Amaya breathed in the fresh air happily, keeping one eye on Vixi. As much as she wanted her pokémon to be able to freely explore as she wished to, Amaya was too wary of the little fox getting hurt to allow her to wander too far. After the Vulpix had gotten tired of being carried and wiggled out of her arms, Amaya had given her a poké-ball to play with, and she seemed to be content with that, batting the red and white ball around playfully.

“I wonder what pokémon are out here?” She said quizzically to no-one in particular, tucking a strand of light brown hair behind her ear. Although she had seen many trained pokémon, she had never seen a wild one besides some harmless bird and bug pokémon, and she was excited at the opportunity to meet new kinds.

Suddenly a tiny Torchic came wandering out of the bushes. It turned around to look at the opening it just made in the firm clump of leaves and giggled. Soon a small Charmander jumped out of the same hole in the bush and started to tickle the little Torchic. It fell over and laughed madly and rolled around, a tear coming out of it's small eyes. Not even a minute later another pokemon came out of the bushes. A stirn looking Magmar walked up to the small joyfull pokemon and looked down apon them with raging fire-borne eyes. Torchic and Charmander watched the towering pokemon inch closer to them and cowered underneath.

Amaya smiled as she saw the two small pokemon play, but stiffened when she saw the Magmar emerge from the bushes and make its way over to the little creatures. Bending her knees slightly to pick Vixi up and clutching the pink fox to her chest, she stepped closer than she liked to the duo and the large fire pokemon, one foot between them. Uncertain of whether the Magmar intended to harm the others, she reached out cautiously and made a pushing motion towards the Magmar's general direction.

"Hey," she said, more fiericely than she usually would have dared, "leave them alone."

The Magmar looked at you directly and pushed you back. It growled and started heating up, ready to battle you for the safety of the small pokemon. It's eyes roared and backed up waiting for you to start.

"Oof..." Amaya grunted as she almost lost her balance from being shoved back, feeling heat on her shoulders and collarbone from where it had touched her. Seeing the Magmar powering up, she held Vixi tighter to her.

"Um..." She stuttered quietly. Although she had greatly wanted to protect the Charmander and Torchic, she hadn't counted on it wanting her battle her newly gotten pokemon. Amaya didn't want her Vulpix to get hurt, but on the other hand, it was useless being a trainer if she was too frightened to even pit herself against a wild pokemon.

"You.. ah, you think you can do it?" She murmered to Vixi, loosening her grip and leaning down to gently place the fire fox at her feet. Vixi paused for moment to quickly rub her head against Amaya's leg before trotting nearer to the larger pokemon confidently. Unbidden, she growled and released a puff of embers, not intended to damage but to warn.

The Magmar looked at the little pokemon and chuckled. It ran up to it and slammed it against a tree, weakening it only a little. Vixi slipped down and tackled it back doing the same amount of damage the Magmar did to it.

Amaya flinched as Vixi was slammed into the tree, although the little pokemon seemed fine. "Vixi, try an Ember!" Very quietly, as the shower of sparks flew from the Vulpix's mouth, she murmered, "Please be careful."

The embers flew over to the gaint fire pokemon and did little damage due to the same type status. Magmar jumped at the pokemon making it flinch, but it soon regained consiousness and attacked it again, doing more damage than last time.

Amwaya gasped softly when she saw her pokemon apparantly temporarily unable to move. Quickly she bent over to pick up a smooth, slender stone, ready to throw it if the battle got out of hand.

"Vixi, fire attacks won't work... dodge, try confusing it!"

Vixi ran in circles around the Magmar and it watched it carefully, not aware of what's happening. It soon started to get dizzy from watching the small fox and fell over, dazed. It tried to flamethrower Vixi but missed and hit itself. The Maagmar got up and fell over imediatly, fainted.

Amaya blinked as she watched Vixi dart around the Magmar, starting to get confused herself until she closed her eyes and shook her head. She smiled as she saw it's attack miss her Vulpix, although she winced a little to see it hit itself.

"Wow," she murmered as she saw the lava pokemon collapse. Picking Vixi up and hugging her tightly as she congratulated her glowingly, she examined it to make sure it truly had fainted. Satisfied, she turned to the duo and smiled gently, slowly reaching a hand out to them.

"Hi there. You guys okay?"

(You gained 4 experience points.)

The two small pokemon looked up at you and smiled gratefully. Vixi ran over to them and they started thanking it in their unfamilliar languages. Vixi replied and went over and started to tickle the little Torchic. It once again madly laughed and Charmander joined in with the fun. The little pokemon finally finished playing and you departed along your seperate ways. But soon after that you found yourself stuck, lost in a feild of thorny bushes and clumsey trees attacking you whalst they swayed in the wind.

"Oof, ah, argh!" Amaya cried in frustration as yet another thorn dug into her right hip. "Vixi, can you see a way out?" She queried of her pokemon, holding her high above her head so that she wouldn't get pricked by the thorns.

