Chapter 61:  Preparations and Departures (Part A) by Exodus  

“Thank you Miss Penelope...” smiled a red haired girl as she received a ball-
shaped present wrapped up in red paper.  
“Casey, its been six months since you came to this foster home, you can call 
me ‘Mom’ if you’d like, everyone else does...” smiled a middle-aged woman with 
grey hair tied into a ball, wearing a long smart purple dress.  
“I’d love to...  But...”  
“In your mind, it’s not too long ago that your parents...  I understand 
Casey...”  
“It’s been one and a half years I’m told, but in my mind it’s barely been over 
six months...  Anyway, it’s my first memorable birthday since and I’d like to 
enjoy it.” said Casey, opening her present.  
“A Pokéball...”  

Meanwhile, a black spiky haired man in a smart dark green shirt and black 
trousers stood outside and peeped into the window, Casey’s brother Scott, the 
one that had spent a year raising the money for her life saving operation 
through Pokémon Battles, could only watch his sister, guilty about their 
parent’s death and her injuries, and so feeling like he shouldn’t be a part of 
her life.  
“This will be the last check-up I give to you for now Sis’, after what 
happened 19 months ago, you’re better off without me...  I’m about to embark 
on another Pokémon Journey, the only real thing I’m any good at, but I had to 
return something before leaving...  Something that once belonged to you...”  
Scott stepped back sadly and a twig crunched loudly beneath him, arousing 
suspicion in the foster home.  
By the time Casey and Miss Penelope stepped out, all that lied at the window 
was another wrapped gift...  

In Saffron City, a young girl with dark red hair wandered around looking a 
little lost.  
“I was sure it was here...  Stupid! Stupid!...  Now I’m going to be late...”  
The girl wore a dark purple and black dress that fell all the way to her feet, 
her dark red hair fell to her shoulders and covered up most of her face, she 
had deep green eyes, though only one was visible.  
“Excuse me...” she asked a man walking by, “Do you happen to know where I 
could find the ‘Bullet Train’?”  
“Bullet Train, huh? Headin’ out ta Johto, huh?” questioned the old and almost 
toothless man.  
“Yes, that’s correct; do you know where it is?”  
“Well Little Missy, you’re in luck, you do realise the service was only 
recently completed, I’m bettin’ you’re a trainer so it’s real convenient for 
ya if you’re startin’ this year.  You don’t even have ta register in a certain 
place, now every Pokémon Centre in a major city has a registration area an’-”  
“WOULD YOU JUST TELL ME WHERE I CAN FIND THE BULLET TRAIN?!” the girl screamed 
out.  
“Um, right over there...” quivered the man.  
“Thank you...” replied the girl angrily as she stormed off.  
The man exhaled, “Some people can be so inconsiderate, glad I’m not one 
of ‘em!”  
“This is the last call for Goldenrod, please note that tomorrow’s services 
have been cancelled for line extension work.” called a female voice echoing 
throughout the station.  
“Just my luck!” cursed the girl, dashing to the ticket office, “One child for 
Goldenrod, and make it snappy please.”  
“I’m sorry, but I’m going to need some I.D to prove your age.” replied the 
serious looking man inside the booth.  
“I don’t have time; give me an adult pass if it’s quicker!”  
“Now you’re just confusing me, do you qualify for a child or an adult pass?”  
“Look, I’ll pay you double the ticket price if you just print the ticket now 
and look at my I.D while it does so.” scowled the girl, invoking a quick 
response.  
“Sure, sure, do you require a return ticket?”  
“No I don’t need a return ticket! I just need a one way ticket so I can catch 
the train in time!” hollered the girl, losing her temper.  
She turned to many passengers in the station staring at her and nervously 
grinned, “I’ve got some very dear friends to meet...”  
“Okay it’s done Miss... Worthington...  The name’s familiar, hey, aren’t you 
that-”  
“Gotta go.” said the girl snatching her I.D and ticket and leaping over the 
ticket machines and down the stairs to the station.  
“Last call for Goldenrod; please stand clear of the doors.”  
The girl sprinted forward but unfortunately her path crossed with a man 
pushing a trolley full of luggage.  
“Doggone it!” moaned the old man with outgoing grey hair, “Do ya know how long 
it took me ta get all those heavy bags onta that trolley?!”  
“I’m sorry, I’ll make a call and send my personal servant to help out.” the 
girl apologised, picking herself up and running for the train while making the 
call on her cell-phone to summon her attendant to the station.  
The doors shut before she got there in time and she cursed, “Stupid! Stupid!”  
“The Bullet Train will now leave the station and prepare for the high speed 
process, please stand away from the platform’s edge and passengers please 
apply your seatbelts.”  
The girl noticed another train not being used that had an entrance at the back 
and a balcony and fence-like feature around it.  
As the Bullet Train pulled out slowly she started running, but at a slow speed 
until the back of the train was near her, someone was on it.  
“Um, Sir? Could you possibly ask the driver to stop the train for just a 
moment?” the girl called to the guy.  
He had a yellow bandana covering most of his black spiky hair, a red shirt and 
long blue shorts.  
“The Bullet Train doesn’t make stops for anyone:  Safety procedure, but if you 
jump I promise to catch you.”  
“You must be crazy!”  
“You were the one who missed the train, it’s your choice.”  
“I must be crazy.” sighed the girl, making a leap.  
Below the balcony was a slippery curve, if not for the guy holding her hands 
now she’d have slipped off and fallen onto the electric tracks currently in 
use.  
The girl’s legs slipped but the guy easily lifted her small and light body 
high enough for her to climb the railings.  
“Sir, I hate to ask again but would you please return to your seat.” asked a 
female in a yellow staff outfit with an odd tall hat.  
“I don’t mean to be rude, but my room has a good view of the station, so I 
know when the Bullet Train shoots off, I just wanted to savour my first time 
on one.” he conversed.  
“Um, how did She get out here? Don’t tell me you jumped, that’s very 
dangerous!” she exclaimed.  
“No no, I just asked her to watch the view with me, we’ll return to our 
seats.” replied the guy with a light grin.  
As the guy and girl went inside, the attendant sighed and locked the door 
tight.  

