"A rebel," Margaret teased. "Metang is the one who usually takes on any dark-type we come across, since he's part steel. Espeon is a pure, so she has no real way of taking on a dark-type."

Aleron chuckled and set Vulpix down after a few moments. "Yeah, I know the feeling. These two are both single type, although I've taught them a couple off-type movies. Jolteon knows agility, rock smash, and strength, and Vulpix knows a couple more."

"Espeon knows Shadow Ball, Flash, and Bite," Margaret replied. "Metang knows Grass Knot and Ice Punch." She grinned. "My parents give me TMs for my birthday, sometimes. I want to teach him Signal Beam, but I don't have the TM for it."

"You can probably find one somewhere around," Aleron said with a grin. "I'll keep an eye out for one for you."

Another kid approached them, and Aleron smirked at Margaret. "Have fun."

Margaret looked at the kid approaching them. He couldn't have been older than ten or eleven. She grinned a bit.

"I'm guessing you want a battle?" she asked him.

Aleron chuckled as the kid nodded, and she moved back to watch. This should be fun.

"Alright," Margaret agreed. She debated between her two pokemon for a moment before disconnecting Metang's pokeball from her belt.

"Do you want to pick first, or should I?" she asked. It was only fair, really. She didn't mind either way.

The boy pulled out one of his pokeballs and released a Psyduck.

Aleron smirked and just leaned back to watch.

Margaret's brain instantly supplied that Psyduck was primarily a water-type. That wasn't too much of a challenge...

"Go, Metang," she said, releasing the steel-psychic-type. Even though Metang had a slight elemental disadvantage, the round was decidedly one-sided once he used Grass Knot.

Aleron chuckled as the boy walked away after handing over some money, looking disapponted. "It's almost funny how they think they can take us," she said with a grin. "Even though we're clearly older than they are."

"I've taken on gym leaders twice my age," Margaret pointed out. "But you're right. We've been licensed trainers since we were the kids' age, you'd think we would know a thing or two." She patted Metang's side and listened to the dull clang it made. She grinned. "That sound always makes me think of when I'm home. Exeggute likes to bounce on Metang's head, and all six of them bouncing makes it sound like rain on a tin roof."

Aleron grinned. "Yup, that sounds about right. Whenever it rains at home we have a stampede, because we have several fire-types, and they all run for cover at the first hint of rain."

Margaret giggled.

"Sounds like fun," she said. "Metang is the only one of mine that doesn't like the rain. My dad's Blaziken doesn't like it, either, but that's understandable."

Aleron suddenly grinned as they walked through the park. "I just had a genius idea. After we're done with getting all the badges and finding more pokemon, we should go visit each other's houses! I'll show you the ranch and all our pokemon there, and you can show me Saffron city!"

Margaret grinned.

"I like that idea," she said. "I have seven more Johto badges to get, so I'll end up going all over the region for them. Do you need to get any of the Kanto badges? I can guide you around my region, I've been everywhere at least once."

"I actually only have four of the Johto badges, so I'll collect them with you," Aleron said with a smile. "And none of the Kanto. I spent a lot more time exploring and running around all over the place than training, really. Sometimes I just wouldn't feel like battling a gym leader so I'd just pass the place by."

"I wanted to get the badges first," Margaret replied. "I wanted to travel, see the world, get away from Saffron. Gathering a team of pokemon was just a bonus." She grinned. "I still want to travel and see the world. Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova... Maybe even the Sevii Islands and the Orange Islands."

"Islands are fun. I got to go to one of the little islands once with my dad when I was younger. There were a bunch of pokemon I hadn't seen before, and the weather was great." Aleron couldn't help but smile. "Besides, sometimes you get lucky and you can get passage between the islands on a Lapras."

"I never got to leave Saffron before I got my first pokemon," Margaret replied. "My parents would take me to work with them every so often, and I got to play with some of the pokemon there, but I never really left the city at all." She paused for a moment. "Now that I think about it, my parents always let me play with the psychic-type pokemon. I guess that's why I'm so comfortable around them now."

"Maybe. Who knows?" Aleron shrugged. "I always used to play with all the pokemon in the fields, but I still like fire-type best." She patted Vulpix and scratched behind her ears. "But anyway, going and getting all the badges sounds like a plan to me. And if we happen to get a few more pokemon along the way, well, that's fine by me too."

"Sounds like a plan," Margaret replied. "How about we head towards Violet City first? I can get another badge, we can stop by the Ruins, and then come see where we go from there."

"That sounds like a plan to me." Aleron smiled and continued walking. She really didn't feel like dealing with the little kids around them trying to find someone to battle. Most of them had just caught the pokemon, too. Which was a stupid way to go about it, but oh well.

Margaret recalled her Metang and continued walking with Aleron. She glanced around at the trainers in the park. Most of them were just kids, although there were a few adults here and there. All of the pokemon she could see with them were cute things, though, like Zigzagoon and Sentret. None of them were all that rare.

Aleron made it through the park and started walking towards Violet City, humming to herself as she did. She didn't expect any more trouble; at least, she hoped not.

Margaret walked with her, looking around at the scenery. It was different than Kanto, but it was still nice. The route almost reminded her of the waterway south of Lavender Town; both places ended up connecting three different towns and cities together.