Helloooo! Welcome to another installment of N.N. When we last left off Ambra had made a new friend and traveling companion. Despite the female duo's awkwardness around one another, their time together should prove an interesting learning experience for them both as they head towards their next destination.

NOTE: I own nothing except 58% of the (derpy) characters I use :p

We continued our way down Route 102, the silence broken only by random conversation and Axel growling at Vye whenever she got too close to me. I sighed. I hope those two can learn to get along. It'll be hard enough-

"Hey!"

My thoughts were interrupted as a little boy was running up to us. He couldn't be any older than 10 or so. I wonder what he was so worked up about? I let him take a minute for him to catch his breath.

"Hi, can I help you with something?"

He nodded and grinned. "My name's Calvin ...and I want you to battle me."

He what...? "Excuse me?"

"You heard me- I'm challenging you."

I had to admit, the kid had some guts, but I was a little unsure about battling him. I slipped a quick glance at Vera. She nodded approvingly. I focused on Calvin, determined face on. Guess I have no choice.

"Alright kid, you're on."

"Yes!" He took a few steps back and threw out a pokeball. Inside was a Poochyena, looking exactly like Axel. I know it probably would be a tie or something, since they were pretty much the same in every way, but I just had to see and find out. He was my only Pokemon, after all. Axel stepped forward; looking up at me with what I assumed was his version of a smirk. As if he thinking 'This is too easy', or something similar to that. I smiled back, then turned my attention to the young trainer. "Alright kid, your move."

"Dang..." the kid mumbled to himself. Lying on the ground was his Poochyena, knocked out cold. Axel stood where he was, panting heavily and covered in scratches and looking ruffled up. 'That was too close...' With both of them barely standing, I was lucky that Axel was the faster dog. I walked over to Calvin as he returned his Pokemon. "That was a good battle." I said, extending my hand. He smiled and shook it graciously.

Just as we were about to leave, the kid grabs my hand and leaves something in it. I was really confused. Why the heck did he give me this? "Hey wait!" I called after him. "What's all this for?"

He just waved back at us. "Keep it- you earned it!" Then he disappeared into the tall grass. I looked down at the money in my hand.

"¥80 huh? Not bad for ya first battle." I jumped at the sound, only right after to find that it was just Vera.

"Not bad? What are you talking about? That kid just gave me his money!"

"Dat's a good thing," Vera deadpanned.

"Good? Good? I just took money from a little boy!" I cried out in guilt. I didn't like accepting money from strangers.

"No, no, no!" she replied in an almost soothing tone. "Whenever someone loses a battle, dey give some of deir money to da winner. And when you win, you earn money." Vera went on explaining, "Since you won da battle, you earned da money."

I stared at it a while longer before begrudgingly pocketing the money. I can't believe I actually have to keep that little boy's money! "Fine, but I still don't like it." It was hard to tell because of her hat, but her voice hinted at a smirk.

"Well how'd ya think Trainers earned money?"

Vera and I ran into two more Trainers after that. One was a kid who looked almost exactly like Calvin, who had a Taillow and Zigzagoon. The other was a girl about our age who also had a Zigzagoon and a Shroomish. After Vera collected her winnings, we took a break for lunch. Somehow, we got onto the random subject of starters and she asked me how I got mine. After I explained to her what happened, she gave me this funny look. It was then that she insisted on teaching me the 'proper' way to catch a Pokemon.

"Here's a good practice target." Vera said in a hushed tone and nodded towards the wild Lotad a couple feet away, and then turned to me. "Watch and learn." She called out her Kanto shrub and commanded her to use Constrict, ensnaring the water weed and making it Growl in protest. "The key is to catch da Pokemon off guard," she stated, "and den hit dem with ya strongest attack." Vye released her grip on the Lotad after a while, dealing a fair amount of damage. "Now you try."

I did as she said, calling out Axel and then commanding him to Tackle it. He did so easily, earning another angry Growl and a face-full of Water Gun from it. It hardly affected Vye at all, since she's a Grass type, but it did normal damage to Axel. Our starters continued their assault on the out-numbered Lotad until it looked ready to faint. Vera smiled. "Good, now let's see you catch it."

I cringed. The last Pokemon I caught was Axel, and that was completely unintentional! I wasn't so sure if I wanted to see how capable I was, but whatever. I took an empty pokeball out and threw it towards the wild Pokemon.

Nothing happened.

I looked around me, then near the Pokemon and back again. Where did that thing go? I kept searching for it until I heard someone clear their throat. I slowly turned around to see Vera holding the lost ball with an angry look. On her head was a noticeable bump. Gulp.

