Chapter 23:  Matters of Trust (Part A) by Michael Keens/ Exodus  

After leaving Danielle behind, thank goodness, we were on the verge of reaching 
Saffron City.  
“I’m glad its just the two of us again...” said Emily.  
“Me too.” I said, edging a little closer to her.  
“You know, I don’t think you realise how much I appreciate your company Tet’.”  
“But I do.”  
She sniffed, “You’re the most trustworthy person I’ve ever met.”  
I stayed silent, I wasn’t totally trustworthy as it turned out, but I might 
have been if it wasn’t for Bryan, threatening me if I told his secret.  
If I could just keep Emily away from him until he became open about his being a 
Rocket, things would turn out fine.  
“No one’s ever cared for me as much as you have...  After that business with 
Sebastian, I didn’t think I’d ever be as happy as I am now.”  
“Emily, don’t start shedding tears, I know what you’re trying to say.”  
“No Tetsubo, I’m not sure you do.  With all these girls tagging along with us, 
I noticed that... I was jealous of them for being able to be so close, and so 
open with you...  I’d... really like it if perhaps... we could be a little 
closer...”  
My attention was totally diverted to her, “But what about the stuff we talked 
about on the Rock Tunnel Path?”  
“I said... if my feelings ever changed, I’d tell you, and I think... they truly 
have...  I’ve been selfish about our relationship and now I’m afraid that if I 
wait too long, you might find another girl, I know for sure, that you’re the 
guy I want to be with, always...”  
“Emily...  I never stopped caring about you, no matter who I’m with, you’re 
always in my head and in my heart...  We’re great friends and we’re good 
together, and I know it would work for us, I’ve been waiting for the day that 
you would let me be closer to you, I’m so happy to hear you say that...”  
I didn’t know what else to say, but the expression on Emily’s face guided me to 
what I should do next.  
We came closer together, and then...  Our first real kiss, not for anyone but 
ourselves, it was true and passionate.  
We really didn’t want it to end but we had a lot of work ahead of us and it had 
to end sometime.  
We broke the kiss and stared happily at each other, slightly blushing and 
unsure of what to say, Emily was the first to speak.  
“Now if we’re going to have a relationship together, we’re gonna need 
commitment and trust, you will always do that for me, won’t you?...”  
“Of course I will Emily, I promise...”  
Of all the times to be interrupted, why now?  
A huge machine crashed down, it looked like a Kingler.  

“We specialise in drugs, and the odd chemical test.”  
“Machinery, genesis, we’re the best.”  
“Stay out of our way, or you’ll be crushed.”  
“You can’t tell of us, you’ll soon be hushed.”  
“Billy.”  
“And Willy.”  
“We’re the Screwloose Brothers, the Team Rocket Scientists.”  
“Mess with us and feel our Pokémon’s fists.”  

“No, not now...” I moaned.  
“Can it kid! Give us your Pokémon or else!” shouted Willy.  
“Shockwave!” I shouted throwing the Pokéball.  
“Buzz!”  
“Thundershock!”  
“Bllaabuzz!!!”  
A clear plastic helmet covered the top of the robot where the brothers were.  
The electricity went through the robot and into the ground, not damaging it at 
all.  
“Shockwave, Return! Run! Emily! Run!”  
They took a little while to get started, but they were on the move before long, 
I held on tight to Emily’s hand, we couldn’t give in to the brothers, not now, 
not after achieving what I had longed for for years.  
Ever since I had met Emily, the kind and caring girl from my class in junior 
school, the one who raised my spirits when I was down, the one I had talked 
with through E-Mail for five years while in boarding school, and the special 
girl that had travelled with me through virtually all of my Pokémon Journey.  
I had always dreamed of being where I was now with her, I couldn’t let it end 
here.  
We were getting close to Saffron City, but what would we do there? How would we 
stop this huge robot? How-  
The robot somehow landed in front of us.  
“We won’t ask you a second time kid, give us the Pokémon or you and your girl 
are gonna die!” threatened Billy.  
I looked around nervously and spotted something, an underground path to Celadon 
City.  
“Okay...  You win...”  
“Tetsubo?...” asked a concerned Emily.  
I threw five Pokéballs up, the lid opened and Billy stood up to get them.  
“I thought he had more...” he pondered.  
“Open it already!” shouted Willy, they were empty.  
“You thought you could fool us, did you?” smiled Billy, “Well now we’re 
gonna...”  
We were no longer in front of the machine but dashing into the underground 
path.  
Five wasted Pokéballs were easily worth our escape.  
“We can’t fit this robot in there.” moaned Billy.  
“Yes we can, we’ll just have to make some space.  Giovanni doesn’t own this 
land so we can do as much damage as we need to, just as long as we get those 
Pokémon!”  
Emily and I boarded the fast transport, it shot off at about 60 miles per hour, 
there were seat belts so the speed didn’t bother us that much, our hair was 
ruined by the winds but it was much better than dealing with that... robot...  
It was clambering through the tunnels, and at a very fast pace, though it was 
forced to walk sideways being based on a crab Pokémon.  
“What’re we gonna do Tet?...” panicked Emily.  
“Get out of here.” I answered, “Looks like we’ll have to battle their machine 
after all.”  
After the ten minute ride was over, we ran out of the path and up the stairs, 
the robot crushing the transport as we did.  
We ran out and the building collapsed.  
“You can’t escape kid!” screamed Willy.  
“Blow ‘em up, the Pokéballs will survive the blast.” shouted Billy.  
A cannon mounted on the Kingler robot’s left pincer, there was no escape for 
us, all Emily and I could do was hug each other in fear...  
Then something happened, a Pokémon ran past, lifting us out of the way, the 
beam made a small crater where we were.  
I looked at the Pokémon:  A Growlithe, I looked at the trainer:  Bryan...  
“Must I save your butt again, ‘Capture?” he asked as if he were my friend.  
“What’s he doing here?!” screamed Billy.  
“My old enemies.” said Bryan confidently.  
“Get out of our way!” shouted Willy.  
“Burner, use your Flamethrower!”  
“Grooowwwlll!!!”  
The fire hit the machine, but nothing really happened, I saw a special cap on 
the side and reacted.  
“Twinkill!”  
“Star!”  
Twinkill spun itself and knocked out the cap that kept the fuel inside, the 
fire hit it and the Kingler robot exploded, shooting the Screwloose Brothers 
into the air.  

