"Yeah, I can see that. One of my brothers got a Haunter once. I swear it kept playing practical jokes on everyone. Mum kicked it out of the house and 'encouraged' him to go off again and keep exploring." Aleron grinned in remembered amusement.

"My mother has a Gengar," Margaret replied. "Same general idea, except she loves the thing to death. The thing thinks it's hysterical to scare my dad's Blaziken out of its feathers."

Aleron snickered. "I like how it's 'the thing'." She grinned and moved back over to her cot, petting Vulpix. "Once you get more than five or six pokemon together who are out all the time, it gets really interesting. Not to mention really fun to watch."

"I had four," Margaret replied. "Two are still at home, and two are with me, although my Espeon is usually the only one to stay out all the time. Metangs and Exeggutes tend to draw attention."

"You're not kidding about that." Aleron chuckled. "Vulpix was my first, so she stays with me all the time." She rubbed behind Vulpix's ears. "Besides, Pikachu tends to be kinda tempermental around other people."

"You know, I could probably get my hands on a fire stone, if you want one," Margaret offered. "My parents get stones sometimes as promo things from Silph Co, but I don't have anyone who would evolve with a stone yet, except maybe Exeggute, but I don't want to use my leaf stone just yet." She really had no use for evolution stones at the moment, though she eventually wanted to use her water and leaf stones. A Starmie and an Exeggutor would help balance her team.

"No thanks. We tried once and she growled at me and refused to get anywhere near the fire stone the entire time we had it in the house." Aleron shook her head, amused. "Besides, I think I like her better as a Vulpix than a Ninetails. A friend of the family has a Ninetails that's very finicky."

"Fair enough," Margaret said. She grinned and scratched her Espeon's ears, getting a soft purr from the pokemon. "I had to be careful not to let this one near the stones, before she evolved. She was too curious for her own good as an Eevee, I didn't want her to get too close to my box of stones and have something happen."

"I can see that. I think curiosity is a common trait among Eevees." Smiling indulgently, she started to scoot onto the cot so she could settle down for the night. "Well, I think I'm going to attempt to sleep for a couple hours at least."

"Probably a good idea," Margaret replied. She went over to her own cot and toed off her shoes before making herself comfortable. Her Metang settled down next to the cot, and her Espeon curled up at the end of the cot. "Night," she said.

"Night Margaret." Aleron settled down to sleep, closing her eyes.

She was up fairly early the next morning, having changed clothes and pulled on her boots again. She'd gotten some food for the both of them, and had already fed her two pokemon.

"Time to get up and about! We've got a ways to go today."

Margaret mumbled something incoherent and burrowed deeper into her cot. She enjoyed sleeping, darn it. Her Espeon and Metang looked at each other, some sort of silent communication going on between them, before the Espeon nodded. Without warning, Metang Screeched. The sound was high and piercing, sounding very much like abused metal. Margaret flailed violently and nearly fell off the cot.

"What?!" She said shrilly. "I'm awake, I'm awake!"

Aleron shook her head, trying to clear it. "Ow, that kinda hurt. Thanks, though." She managed to grin at Metang before looking at Margaret.

"Come on, get up so we can get going. I brought breakfast for you three, so you can eat and we'll get going."

"That was a horrible cheap shot," Margaret sniped good-naturedly at her Metang. "My ears are ringing now." Getting up, she gathered up her things before going to sit down with Aleron. Her Espeon and Metang followed her.

"Here. Food. Eat." Aleron pushed the plate at Margaret, grinning. "Sugar will do you good." I'd offer you coffee too, but I don't have any at the moment."

"That's fine," Margaret replied. "Sugar sounds wonderful as it is." Once she made sure her pokemon were taken care of, she started on her own breakfast.

Aleron waited patiently, idly feeding Vulpix and Joltean a little more to make surethey were fine before the long day ahead of them.

"I was thinking that we can make it at least to the National Park by mid-day, depending on how distracted we get."

"Are there any interesting species in the National Park?" Margaret asked, curious. "I would think it would be mostly grass-types and bug-types, wouldn't it?"

"Yeah. Lots of bug and grass types. There are even a couple of semi-rare pokemon in there. You'll run across the occasional water type, too." Aleron shrugged a little. "I mostly just go right through."

"Well, bug-types have the advantage over psychic-types, but that just makes it fun," Margaret said. "Better bug-types than dark-types, at least."

Aleron nodded. "Yeah. They're not even a challenge for Vulpix, so I tend not to bother most of the time." She shrugged and stretched out. "Well, whenever you're ready to go."

Margaret finished her breakfast and made sure her things were in order. Once she was sure, she recalled her Metang.

"Ready when you are," she said.

Aleron nodded and recalled Jolteon, starting to walk. "Let me know if you want to stop anywhere or get any supplies. I probably should stop and get a few things... But I don't really feel like it."

"I stocked up before I left Saffron," Margaret replied. "I should be alright until we get to the next town." She looked around as they walked, a little curious. "Goldenrod is very similar to Saffron," she commented. "It feels the same."

"The big city feel," Aleron agreed. "I'm not as comfortable here as out in the middle of nowhere. Oh well. Oh, did you want to challenge Whitney before we go?"