Seatbelts were applied and the guy and girl now faced each other in the seats 
they were in.  
“I can’t thank you enough; I don’t really know my way around here so I was a 
little late.”  
“You headed to Johto?”  
“Of course.”  
“And since you’re young and willing to take risks, I take it you’re a Pokémon 
Trainer?”  
“Correct, are you one too?”  
“You have to ask?” smiled the guy, drawing out two Pokéballs, “I could barely 
wait for today to come, but this is the day I head out, catch and train some 
brand new Pokémon, and compete in yet another tournament and see if I’ve got 
what it takes to win.”  
“Me too, but also to meet up with an old friend.” the girl replied.  
“I hate to burst your bubble, but I’ve already won a League, it was a small 
one in a far north place called Rainbow Island.” the guy added with pride.  
“You’re kidding; I competed in that tournament too, so if you won it, then you 
must be-”  
The guy smirked before speaking, “Rick Zane.  I was wondering how long it 
would take you to tell, I figured after years of my hair sticking out in front 
of me, it was time for a change in style, I guess my Rainbow League win didn’t 
exactly make me world famous.”  
“So you knew who I was all along?” sighed the girl.  
“Sort of, I recognise your face, but forgive me for forgetting your name.” 
said Rick, adjusting his hair to reveal more of his recognisable features.  
“It’s Abby Worthington, and you’re forgiven, but only on account of the fact 
we never really got to know each other.”  
“Hey, I tried with all of Tetsu’s friends, but you’re kind of a hard nut to 
crack.”  
Abby scowled and Rick waved his hands with a nervous clenching of teeth, “I 
didn’t mean it as an insult, its just that you never really opened up much in 
the past, but the reason I didn’t tell you who I was today is because I was 
hoping to start over with you, get to know you better without our never really 
talking to each other getting in the way.”  
“Though I should be annoyed you effectively lied to me, it worked, so thanks, 
and the same goes for helping me onto the train, it was hard enough to 
convince my parents that I’d be okay training away from them for a whole year, 
I didn’t want to go back for a few days while waiting for the train only to 
have to go through it all again.” Abby smiled.  
“Last I heard, you turned out to be the child of a wealthy family, how’s that 
going for you?” asked Rick.  
“More money than I know what to do with, so I try to help people in need, much 
like I used to be.”  
“So I’m betting this friend you’re looking to meet is Tetsubo?” Rick 
questioned confidently.  
“It’s been a while; the last I saw of him was briefly during the Rainbow 
League.” Abby replied.  
“Me too, with the exception of our battle.” Rick added, “In one match we got 
our Pokéballs mixed up and had to battle with each other’s Pokémon, luckily 
both our teams are easy going and kind hearted so they both won our matches 
for us.”  
“I remember a similar occurrence in the Kanto League, with that girl named 
Eve, she got her Pokéballs mixed up with Scott before our battle, she’d 
planned to use an Eevee with reflective and speedy attacks against my Gyarados 
but wound up with an Onix, on the Water Field.” conversed Abby.  
“Heh.” chuckled Rick, “Bet that went badly for her.  Mix-ups of Pokémon occur 
more often than you’d think.  Anyway, as I was saying, the final battle 
between Tetsu and me was long but fun, Tetsu appreciated the fact that he 
wasn’t battling for any particular stakes, and that whoever lost could be 
happy for the other.”  
“For all its worth, you must be a great rival...” complemented Abby.  
“Thanks...”  
“Attention passengers, this is the last notice to please apply your seatbelts 
before speed mode is activated, we will leave in five seconds.” alerted the 
same female voice as before.  
“Hold on...” grinned Rick, “Here comes the fun part...”  
The train shunted forward at top speed and pushed all the passengers looking 
toward the destination back into their seats, and the ones facing away, 
forward.  
“I chose the wrong direction to face...” groaned Abby as she leaned back and 
gripped the arm rests tight to avoid an uncomfortable position throughout the 
journey...  

