Chapter 7:  Route 3 or not Route 3? (Part B) by Michael Keens/ Exodus  

�Emily?� I asked, �What was the deal with that kid earlier, you were 
daydreaming when he made those cheeky comments about you, and you called him 
Honey.�  
�He said I was pretty, and gorgeous, what�s so wrong with that? As for what I 
said, it was just silly flirting.�  
�You�ve never called me Honey.�  
�And you�ve never called me Pretty.�  
I thought about this, she was right, I had a lot of feelings for her but I�d 
never told her any of them, even when we were young and she wore all those cute 
little dresses to parties, I�d never even commented on them.  
�Well I, I would have, but I wasn�t sure how you�d take it.�  
�Well don�t worry, I know you�re shy and I�m loud, you�re a little withdrawn, 
I�m overly confident, but I won�t take offence or anything if you want to make 
a friendly comment, �kay?�  
�... Uh...  Sure.�  
�There you go hesitating again.  Tetsubo, you have got to loosen up a little, 
I�ve already taken care of the bookworm thing by using my Pok�dex while you 
concentrate on fighting, now you have got to be a little more open with me.  Is 
there anything on your mind you�d like to say? Anything at all?�  
I couldn�t tell her about one of my problems, the promise with Bryan, and right 
now I didn�t feel like talking about the trophy thing in Pewter City, what else 
was there to say, apart from my feelings?  
This might be the only right time...  
�Well, I know I don�t really say it, but I appreciate you more than I can 
show.�  
�Really, that�s sweet, just like you, you�ve got such a good heart, you always 
help those in need, and you�ve put in a lot of study, but you�ve got to live a 
little, don�t hold back your emotions, and try new things.�  
�Emily...� I asked, letting go of all my doubt, but I decided not to go too 
far, �If things were different, could we ever be... more than friends?�  
She turned around suddenly, surprised at my sudden confidence and 
bravery, �Well...�  
She was lost for words, �Why should things have to be different?�  
A small rush of hope ran through me, she didn�t reject me.  
�But, Tetsubo, you have to understand that I really, really value your 
friendship and I�d rather not get into that sort of thing, can we just forget 
we had this conversation for now?�  
�Okay Emily...  And thanks, I just had to know a few things.�  
She looked a little worried.  
�Emily, I will leave it there, I just needed to know how you felt.�  
�Maybe in different circumstances, I would have dated you on the spot, right 
here.�  
My eyes opened, but I knew she was about to tell me something else.  
�But I just don�t know if I could handle it if I lost you...�  
She stayed silent for a while.  
�Emily, would you care to share whatever�s bothering you, with me? We�re still 
friends.�  
�I was ditched for a reason, in all the time I knew my friends, they didn�t 
really like me, cos I was loud and cheeky and they were... embarrassed by me.�  
I listened knowing where the story ended of course.  
�There was this one guy in the group, there was something about him that I 
really liked, I can�t really explain, but we were never alone together so I 
could never tell him how I felt.  When we left on our Pok�mon Journey, I let 
myself go and told him how I felt in front of everyone, only to find that he 
was dating my best friend.  Those two started avoiding me, my best friend felt 
that she couldn�t trust me to stay away from her guy...�  
She stopped, as did I, �I was already in the bad books for my �embarrassing� 
personality, and then my best friend started spreading rumours about me among 
the group, if anyone really cared about me, they wouldn�t have believed them, 
but it showed what they really thought of me, they all took my friend�s side 
and acted horrible around me, hurting my feelings so much...  Finally in 
Viridian City, they rejected me and kicked me out the group, the ones I trusted 
so had just left me behind.  And then you came rushing back into my life, my 
true friend, so I ask of you to understand that I�m scared of any other sort of 
relationship right now because of what happened.�  
�What did you think of the guy after this?�  
�He wasn�t worth it, he showed his true colours and I hate him now.�  
�I promise Emily, I�ll always be your friend.�  
�That means a lot to me Tetsubo.�  
�Emily, you don�t embarrass me, you make me proud to be your friend.�  
She hugged me, some tears showed in her eyes, �Do you promise?�  
�Yes.�  
�And you would never lie to me?...  You�ll always be there for me?...�  
�Of course, I would never lie to you.� I said without any doubt, this guy had 
hurt her real bad, couldn�t appreciate the gift to be loved by such a special 
girl.  
I could understand that he already had a girlfriend but he couldn�t even let 
Emily down lightly.  
If I ever met these people I�d- No, even with my Pok�mon, I could not use them 
for personal battles, I would have to respect all of Emily�s decisions.  
�I�ll always be there for you...�  
Emily sniffed, wiping the tears.  
�Okay, let�s get going!� she suddenly yelled, picking up the pace, she could 
hide her sadness well, I understood her that much.  

