Chapter 4:  Friendships and Love (Part A) by Michael Keens/ Exodus  

A couple of days since Pallet Town, I had trained my Pok�mon a little, I had to 
teach Twinkill some ultra-secret attacks and Scramble, a useful Grass attack.  
Dusty got some upgrading too.  
Now I was a little more ready for the next events that would unfold.  
Clouds covered up the bright sun, it was getting kinda late.  
I hurried up a little eager to reach a town, those clouds didn�t look too 
promising.  
I tripped over something, looking back I saw it was a Pidgey.  
�Aha! A new Pok�mon! Twinkill I-�  
I stopped and noticed it was hurt.  
�Hey little guy, let me help you...�  
I was answered with a Sand Attack.  
Coughing, I charged through to try and pick it up, Viridian City wasn�t that 
far I hoped, but it unleashed a Gust attack on me and all I was trying to do 
was help.  
After the attack, it collapsed breathing heavily.  
I couldn�t just leave it here, even if it didn�t want to be rescued.  
�It may be risky but, Scramble!�  
�Cute!�  
�Scramble, use Hypnosis on that Pidgey, but try not to hurt it.�  
�Egg!�  
The little eyes glowed and the Pidgey, shocked, fell into a deep sleep.  
�Pok�ball, Go!�  
It hit and pulled the Pidgey inside, I picked up the ball and ran faster.  
I had a wounded Pok�mon which urgently needed help and I wasn�t sure how long 
it�d take me to find Viridian City.  
I bumped into a pretty girl with long blue hair.  
�I�m sorry Miss-�  
�Katrina Oak.�  
�Oak?�  
�Professor Oak�s granddaughter? Anyway, be careful where you�re going.�  
�I�m sorry, I need to find the Viridian Pok�mon Centre quickly.�  
�Here.�  
She gave me a map of the Kanto region.  
�Now you won�t get lost.�  
Then she left, eager to get back home.  
I wondered if all the Oaks were that kind.  
Anyway, no time to worry about that, I had to get to Viridian soon, then I�d 
see why the Pidgey was so hostile, it didn�t feel like a proper capture and 
this Pidgey didn�t belong to me.  
In Viridian City I went straight for the Pok�mon Centre.  

�Hello? Could someone...  Nurse Joy? What are you doing here?�  
�Hello, you appear to know my name but I don�t know you.�  
�Aren�t you supposed to be in Fuchsia?� I asked confused.  
�Oh that�s my younger sister, I hope she�s doing well.�  
�Uh...  She... is.  Anyway, I need you to help this Pidgey, it was pretty 
damaged so I caught it and brought it here.�  
�No problem.�  
�Do you know of anywhere I can sleep?�  
�I�m afraid our rooms are full, but perhaps if someone doesn�t show up before 
we close, we can give a room to you, it�ll take some time to help this Pidgey 
so why don�t you come back a little later?�  
�Okay Nurse Joy.�  

I stepped outside and thought I saw something ahead, running that way, rain 
started to fall down followed by a lightning blast, but I wanted to see what it 
was I had saw.  
It was a small blue Pok�mon.  
�A Nidoran!�  

�Nidoran:  Female, the Poison Pin Pok�mon.  The female differs from the male in 
that it has a smaller horn, but beware, Nidoran is still a powerful 
Poison-type.  
Use caution when dealing with one.�  

�I�d better not use Scramble for this so...  Dusty! I choose you!�  
�Veno!�  
�Dusty, use your Stun Spore.�  
�Venonenoneno...�  
�Ni... Ni...�  
�Tackle it!�  
The Nidoran fell down weak, that sure was quick, but if Dusty got poisoned, it 
would consume him quickly.  
�Pok�ball! Go!�  
There were a crash and my Pok�ball fell back into my hands.  
A pink Nidoran fiercely guarded the female.  
�Ran! Ran!�  

�Nidoran:  Male, the Poison Pin Pok�mon.  Its large ears can easily sense 
danger, and the longer its horns, the more poison this Pok�mon can hold.�  

�Its not safe to be out here, I�ll capture the both of you if that's what it 
takes to make us both happy and safe.  Dusty, try your Poison Powder!�  
It sprayed the purple dust but the Nidoran shook it right off.  
�Its strong.  Okay, use your Disable attack!�  
�Ran-�  
It froze.  
�Tackle this one now!�  
�Bam.�  
The Nidoran flew backwards, I drew my Pok�balls but then the female was struck 
by someone else�s Pok�ball.  
�Hey!� I shouted, but then I saw the face.  
�Emily?�  
�Tetsubo.�  
�How come you got to catch that Pok�mon after I did all the work?!� I asked 
annoyed, but I couldn�t stay mad at her.  
�Well you can still catch the other one.�  
�Where is it?�  
Dusty was hit by some sharp needles and fell to the floor, overcome by the 
Poison Sting.  
�Dusty, don�t give up, we can-�  
�Stay put.� interrupted Emily, �Blossom, I choose you.�  
�Oddiissh!�  
I was a little surprised that it had the same name as my sponsor, still I drew 
out the Pok�dex:  

�Oddish, the Weed Pok�mon.  Because this Grass/ Poison Pok�mon burrows itself 
into the ground, it�s leaves are often yanked, resulting in a loud scream.�  

