Petra could see smoke rolling over the trees on the horizon.  She wagered it was another pokemon trainer, who else would be roaming the vast expanse of wilderness?  Then again, she supposed there were people who just liked camping, but chances were better in this area for it to be another trainer.  The battle with Brok had really worn her out, primarily because she had no  pokemon who were really prepared to  battle in a gym setting.  However, thanks to her two grass pokemon and a friendly amount of help from her ghost, she managed to snake by with a victory.<br/><br/>"Man, when Oddish gets his head in the game he's much more useful than we give him credit for." She sighed to the little floating blob of shadow nearest her.  The appearance of eyes in the dark might fill some, but she'd become accustomed to her presence and would have even found it strange to walk without her near.<br/><br/>Petra stroked the soft downy feathers on either side of Thomas the Torchic's head as he slept nestled in her arms.  He disliked the pokeball, although she wished she had a better system of toting him around.  Having Ginger around made things easier, but there were only certain doors she could open and things she could carry, but putting the little fire pokemon down was just as detrimental. Slowly and through progression, she was breaking him of the habit.  For a few hours, Petra put Thomas down behind her and walked away.<br/><br/>He always followed her, of course, but not without loud screeches of complaint and kicking of sand.  At first it was difficult for her to make him so upset, but she gradually became less concerned and more annoyed.  She figured eventually he'd become aclamated to being by himself a little more and would perhaps then calm down.<br/><br/>She was nearing the campfire and could see two other figures who, from a distance, looked like two boys.  Petra was not the sort to be shy when it came to meeting people, mostly due to her curious nature.  She stepped quickly and quietly into view and brushed off her clothing.<br/><br/>"Hello, I hope I'm not entruding? I saw the smoke and glow and wagered you fellows were pokemon trainers.  Have you just come from Brock's gym?" She asked gentley, as the torchic yawned and glanced arround with bleary eyes at the new surroundings, then drifted back into sleep.