You held her up but could not see over the towering dead trees flushed with all color. Vixi shook it's head no and you brought it back down to the hard earth. Suddenly a Growlithe and a Numel came prancing out over a dead, leaf-coated tree stump. They looked at you worriedly and ran back into the brown bushes.

Amaya's eyes lit up. "Hey, a Growlithe!" She had always liked the puppy pokemon, and it had been a close second to a Vulpix when she chose her starter.

She took a jacket out of her backpack and wrapped Vixi in it securely so she wouldn't get hurt by the thorns, before following the two wild pokemon.

"Heeeellllloooo? C'mon, guys, I won't hurt you - I like pokemon. I just - actually, I need directions. D'you know how to get out of this place?" She called, still not seeing them, although she could still hear rustling sounds.

The Growlithe was stuck dead ahead in a clump of dead branches. It whined and yelped for someone to help it. Numel watched it sadly, unable to get to it's buddy due to it being so large.

"Aww..." Amaya murmured as she saw the Growlithe.
"Shh, shh..." she whispered to it as she knelt down, setting Vixi down beside her. "It's okay, shh. Hi there, little fella. I'm Amaya, and this is Vixi. Don't worry, we'll help you."

She gently stroked its head before siezing a branch and carefully tugging. "Vixi, could you try to make sure no branches fall on it, please?"

She continued prying the branches away, keeping one soothing hand on the dog's chest.

It whined more as you pulled the branches away from their holding place. You finally got it free and it jumped over to it's buddy and watched you for a second. Numel moved on and Growlithe followed it with you still hunting them down.

"Wha - where are you GOING?!" Amaya yelped, surprised. "Wait! I need help!"

With an irritated sigh, she turned to her Vulpix. "Vixi, can you try to find them. Maybe they'd feel better with another Pokémon."

Vixi nodded and jumped through the bushes to catch up to the others while you sat there waiting, fidling with a branch sticking to you pant leg. Vixi got up to the fire pokemon and they looked back at it. -Where's you master weakling?- Asked the Numel cooly. -Don't be so mean Volcano. It doesn't know any better.- Exclaimed the Growlithe. =Actually my trainer needs help. I was wondering if you could help her.= Vixi answered ignoring the rude coment by the Numel.

Hearing the various Pokemon noises coming from the bushes, Amaya almost got up and went over, but managed to restrain herself. Better to let Vixi handle it, although she would have been there in an instant if she heard noises of displeasure.

"Careful, Vix." She murmured.

Growlithe came up to Vixi and looked straight into it's round, beautiful eyes. -You have very pretty eyes.- It said. =Umm...thanks?= Vixi replied blushing. Numel rolled it's eyes and began to waddle away. -Where you going Volcano?- asked Growlithe. -I see that you two are better left alone. Besides, you've always said you wanted a trainer, so I guess you've found a good one. Hope you have fun!- It said talking louder the further it walked away. Growlithe shruged and looked back a Vixi. -So you needed help?- It asked.

Amaya paused, stuck in indecision. One one hand, it would probably be wiser to leave them alone, but one the other hand, there was no way of knowing for certain Vixi was alright unless she went and made sure herself. Coming to a decision, she stood and took a tentative step forward. "Vixi? Are you guys alright?"

Growlithe watched as you tried you get through to where they were. Vixi nodded and smiled. -I guess she doesn't need any more help.- Growlithe said to Vixi. She shrugged and went up to lick your face. Growlithe smirked and also came up to you, licking your face. You giggled and wiped off the slobbery kisses. You picked up Vixi ready to leave and Growlithe jumped on your leg.

"Oof!" Amaya muttered as the Growlithe jumped on her leg, causing her sit on down hard on the ground, more surprised than anything.

"S'the matter?" She asked it, gently setting Vixi down beside her.

Growlithe crawled onto you and started to lick your face. It smiled and sat down in your lap. Vixi nudged your arm and picked up a pokeball from your bag and placed it on the ground.

Amaya blinked, unable to believe her luck.

"Wow, you really wanna come with us?" She asked it, smiling. "Well, we'd love to have you on the team! S'your name, then?"

The Growlithe blinked and smiled brightly at you. -Name?- Growlithe said to Vulpix. =Yeah, my name's Vixi! You don't have to have one if you don't want to.= Vixi replied. -I wouldn't mind a new one. Volcano called me Prince.- It said respectfully.

"Er." Amaya looked between the two conversing Pokémon. "I feel like you guys are conspiring against me!" She laughed.

"Well, I can't be sure what you're called among your friends, but I've always loved the name 'Bay'. It means 'inspiration'." She offered, stroking its head affectionately.

Growlithe smiled at the sound of it and licked your face. You befriended a Growlithe!

:Growlithe:
Nickname: Bay
Level: 9
Attacks: Bite, Tackle and Leer
Experience: 1/10

Amaya laughed and hugged the fire types happily. "Well guys, we better get going. Would you prefer to walk or go in a Pokeball, Bay?"

Bay nudged the ball with it's muzzle and said while being overtaken by the red light, -Wee! I finally get my own pokeball!-

You may advance to the next place.