***AUTHORESS NOTES***

*dances around happily* This is now officially my longest story!

AND I finally decided on what to do about the ending of "Green"! I'm
just not sure yet what to do NOW.

Oh wait, yes I do. *chuckles evilly* Talk about drama.

This is so my favorite chapter so far.

Wow, I'm feeling mean!

I might not get much farther after part 25 because I'm going to my
cousin's graduation party later. And tomorrow I'm going to my friend's
older sister's graduation party, so I'm going to have a busy weekend.

11 more days of school!!! YAY!!!!!!

Now time to get to the conflict chapter.

Don't forget to r/r!!

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Chapter 23: Cable Car

(Meaning behind the title: Have you ever heard of The Fray? They're a
punk band that's local to my area (Colorado) and my station plays them
all the time. Their most popular song is called Cable Car and the lyrics
go with the chapter. Their website is www.thefray.net.)


     "These smell so good!" Vicky exclaimed cheerfully. Zach rolled his
eyes.

     "This place is WAY overpopulated with berries," grumbled Nathan. 

     "It's better than having the place smell like crap," Josh grumbled
back. I had no clue what was up with those two lately. Ever since my big
battle, they had been bitter and mean, especially to each other and me.

     It was cloudy and the weather fit my mood perfectly. Josh and
Nathan were trying my patience and ruining my good moods.

     "You know what? The weather institute is right up this hill. We
should take a rest there," I offered, trying to come up with some
suggestion to make someone happy. I was about to pull my hair out and I
was going crazy.

     So we did take my suggestion and we were more than a little shocked
to find the place overflooded with red.

     I think the last people we thought we would see were Taylor and
Wally, but that is who was vieing for our attention. It quite shocked
me, as Wally poked me in the back. 

It seemed like the two people I hated most
were buddies now. And Wally hadn't been lying when he had told us that
he was part of Team Magma. 

"Okay, Nathan, you take on Wally, I'll
beat Taylor," I told him. I knew Sam, Vicky and Zach would come with me,
they were my closest friends at the moment. 
"What makes you so sure you'll beat him?
You should take on Wally," Nathan snapped and I swear, I just wanted to
kill him.

"Fine, then you take him on," I
snapped back. Nathan looked mildly surprised, I had previously tried to
be sugary sweet to him when he was like this. He was making me mad, and
he knew it. 

Taylor, Nathan and Josh went off to the
bottom floor, but Wally, Sam, Vicky, Zach and I stayed where we were. 
"I've been waiting really long to battle
you, Jenifer," Wally whispered. Sam and Zach tried to hold in laughs,
but I was just as disgusted as I was when I was with him trying to catch
that Ralts. That still should've been mine. Sneaky little jerk. 

"I've been waiting to beat you for a long
time," I said sweetly and my little buddies couldn't hold it any longer. 

"Let's just get started," he said. "Go
Roselia!" I just wanted to get this battle over with as fast as I could
so I let out Torch, who was at a type advantage and way more powerful. 

"Fire Punch!" I yelled and immediately the
plant Pokemon was knocked out. Wally let out his Delcatty, but it was
pretty much the same battle once Torch used Double kick. 

The same battles kept continuing with
various Pokemon, of both of ours, but I never lost. Then he let out his
Altaria and I panicked. I didn't have an ice type. 

But yet, an ice beam shone out and knocked
out the bird. Nathan recalled his Sealeo, while rolling his eyes at me.
I was furious. I was capable of beating Wally by myself! Even without a
type advantage, I could've won. 

Nathan stalked down the stairs, and I
followed him down. Josh, Zach, Vicky and Sam knew I was MAD, so they
didn't follow. 

"What was that about?" I demanded haughtily.
Didn't he think I was capable? I could've done it! I could've! 

"You don't have an ice-type," he replied
simply and that made me even more mad. 

"So what? I do have an electric type, not
to mention Wally is weak and I could've done it by myself! I don't need
your help!" 

"You did when you were still scared of
Taylor," he said coldly. That was purely mean and he knew it. That was
pushing the line. 

"That wasn't necessary," I told him. I was 
beyond mad now. I was hurt. 

"But it's true. When you were still afraid
of him, you needed me but once you're all confident and we meet new
people, you just kind of abandoned me!" 

"And what? You're jealous of me? Like
always?" I was pushing the line there, too, but I realized it. He had
gone too far with saying that I only needed his help when I was afraid
of Taylor. 

"I am never JEALOUS of you, Jenn! But your
ego is way too out of hand right now!" 

"Like yours isn't? You have the biggest
ego of anyone I know!" 

"You know what? When we first met, you
were weak. Period." I was about to say something about my beating Team
Rocket, but he stopped me. "I know you beat Team Rocket or whatever
they're called but you know, you were afraid of people. And of people
getting to know you. You were defenseless and well, a wimp. Let's face
it." 

"Yeah, well you try being abused!" I
yelled, stung by his remarks. 

"Oh, that little miss abused act is so
worn out!" he snapped. "No one cares anymore! You know what though?
Seriously, you've become a real snob since everyone joined our group." 

I had nothing to say, for the first time
in a long time. I couldn't believe I had let my iron resolve break for
this guy. 

"You're all about you now, and I'm sick of
it!" 

"You're ALWAYS all about yourself, Nathan,
so don't give me your crap!" I screamed shrilly. The others came running
outside then, but they didn't interrupt. 

"My only problem is that I'm always
thinking about you! Always looking for for someone who only cares about
herself!" 

"Well then maybe you shouldn't be so in
love with me!" I yelled. He actually stepped back then. I think I
smacked him with that. 

"Just because all the other guys we travel
with worship your spit doesn't mean I am too!" he yelled back. 

"What's that supposed to mean?" I shot
back.

      "I know about you and Josh!" he hollered and I'm sure I turned
about five shades of white.

       "Nathan... You weren't supposed to find out... I'm-I'm I'm
sorry."

  "Look at you, Jenn. You try to gain
everyone's pity because you were abused. You try to show everyone how
cool you are by telling how you beat Team Rocket. You're always trying
to show off, no matter if it's how you dress, how you act, how you
battle. You're nothing, Jenn. Absolutely-" 

"SHUT UP!" I yelled. I couldn't take his
words anymore. 

But then, I couldn't believe what happened
next. Right as Taylor and Wally walked outside, he pushed me to the
ground. I think that everyone's mouth about dropped then. I had so many
memories flooded back then. 

He could tell by my eyes that I was
wounded badly, but it didn't stop him from saying what he said next.
"You totally deserved to be hit by Taylor." 

I picked myself up, out of the mud.
"You know what? I'm out of here. I can't take this again. Don't follow
me. Any of you. I don't want to see anyone of you EVER again." And with
that, I ran and I was unable to stop myself from crying.