“My dear Emily.  I know it’s been a while since my last vid-letter, but I’ve 
been a little busy.  You remember how I told you about the Orange League and 
my adventures with Chad and Beryl, and a couple of running villains called the 
Pascal Brothers of Team Rocket.  Well, I managed to beat the leader of the 
Orange Crew to earn myself the winner’s trophy and a permanent place in the 
Hall of Fame.  Enclosed is a copy of the picture that stands by a stone with 
the hand or footprints of the team of Pokémon that won plus myself, and if the 
money I paid for a safe delivery counted for anything, the Winners’ Trophy I 
won.  Don’t worry about its rarity what with the fact I donated my Kanto 
League Trophy to the Pewter Museum, and since there’s rarely anyone at the 
house, this new trophy would only collect dust.  This is just my way of 
letting you know that I still think about you, that I care about you lots and 
that you’ve been one of my inspirations that got me this far.” said Tetsubo, 
visualised on the screen of the special letter.  

The screen went blank as the message ended, and Emily pressed one of several 
buttons in the sophisticated device to switch it off completely while she took 
the time to view all Tetsubo had sent her, including several other vid-
letters.  
Emily smiled as she viewed the photo of Tetsubo kneeling down with a satisfied 
grin on his face and surrounded by his Starmie, Alakazam, Electabuzz, Pidgeot, 
Charizard and Vileplume (the latter two with expressions that hinted at 
positive changes).  

“Dear Emily.  Me again.  I’ve been doing a lot of training between the Orange 
and Rainbow League, especially with my two newest Pokémon.  The Eevee I saved 
from a forceful evolution, Slade, and a Lickitung called Snack.  I forget if I 
mentioned that or not since our phone conversations sometimes go on for hours, 
so feel free to fast forward if you’ve heard this, surely my voice will bore 
you if that’s the case.”  
“Not at all Tetsubo.” smiled Emily, her style had changed slightly and now she 
wore a white shirt with a puffy red ribbon placed like a tie, she wore a 
turquoise skirt, small white boots, and covering her now short shoulder length 
green hair was a beige hat.  
“Aside from regular encounters with local bad guys (the group that Wes’ and 
Burn are a part of; The Shadow Alliance), six out of seven of my Gym Battles 
on Rainbow Island went smoothly, even though I encountered some new Pokémon 
and new types that made some of my Gym wins really close and lucky.   But I 
had problems in Amber Town against Cordelia, or as you may know her as, 
Discord, a winner of the Kanto League six years ago, I lost the first time 
round and my skills as a trainer were questioned.  I was ready for her after 
claiming six out of seven badges and beat her in a rematch with a strategy 
I’ll tell you about in person, but that’s not the full story.  After the 
battle, she revealed herself to be my missing sister Megumi.  She’s really 
changed since I last saw her, so cold and ruthless, she’s nothing like I 
remembered her, she was so horrible towards me and had no faith in me winning 
the Rainbow League.  Anyway, I caught up with Carrie, Veronica, Abby, Cody and 
Rick throughout the League and battled hard in four rounds, but as you know I 
lost in the final round to Rick, but its no big deal.  The only real concern I 
have regarding that tournament is that my sister was watching and still stands 
by her harsh opinions.  Personally, I’d like to re-apply at the Rainbow League 
when I can, and beat the Johto League to match her League wins, just so that 
I’d be her equal and then maybe she’d respect me enough to listen when I ask 
her to go home and see our folks (who at least now know she’s alive).  Well, 
the space on this video is just about full so I’ll send you another letter 
soon regarding my decision about the Johto League.  I’ll write back soon.”  