She chucked the ball back at me, almost hitting me in the face. "Again. And dis time- towards the POKEMON." I tried again, aiming and firing the red capture beam at it multiple times. Dang thing dodged every time. Aggravated, I whipped the pokeball towards it. It hit spot on and the Lotad fell over, twitching slightly. I couldn't stop myself from facepalming. Real smooth Ambra. "...Is it okay?"

"Eh, don't worry. I'm sure it'll be fine," she reassuring me. "And just for future reference, try aimin' da pokeball at dem without giving dem concussions." Sighing, I picked it up. It's no use wasting a good pokeball, right? I left an Oran berry in its place.

"Did you hear that?" I asked for probably the 5th time. For some reason, I felt as if someone, or something was following us. Stupid I know, considering all the Pokemon and Trainers in the tall grass. But I couldn't help but hear this nagging voice in my head telling me something was off.

"Hear what?"

"I'm not sure...," I admitted, "but I feel like were being watched."

Vera scoffed. "Someone watchin' us? You're probably just imagining it. Besides, we would've noticed if it was a stalka Trainer or somethin'."

Stalker trainers? I didn't think those existed. Sure, my brother mentioned them once or twice- but do you really think I'd take him seriously? But the very thought was starting to unnerve me even more than I already was.

I gulped. "There are Trainers like that?"

She gave me an evil smile. "Sure dere are! Rumor has it dat dey lurk in dark caves and real tall grass, just waitin' to ambush helpless young Trainers and-"

"Stop!"

"Heh, what's wrong kid? Ya scared?"

"No," I half-lied nervously, "I just thought you like to know there's a Wurmple on your foot." She looked down and watched it inch its way onto her shoes and up her leg. And there's that funny look on her face again.

"AUGH! GET IT OFF! GET IT OFF!" She began running around in an attempt to shake it off. It was hilarious. I would've busted my gut laughing except I wasn't so sure she'd kick my butt later. "Hold still. I'm gonna try to get it off." Pulling out some Pokemon food I had in my pocket, I tried coaxing it off. "It's okay, little guy. We won't hurt you." The bug eyed me suspiciously before gobbling up the food, then inching its way up my arm.

"Don't you have Wurmples in Kanto?" I asked. It didn't bother me to have it crawl all over me. I was used to Bug types crawling on me.

"No, but they do look a lot like Catahpies."

"Caterpies?"

"They're like green caterpillars."

"Do they evolve into butterflies, too?"

"Yea, Buttahfrees."

Butterfrees...I wonder if there anything like Beautiflies? "Oh that's cool. You see this Wurmple can either evolve into Cascoon or Silcoon. Then, depending on which one you get, either a Beautifly or Dustox." That was as much as I knew about them, other than that they're Bug Types and you can find them almost everywhere in Hoenn.

And that's how we got into this big discussion about Bug Pokémon and the differences between them in each region and blah blah blah. We probably would've gone on for another hour or so had we not heard this weird noise. I turned around and saw a small group of Wurmples surrounding her starter curiously. It had to be one of the cutest things I ever saw.

For the first 5 minutes or so. That's when we realized what the Wurples were trying to do.

"Holy Mew- dey're trying to eather!" Vera shouted. She began pushing and kicking the little insects away. But they just kept coming back, like a giant swarm.

Not knowing what else to do, I called my Poochy out. "Axel, you got to help them!" He made this grumbling noise, and then knocked them out one by one. It looked like he had them all until one of them got him from behind with String Shot. "Crap," I muttered to myself. I pushed my way through the pile of Wurmples, some fainted, and towards my bag. A few tried climbing on me before I found what I needed.

"Shoo! Shoo, ya crazy bugs, shoo!" I yelled, spraying massive amounts of repel at them. After the last of them scattered, I stopped to catch my breath and check on Vera and Vye. They looked alright, except that her Tangela was missing a few vines.

"What the heck was with dose things?"

"How should I know? Wurmples don't usually attack like that." Especially not in giant hordes. "Maybe they had mistaken her for a bush or something," I joked halfheartedly.

She glared at me. "Not funny."

"I know, I know, I'm sorry."

Vera groaned and held onto her plant protectively, saying something along the lines of 'destroying all Wurples someday'. I shook my head and followed after her. I can't blame her for holding a grudge against the things, but still- wanting to destroy a whole species?

"That's a little much don't you think? I mean I know they attacked Vye and all but-"

"No way, dose worms have it coming!"

I sighed and just kept the rest of my thoughts to myself. After all, there's no way I'm going to win an argument against her.

Ahh, nothing like a little fail training and slightly traumatizing Pokémon encounter to teach you a valuable life lesson! XD Now I'm pretty sure those Wurmples weren't intentionally trying to hurt them- they just thought Vye was a walking salad bar is all. *shot* Anyways, please leave reviews~ (and if anyone can tell me why my spaces won't take and keeps making the text bunch up and how to fix it that would be VERY appreciated ^^; )