassion. For a moment, Jessie and James of Team Rocket forgot all about catching Pokémon or devising villainous plans. They stood in silence for a moment, gazing at the heartbroken boy and his equally heartbroken Pokémon. Jessie was the first to act. With a softness that was unusual for her, she walked over to Ash and crouched down next to him. Her voice, usually sharp and commanding, was now a soft whisper. "Ash... I'm so sorry." She reached out and gently stroked his weeping hair. James followed suit. He sat on Ash's other side and gently put an arm around his shoulders. He knew what it was like to lose someone close to him, even though he rarely talked about it. "Sometimes... sometimes it's just unfair," he muttered, his own voice rusty with suppressed emotion. He held out a handkerchief, even though it was already soaked with his own tears. Pikachu, who would normally have sent them a shock attack, leaned against James's leg and let him gently stroke his back. It was a silent acceptance, a recognition that for now they were not enemies, but merely compassionate souls. Jessie continued to speak, her words a mixture of comfort and, surprisingly, experience. "It's okay to cry, Ash. It's okay to be sad. It just shows how much you loved them." She hugged him gently, a gesture so unexpected that Ash momentarily forgot his sadness and looked up at her with wide, questioning eyes. Time stood still. The rain fell softly, as if the sky itself was mourning with them. Under Team Rocket's unusual comfort, Ash's shaking began to subside, and although the tears still flowed, there was a small, tiny bit of relief on his face. They hadn't come to steal Pikachu, but to comfort him. And in that moment, for a brief moment, they were the best friends Ash and Pikachu could ever ask for.