A few hours later, we rested at the Pok�mon Centre quite near to Mount Moon.  
We dropped the subjects of our pasts and our current relationship with each 
other, it was better that way, I was satisfied with the way things had turned 
out.  
There was hope for us, in the far away future, I felt better now, more 
confident because of our conversation and Emily�s honesty.  
We had finished dinner and our Pok�mon had been returned but we figured we�d 
stick around,  book a room and visit Mount Moon tomorrow, so we did, and sat in 
the reception just chatting.  
�You saw a Dratini? Get out of here!�  
�Fine!� I said in a joking manner, getting out of my seat, but then immediately 
sitting back down.  
�Well if I have the funds by the time I decide to go back home, I might take 
you there and see if we can find it again.�  
�You�d make a good trainer for it.�  
�Yeah, but I think it likes its freedom better...�  
The Safari Zone seemed big enough for Pok�mon to think of it as their home, and 
they had watchmen like Great Uncle around if they ever got into trouble.  
I quickly thought of the girl in the beret, but realised that thinking about it 
wouldn�t do any good, she was different from the girl I saw, it must have been 
her twin.  
We were both interrupted by laughing, we saw the cause of it and Emily stormed 
out of her seat.  
I looked ahead, two boys and two girls, the only thing that could enrage Emily 
that much was... them.  
A red-head in pale green clothes, an older guy with brown spiky hair and blue 
clothing, and a young guy and girl, the guy, of Spanish origin with gelled 
black hair and the girl, a long blonde. 
�Oh, I see the jerk patrol is enjoying itself!� she shouted at them.  
�How on earth did you catch up with us?� asked the red-head girl.  
�I admit I had a little help, but I�m strong enough to become a great trainer.�  
�You mean the turquoise kid? Emily, your standards are a little low, but I see 
it took no time at all to rope in a new guy.�  
�He�s my friend, Bianca!� she screamed.  
The nemesis had a name.  
�No one is that sensitive over a friend.�  
�And you�d know all about that! And you Sebastian, I�m so sorry I embarrassed 
you with my unique personality but you could have turned me down gently!�  
�Don�t talk to my man like that!� screamed Bianca.  
�No, Bianca, I can handle this.  Get out of my life, �Green�, I never liked 
you.� said the older guy.  
�And that�s what makes me ashamed of myself for falling for you, you think I 
was an embarrassment, you should look at yourself.�  
�Why I-�  
�Stop this yelling! People and Pok�mon are trying to sleep!� shouted Joy to the 
group.  
�We were just leaving, the company here stinks.� said Bianca, and her group 
left the Centre.  
Emily was ready to burst, I quickly held her back as the group left the 
Centre.  
�Emily, they�re not worth it, don�t do something you might-�  
She ran out the door before I could grab her again, I didn�t expect that from 
her.  
Before I made it out, I heard a sharp slap, Bianca was on the ground.  
�You jerk!� screamed Bianca rubbing her cheek, �I�ll rip your hair out!�  
�Beeee!� screamed Buzzer, just released from his ball.  
I realised how far Emily was ready to take this.  
�Emily! Don�t do it! You�ll be arrested and lose your Training License if you 
harm her with that Beedrill!� I shouted.  
�Oh no.� said Bianca, �If the little missy wants to play with Pok�mon, then 
I�ll prove how pathetic a trainer she is, Go! Stallion!�  

With a deafening neigh, the Ponyta stomped its front legs on the ground.  
�Stallion! Ember!�  
�Buzzer! Twineedle!�  
The embers were thrown around before Buzzer jammed its claws into the Ponyta, I 
was about to record it when I remembered about the previous trade, all those 
Pok�mon were the ones her �friends� owned, it must have hurt her seeing those 
names on my Pok�dex.  
The Ponyta flung its front legs up, and Buzzer tried to release its grip on 
it.  
�STOMP IT!� shouted Bianca, Buzzer was in the wrong place at the wrong time and 
was easily hit by the otherwise inaccurate attack.  
�No, Buzzer, get up, you can do it, Don�t give up!!!�  
�Beee...� it collapsed.  

�No! Buzzer! You have to keep going! Get back up and fight! I can�t lose this! 
I can�t...�  
She was ready to burst into tears.  
�You haven�t grown as a trainer, you still lack that certain something, what 
was it again, oh yes, talent!�  
Her eyes were full of rage again and I had to dive and grab her before she 
totally lost it.  
�Come on Sebastian, let�s leave the witch with her runt.� said Bianca before 
leaving.  
�Let me go Tetsubo! She insulted you too, we can both get her!�  
�No Emily, I won�t.�  
The crowd left and I held on until they were far enough not to be caught up in 
a hurry, receiving a couple of bruises as she pounded her fists on me to try 
and make me let go.  
�Tetsubo, please, I...�  
She let loose all her tears, I knew this was the best thing to do sometimes, 
forget all the baby comments and let loose the sadness.  
�There, there, let it all out...�  
�I could... have taken her, she hurt me so much...�  
�Pok�mon shouldn�t be used for personal battles, you know that.�  
�I know... that I have to train harder...  So I can beat her, and laugh in her 
face...�  
�That's a better approach but not quite what I was looking for.�  
�How can you be so calm all the time?! Isn�t there anyone in your life that you 
utterly hate, that you lose all control over?...�  
Bryan...  
�Um, no, no one, but I can see how bad this is for you.  Come back inside, 
please?�  
She had wept most of what needed to be, and had calmed herself down.  
Still holding her, I led her back in, feeling guilty, I had already lied to 
her, a lie that was holding me down for so long.  
Yes, I do hate someone, but because of my stupidity, I can�t tell anyone, or my 
loved ones would be in danger...  
Someday Bryan...  I�ll beat you in battle and tell the world what you�re really 
like...  Then I�ll never have to lie again...  

End of Chapter 7B  

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