“How could he do that to us?!” questioned Billy.  
“The Boss’ll surely hear about this and get something done about it!” shouted 
Willy.  
“That’s when we actually land and get to him!” moaned Billy.  
“We’ll be back...” threatened Willy before the two fell out of sight.  

Bryan held out a hand, I stared at him angrily in the face, I didn’t care that 
he’d just saved our lives, he was still the same old Bryan.  
“Good thing I was in the area.”  
I looked at Emily picking herself up and remembered that dumb deal so I took 
the hand.  
“Those guys knew you.” I said subtly, to maybe make him expose himself.  
“Yeah, I’ve dealt with those clowns before, I never thought we’d be working 
together, ‘Capture.”  
“Me neither...” I said holding back the rage.  
I wanted Emily out of here, away from him, he exploited our agreement to try 
and steal Pokémon the last time, I was sure he would do the same now.  
“Thanks for saving us Bryan, but me and Emily have to go right away.”  
“That’s gratitude for you, you could at least have a three-on-three Pokémon 
Battle with me.  Its less dangerous than dealing with the Screwloose 
Brothers.”  
“I have to go.” I said firmly, grabbing Emily’s hand.  
“Chicken.  How do you expect to get into the Pokémon League with that kind of 
attitude?” asked Bryan insultingly.  
“What’s the rush Tetsubo? You can battle him if you want, I’m not in any 
hurry.” said Emily, blind to the truth.  
I couldn’t argue, I was trapped, I wanted Emily away from him but if I was too 
obvious, I’d break our agreement and he might hurt her.  
“Okay Bryan, let’s make this quick.”  
“It will be ‘Capture.” smiled Bryan confidently.  

