A/N: Hey, guys! Just popping in to say a quick message. I recently got a formspring account, which y'all can find on my profile, so you guys can ask me anything (okay, almost anything). But do you guys care about that? Probably not! You may not even be reading this! xD

But what I will tell you is that there is a cute NxAimee moment in this chapter... Well, at least I think it's cute. o^-^o

And remember:
italics = Aimee's thoughts
::and::
-italics- = other thoughts. What are these "other thoughts"? Well keep reading and you'll find out! *Insert cheesy smile here*

Chapter Four

I almost sigh in relief when I see the guy asleep. I tiptoe over to one of the beds. When I walk by the chair the guy is in, I feel a hand grab my arm.

"Took you long enough."

My head turns to look at him, only I wish it hadn't. His eyes are staring into mine. I yank my arm away. I close my eyes and try to gather some courage before I say, "What do you want, N?"

"You know."

I stay quiet for a few seconds, thinking about my options. I could lie and say that I'm waiting for some friends. Or I could just say no and that I have some things to do before moving on to the next town. But what if I say yes? What would that lead to? "I have a couple things to do in this town."

"So do I."

I frown. Damn. So much for not traveling with him. Wait, what about the friends part? "I'm actually waiting for some friends—"

"Really?"

I can feel my jaw clench and my fists tighten.

N laughs. "You're a terrible liar."

"Prove it."

He definitely wasn't expecting that. His laughing stopped abruptly and he froze. His hat covers his eyes when he says, "I just know." There's a hint of pain and sorrow in his voice.

I decide not to push it any further. I plop on one of the beds and pull the covers over me. "Good night," I say, trying to be polite.

I hear no reply before I fall asleep.

"Wake up."

I groan and put my pillow on top of my head. "Five more minutes."

I smile slightly when I don't hear more nagging. But that happiness is short lived. "Hey!" I yell as I sit up and glare at the person, who so rudely snatched my pillow away and threw the covers off. His green eyes showing hints of amusement. I stand up and try to reach for the pillow. All my efforts are futile, as N is taller than me and is holding the fluffy goodness above his head. I ignore that smirk playing on his face and tackle him. When he falls back on his bed, I grab the pillow while he's in shock before he can try to keep it out of my reach. I get off him and hug my pillow, sticking my tongue out at him.

I can hear him lightly laugh behind my back. "Ko," he says.

My eyes widen. "Am not!"

"Are to."

"Am not!"

"Are to. And you're just proving my point."

I send another glare his way and mutter, "I'm not a child."

N shakes his head. "Get ready. We have things to do before we leave."

I start nodding, but then I stop myself. "Wait a minute. We? When was there ever a we?"

He just shrugs his shoulders in return.

I grab my bag and make sure I have both my Pokémon with me.

I'm already at the door when I hear, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to 'get ready.' " To leave, I add in my head.

I am presently standing outside the gym. Some guy is blocking the door, which kind of ticks me off because I was to get out of this town quickly and leave N behind. "Excuse me," I say to the guy. "I'd like to challenge the gym leader here."

He takes one look at me and says, "Head over to the Dreamyard to train. Come back after that."

I sigh when he walks inside. I glance at the Pokémon Center. When I see a tall teenager with long, green hair, I immediately hurry to the Dreamyard.

"Excuse me?"

I glance ahead of me. "Yes?" I ask the girl.

"What was your starter Pokémon?"

I open my mouth to speak, but stop suddenly. What if she wants to challenge me to a battle? If she knew, then she'd have the advantage. But I always have Victini… I sigh inwardly. "Oshawott," I reluctantly tell her.

She smiles. I brace myself as I wait for her challenge. "Would you like to have a Pokémon?"

I blink. Once. Twice. "Huh?"

"I have a Pokémon called Pansear. He'd be of great use for your team." She then quickly adds, "If you'd like it, that is."

Still bewildered, I say, "Sure."

She giggles. "You're funny. Here you go," she says as she places a pokéball in my hand.

The girl is about to walk off when I stop her. "What would you like in return?"

"Nothing. I'm giving it to you. Pansear should help you with your gym battle." She winks and walks away.

I smile to myself. Well that was awfully nice of her. "Alright, Pansear, come out!" My excitement soon turns to disappointment when I see the Pokémon. But just to see if my suspicions are correct, I pull out my pokédex.

"Pansear, the High Temp Pokémon. When it is angered, the temperature of its head tuft reaches 600 degrees Fahrenheit. It uses its tuft to roast berries."

I sigh. So much for having a balanced team. I kneel on the ground, holding my hand out for Pansear. He cautiously walks over and sniffs my hand. "What should I call you?" I ask to no one. "Sear—Ow!" I hold my hand. "Why'd you punch me?"

"Pansear!"

I huff. "Fine. A different name. What about Flame—Ow! Okay, okay. Not that one either," I say, now clutching my right knee. "I wasn't even done saying the name…" I mutter under my breath. Then something pops into my head. "Tempy! Because you have such a bad—Oof." Dang. That Pokémon can pack a punch, I think as I put a hand to my chest.

I see someone standing next to my sitting figure. "He doesn't like you very much, does he?"

My eyes widen at the voice, but soon turn to a glare. "What do you want, N?"

"You ran away so I went looking for you."

My mouth somehow twists into a sneer. Maybe I didn't want to be found.

After a minute of silence, N says, "Okay. Well I'm going now."

"Where?" I ask, mentally face palming myself after that word comes out.

"To the gym," he says.

Ugh! You could practically hear the smirk in his… voice… Wait, did he just say—?

-Gym? Yes, he did.-

Go away. I need to beat him there so I can leave this city before him.

-Why would you want to leave before him? Why don't you travel with him? After all, he is pretty— -

Don't even finish that thought. "Pansear, return." I have to do a double take when Pansear returns. "Why didn't you say you didn't want a nickname?" Damn it! N is almost at the entrance of the Dreamyard. I start at a full on sprint. When I pass the teenager, I notice him raise an eyebrow. I slam both doors open when I reach the gym. I put my hands on my knees and try to catch my breath. Once I have most of it back, I say, "I challenge the gym leader here!"

I earn many stares from my outburst. It's unsettling, but I stay focused on the battle I'm looking for.

An arm slings around my shoulder and a voice says, "And I'm after her."

A/N: Is it who you think it is? We'll find out soon. The next chapter is already being written!