�Blossom! Use your Sleep Powder!�  
�Raan...�  
�What are you waiting for Tetsubo, you capture this one and we�ll call it 
even.�  
I threw the Pok�ball and got a successful catch.  
�Still, why did you steal the female from me?�  
�I was battling it before you arrived, I did most of the work on that one.�  
�So where were you when I arrived?�  
�... I got scared of the lightning so I hid under that tree...� she said 
ashamed.  
�You do know you were in more danger standing under that tree than standing out 
in the open.�  
�I didn�t, but I�m even more nervous now.�  
�Emily, what-�  
Another crash of lightning caused Emily to hug me in terror, I analysed this 
and realised my feelings for her might not be purely on the friendship level, 
but I cleared my head of those thoughts.  
�Let�s go back to the Pok�mon Centre.�  

Back at the Centre, myself and Emily sat in the canteen with towels wrapped 
around us and hot chocolate to drink.  
�So, like I was saying before we were interrupted, what are you doing all by 
yourself, I thought you were travelling with friends.�  
�... Oh Tetsubo, they�re not my friends, not anymore, real friends don�t ditch 
you in the middle of nowhere with no warning, just to be alone with their 
boyfriends.�  
�So what? They met guys and then-�  
�No, I knew the guys for quite some time, I thought my friends were okay with 
me hanging out with them, but no, they could have least told me before 
abandoning me in a place I don�t know.�  
�I�ve got a map.� I added, �Perhaps you should hold on to it.�  
�But what about you?� she asked concerned.  
The �Bing Bing Bing Bong Bing� sound echoed through the Centre, it was the 
signal that the Pok�mon were rested up, I had put them there after my encounter 
with the Nidorans.  
�I guess we should pick up our Pok�mon.� I said.  
I had four Pok�mon handed back, and Emily, five.  
�Nurse Joy, what about that Pidgey?�  
�We�re having trouble with it, it refuses to return to the Pok�ball.  Take a 
look.�  
I opened the door and the Pidgey was flying around the room.  
Noticing the open door, it darted out and burst through a glass window into the 
storm.  
I was about to run out but Nurse Joy grabbed my collar.  
�No way Young Man, that Pidgey can find shelter in the trees, I can�t allow you 
to go out into that storm.  We have one spare room, a customer decided against 
going out in the storm so I suggest you stay put.�  
�But-�  
�Tetsubo, you can look for the Pidgey tomorrow.� added Emily.  
I gave up on resisting and sat down with Emily.  
�So what have you been up to, you have four Pok�mon, not too bad.�  
�Hey, I�ve run into more trouble than new trainers should.� I added, why did I 
keep on getting involved with the Rockets with no sense of order or rules?  
�But some good things have happened, I saw a really rare Pok�mon and I got to 
meet Professor Oak.�  
�Professor Oak, really?!� she asked surprised.  
�Would you-�  
�Introduce you to him, I don�t think I know him well enough to start bringing 
friends to his place.�  
�Oh, you�re no fun.� she moaned, one of the few times I�d seen her less than 
happy.  
�Have you done anything interesting?� I asked.  
�Well one time:  One of my friends...  Actually I don�t want to talk about 
them.  
Now I�ve got to travel alone.�  
�But you told me that a trainer must take the first steps with their Pok�mon 
and no one else.�  
�Well it doesn�t feel right for me, I like human company.�  
�Well, maybe you could travel with me.�  
�Yeah right, I�d only be a bother, I saw how annoyed you were when I captured 
that Nidoran.�  
�I forgive you for that, speaking of which, wasn�t the male protecting the 
female back there?�  
�As if it were in love?�  
She dropped the Pok�ball to the floor and picked up both the Pok�ball and the 
Nidoran.  
�Look here little Nidoran, I�m sorry if you don�t like the idea of me training 
you but if you gave me a chance...�  
The little Nidoran slumped down sad.  
�Well I like to nickname my Pok�mon, how about I call you... Poisoness, cos 
you�re a Poison-type and as beautiful as a princess.�  
�Ni, Ni.� it said putting on a not-so convincing smile.  
I knew what might cheer her up, and dropped a Pok�ball.  
�Ran!�  
�Ni Ni !�  
The two Nidorans chased up to each other and leapt towards their partner, then 
they started  rolling about on the floor.  
�They�re in love.� I confirmed.  
They were now running circles around each other.  
I picked up my pink Nidoran.  
�I know how much you like that Nidoran, so I�ll try my best to keep you two 
together, would you like a nickname?...  How about Needle, nice and simple and 
straight to the point.  No pun intended.�  
I let him down anyway and he went straight back to his partner.  
�Emily? Does this change your mind at all.  If we travelled together then our 
Nidorans could be with each other.�  
�I don�t know...  I really don�t want to be a bother, after all the study 
you�ve endured, I really want you to make it as a trainer.�  
�Then come with me and make sure of it.�  
I was pretty convinced that Emily would make a great travelling companion.  
Sure it meant sharing Pok�mon, but I could really use the company.  
�I�ll think about it.� she said recalling her Nidoran, I did the same, then 
went to our room.  

End of Chapter 4A  

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Chapter 4B
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