“Go!” we shouted.  
“Blllaaabbuuzzz!!!”  
“Zubat!”  
I wasn’t going to hold back, Shockwave was one of my most powerful Pokémon, at 
least of the ones that totally obeyed my commands in battle.  
I had the type advantage but since when did that matter against Bryan.  
“Shockwave! Hurry and use your Thunderpunch!”  
“Siphon, Toxic!”  
The punch connected, just, but the Zubat lifted itself a little and spat in 
Shockwave’s face.  
“Bllaaaa!!!”  
“Do you want to return, Shockwave?”  
He shook his head, he seemed to understand the possible danger that could come 
of this.  
“Asking Pokémon if they want to return? ‘Capture, you’re so soft and weak, a 
Pokémon Trainer trains Pokémon, but your Pokémon appear to be training you!” 
laughed Bryan.  
I wouldn’t retaliate to that, it seemed sensible to push Pokémon, but the ways 
he did it could be seen as cruelty, I had my own way of training Pokémon and it 
would work in the long run.  
“Shockwave, Quick Attack!”  
“Siphon, Leech Life.”  
Shockwave leaped forward, and won over the bat, he took initiative and went for 
another go while he had the chance, but poison kicked in, Siphon took the 
opportunity to sink its teeth in.  
“Shockwave! Thunderpunch!”  
He hit the Zubat hard and it fell back, surely I could win.  
“Shockwave, Thundershock!”  
“Siphon, Confuse Ray!”  
Shockwave looked right into Siphon’s gaze, now confused, he looked slightly 
evil, like the way he was before I captured it, he turned to me with a 
dangerous expression and leaped.  
Thank goodness I was holding the Pokéball, I was able to recall him before he 
got to me.  
“Using possibly your most powerful Pokémon first.  Bad move ‘Capture.  Siphon 
may look weak but he can outsmart the toughest opponents.” said Bryan recalling 
him and drawing another Pokémon.  
“Char!”  
“Bell!”  
Another type advantage in my court, but Bryan’s Pokémon had an overly amount of 
stamina.  
“Inferno, Ember attack!”  
He wouldn’t listen and sat on the floor scratching his ear.  
“And this one won’t even listen to you.” laughed Bryan, “I swear your Pokémon 
are becoming utterly weak like you!”  
Inferno’s eyes shot forward, he didn’t like being insulted and he threw the 
Ember flames I had asked for.  
“Trap! Move it!” shouted Bryan.  
The Bellsprout’s stringy legs lowered, then sprung up, shooting it over the 
flames and bringing its foot down on the Charmander’s head, Inferno was stunned 
for a moment.  
“Your Charmander has the right attitude, but I bet you got it in a trade, 
because its nothing like you!” guessed Bryan still trying his best to lower my 
spirits.  
“Slash attack!” I commanded.  
He reacted before Bryan could utter a command, the plant fell back from the 
critical hit.  
“Flamethrower!”  
“Acid!”  
The substances fell on both Pokémon and the Bellsprout fell down.  
“Inferno!” I shouted, concerned.  
“Char...”  
“Get up Trap, GET UP!” ordered Bryan.  
“Bell...”  
I wasn’t surprised that the Bellsprout was down, it had been hit by a critical 
hit and its weakness.  
“You stupid Pokémon! Just wait until we get back, you’re in for some 
punishment!” threatened Bryan as he recalled it.  
“And you wonder why I don’t want to train like you do?...” I said quietly.  
“Quiet ‘Capture!...  Go Whirlpool! Water Gun!” shouted Bryan losing control of 
his rage.  
As soon as it appeared, so did the water, Inferno got drenched and then fainted 
from poison.  
“I don’t care if its through type advantage, I have to win.” I muttered, 
releasing Scramble from its ball.  
“Exeggcute!”  
“Whirlpool! Hypnosis!”  
“Scramble, use your Hypnosis too!”  
The blasts coincided and magnified, and both Pokémon ended up looking drowsy.  
“Scramble, you’ve gotta wake up!” I begged.  
“Get up you idiot!” shouted Bryan to his Pokémon.  
They both did, but Bryan’s jumped forward and body slammed Scramble without any 
consent, but Bryan was happy with it.  
“Scramble! Mega Drain!”  
It stole back what the Poliwag had taken, but it made him mad.  
“Whirlpool, Doubleslap!”  
Scramble was hit harder than it probably should have been.  
“Leech Seed!” I shouted.  
One of them hit and the energy was being sucked out of Whirlpool.  
“Don’t just stand there! Body Slam!” shouted Bryan.  
“Poli!” it shouted, barging into Scramble.  
“Ice Beam!”  
Scramble was stunned from the body slam and was soon encased in ice.  
“Ex... egg... cute...”  
I recalled it, my head fell down in shame.  
No matter what I did, Bryan managed to win, what was I doing wrong?...  

“’Capture, you haven’t changed, I told you right from the start that you’d 
never beat me and that you’d train them wrong.  You’re starting to bore me 
now.” he said waving a hand to the side as he walked away.  
I stood where I was, Emily glared ahead and then walked over to me.  
“Tetsubo, he’s not really your friend, is he?...” she sussed.  
“He’s a bully, always has, always will be...” I said, that’s all I could really 
tell her.  
She looked away from me in thought, “Are you sure that's all there is to it?” 
she asked me.  
“Of, of course.” I spluttered.  
“Okay then, let’s get our Pokémon rested up.” said Emily tugging my hand.  

Now in Celadon City, we gave our Pokémon to Nurse Joy and rested.  
I caught up on some Z’s, I hadn’t been able to sleep lately, one of the reasons 
for this was because I wanted to protect Emily and let no one get to her, 
especially now that we had entered a new relationship with each other.  

Unknown to me, Emily had left the Pokémon Centre without her Pokémon, and ran 
down the path following the big footprints.  
“Tetsubo’s acting weird.” she said to herself, “And its always when that big 
guy Bryan is around, I’m going to have a good talk with him, understand the 
situation, and give him a real seeing to...”  

End of Chapter 23A  

Back to Chapter 22B
Chapter 23B
Back to Story List #21 - #40
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