Emily sighed happily as she stopped this tape and activated the latest one, 
she hadn’t seen Tetsubo in person since she moved away from Fuchsia City but 
they had spoken often and Tetsubo sent her many things, she didn’t mind that 
he hadn’t been able to visit, he was a Pokémon Trainer after all and had to 
compete wherever he could if he ever was to reach the status of a champion, 
and his dedication was one of the many things she loved about him.  

“Dear Emily, sorry for not sending this out right away but I’ve had some 
family gatherings to attend before I left on yet another journey (in truth, 
just my mom, Dad and Cody but it counts).  I’m glad that we’ll be able to 
travel together again after these six long and hard months, though I won’t be 
able to meet at your place like we planned.  After the Rainbow League Gym 
Leaders and participants battled me with Pokémon and attacks new to me from 
the Johto Region, I felt I needed to study up on them before training in an 
area full of them.  I want to do as best as I can in this League, and so I’ve 
enrolled in a two and a half month long crash course in the Pokémon Academy at 
Violet City.  It used to be a kindergarten but the place has expanded since 
then.  It’s the quickest way to learn all I can about the new Pokémon, their 
habitats, their abilities and the two new types I can expect to see up here.  
I apologise that I won’t be able to spend a couple of days with you like we 
agreed but I promise to spend more time with you on our journey seeing as I 
won’t need to study day and night after this course.  If you could pass by 
Violet City on the 24th, that would be great, if not, call me and we’ll 
rearrange an alternate time and place to meet.  It’ll be real good to be able 
to reach out and touch you again after our time apart and travel together like 
old times, only better.”  

“Don’t worry Tetsubo, I’ll definitely be there by the 24th, I’ve got a few 
days to go before then and I’m already beginning my journey.” smiled Emily.  
“Emily, hope you didn’t get bored.” said her sponsor, Professor Beech, who’d 
moved to her home some time ago to make things convenient for the both of 
them, he was still a ginger bushy faced man.  
“Don’t worry about it; I’ve not been bored...”  
“You’re all registered for the Johto League, here’s your new model of the 
Pokédex, and since you’ll be pairing up with that nice kid that got me all the 
entries needed for my research, perhaps you could do the same again?” Beech 
pleaded.  
“I’ll try Professor, but this time I’d like to play a bigger part in 
completing these Pokédex databases and helping you out.” Emily replied.  
“If helping out makes you happy, then could you possibly do me another favour? 
I know you’d like to head out to Violet City immediately but could you to take 
a detour and deliver a package to Professor Elm in New Bark Town for me?” 
asked her sponsor.  
“I kind of planned on getting to Violet City for the 24th.” Emily replied 
nervously.  
“In that case it shouldn’t be a problem, you don’t want to get there too 
early, do you?” Beech explained.  
“I suppose not.”  
“And the route from New Bark to Violet is a lot easier to get through than the 
northern route currently.”  
“Okay, okay, give me the package and I’ll be on my way.” Emily sighed, she 
couldn’t very well say no now.  
“I assume you’ve already said goodbye to your parents?”  
“Of course.  It’s done me good to spend time with them so I wouldn’t just 
forget about something so important, and they’ll be home in the evenings so I 
can contact them at Pokémon Centres.”  
“And we already healed the Pokémon you’ve decided to take with you.”  
“Four from Kanto and one I caught the other day, check.”  
“I guess that’s it, its going to be gloomy around here without the occasional 
visit from you, so don’t forgot to contact me every once in a while.” Beech 
reminded her.  
“I will, don’t worry Professor!...” smiled Emily as she departed.  
“You will call me or you will forget?” Beech called, before groaning as Emily 
was long gone now.  

End of Chapter 61A  

Chapter 61B
Back to Story List #61 - #80
Back to the Pokézone