"Yeah," Margaret agreed. She grinned when the Magby snuggled closer to Aleron. "They really like you."

"I guess so." Aleron smiled as she greeted all the pokemon in there, tickling the Magby before patting its head. "Man I'd love to take them home with me."

"I tried that once," Margaret said. "When I was a kid. I tried to take Pokey back home with me, but my parents caught me and made me bring him back."

Aleron laughed. "I'm not surprised," she said with a little grin,still playing with the pokemon. "I mean, they are Silph Co's pokemon, as far as I know."

Margaret nodded.

"They are," she said. "But I was seven, and Pokey was soft and cuddly and I wanted to take him home."

Aleron laughed. "I know the feeling," she said with a grin. "When Jolteon was still an Eevee, he was born at my house, so after that I found him and picked him up and refused to let go of him for three days straight. We took baths together, ate together, took naps. That was fun."

She patted the Growlithe's head again and moved him off to the side so she could get up. The Growlithe and the Flareon immediately tried to tackle her down again.

"I got Espeon from the Eevee breeder in Celadon," Margaret said. She watched as the two fire-types jumped on Aleron. "Wow, they really like you," she said.

"Well if you ever want another Eevee, let me know." Aleron coughed as Flareon stepped on her stomach. "That doesn't deflate on command, princess." The Flareon let out a huff, like 'well why not?'

Margaret giggled.

"Tell them to let you up," she said. "I doubt they'll listen to me, I'm more in tune with the psychic types."

"Okay, you lot, let me up," Aleron said. "I'll come back and visit, I promise. But for now I need to go with her or I'll be stuck here."

The Flareon gave her a look, and Aleron snorted. "No, princess, that would not be a good thing. Now shoo. I'll be back later."

Margaret opened her mouth, about to ask what exactly wouldn't be a good thing, and then closed her mouth again. She got the feeling she knew what had just happened.

Aleron shook her head as she got up, saying bye to them one last time before she finally left.

"Well, that was fun."

"Yeah, really," Margaret replied. " So, what did that Flareon say? I didn't catch it."

"Basically asked why it wasn't a good thing if I stayed." Aleron snorted and rolled her eyes. "Honestly."

Then she paused, realized exactly what had just happened, and paled. "Shit."

"Welcome to my world," Margaret said dryly. "I didn't hear anything from them but the usual sounds, but when I was with the psychic-types, I heard actual words. I suggest you try to talk to your Vulpix later and see what happens."

"Yeah." Aleron sighed and scrubbed at her face. "Well, this is interesting. There isn't a branch in Johto is there?"

"Not that I know of," Margaret replied. "There's a sister corporation in Hoenn, but if there's a Silph Co. branch in Johto, I've never heard of it. If there is, it would be in Goldenrod."

Aleron frowned. "Well I've never been here. And somehow I don't think this happens to just anyone."

"I don't think so, either," Margaret replied. "I mean, I have an excuse, sort of. I spent my whole childhood here, practically."

"Yeah, but I didn't. This is the first time I've been here." Aleron frowned. "To the best of my knowledge, anyway."

"Maybe you should ask next time you're home," Margaret suggested. "I mean... Your parents would know, right?"

"I would assume so," Aleron said, though she looked a little nervous. If they knew that meant they'd never told her. "Come on, let's go see what else there is in town."

"Do you want to go check out the gym?" Margaret suggested. "Or the Dojo?"

"Dojo?" Aleron blinked. She hadn't heard of that before. Gym, yes. Dojo, no.

Margaret grinned.

"The Fighting Dojo," she said. "A while back, a bunch of Blackbelts decided they wanted to set up their own gym here, and tried to challenge Sabrina for the right to lead the gym. Of course, they went at her with fighting-types, which was stupid because Sabrina specializes in psychic-types. When they got their hides handed to them, they set up the Fighting Dojo next door. It's not a real gym, but they let people take the Dojo Challenge. It's a gauntlet of five Blackbelts, and if you win they supposedly carve your name on the plaque with the list of winners and they give you like a Fighting Brace or something for your pokemon."