Virah rubbed her sleeved arms as she entered the Pokemart, the cold temperature of the store felt prickly against her skin and she felt the warmth leave the sides of her neck as the cold leeched it off like a parasite before digging into her pores and slithering underneath her skin, growing goosebumps.

Her soles felt odd against the hard tiles of the Pokemart, and she wasn't sure if it was because she had been walking for the past half hour or something she was just feeling because she was anxious about being suspected of buying drugs for Team Rocket.

Virah passed by a fridge and eyed her own reflection, she was, normal looking enough; with her purple jacket possessing no ounce of dirt on its spotless surface, hell, it even looked newly washed. Her hair was in a similar state, and the caustic green coloration was reflecting the light slightly, making its natural color shift by a tiny bit.

By all means, she looked like the normal, day-to-day trainer.

But that's only the case when one stares at her from the perspective of clothes.

Someone with a Pokeball- and it is singular, - hanging by her hip buying a bottle of high tier vitamins would be a red flag to most cashiers that she was a mule for some criminal organization because what kind of 9 year old kid goes up to a Pokemart to buy high tier vitamins with only one Pokemon?

Only mules do that.

Virah anxiously made her way to the counter and saw that the person manning it was the same teenager who sold her the mid tier vitamins the first time she had come here to buy them.

The guy wasn't all that special looking, with average looks and a body that could only be called thin, not fit.

He had also chosen a more educational profession instead of being a Pokemon trainer but despite that, he did have Pokeballs hanging from his hip. Both were Net Balls so he either was a Bug Type specialist or a Water Type one.

Virah walked up to him and before she could open her mouth, the teenager raised a thin hand and dropped the high tier vitamins Virah said she would buy from him this time around.

She blinked.

“This is what you wanted wasn't it?” Virah looked up at the teenager and saw him staring at her in confusion. Then he sighed and pushed the bottle away, “look, I know it's not my place to say this but you know that Weedles can end up fine even if you don't give them high tier vitamins right?”

“W-what do you mean?” Virah stuttered, “and- and how'd you know I have a Weedle?”

“I…” he trailed off for a second, “... saw you the other day,” he sighed in exasperation, “training him on the battle plaza on- I uh, live near the south, of the breeding center,” he said, “and I saw you go in there too, so I thought you bought it for them the first time- I mean the vitamins.”

Virah was dumbfounded- he totally called the cops on her didn't he? But he's neutral to her now so…

He didn't think she was a mule?

That's great!

Virah slumped in relief, “uh, well, what do you recommend I buy then?”

Her eyes moved over to the dark-grey balls on the guy's hip, lines that formed a web-like design were drawn on their surfaces.

Net Balls were perfect for Bug Types- but people typically thought it was a waste to use such a Pokeball on these, - and Water Types.

So if the cashier is telling her tips on how to raise her Weedle then chances are, he's a specialist of the former and no one wanted to truly harm Pokemon so the guy is most likely giving her proper advice instead of something that'll ruin her trainer career.

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Virah decided to trust him.

“Iron,” he started and Virah knew that her choice had been right, “you see those horns of theirs?” Virah nodded and the teenager grabbed a bottle of pills from behind him and placed it on the counter, “what do you think those are made out of?”

“Huh,” Virah said in realization, she thought that their horns were more like bones honestly, but Weedles don't have bones do they? They have exoskeletons. Virah eyed the bottle of Iron “and that's it?”

“No, you need to give them Protein too,” Virah raised her eyebrow and the cashier did the same, “the one meant to raise attack? Or whatever it is that the professors call those stats now?” Virah slowly nodded, “Beedrills use their muscles to not just attack, but to also fly,”

“Ah,” Virah said in realization.

The guy crossed his arms, “aren't you a breeder?”

“Well- uhm-” Virah stuttered, “I'm just an intern and I only feed the Pokemon? I know the tells of their health though, especially Weedles so-”

“Good, then analyze what you can find while feeding your Pokemon and write it down,” the cashier cut her off, adding, “come back here once these things are empty,”

The teen forwarded the vitamins, and despite being low tiered, each one cost around 1,500 Pokedollars, Virah felt her wallet open up a hole just at the sight of them but it was better than the 5000 she originally wanted to spend.

“Your Weedle has a good sheen, dark orange, I've only ever seen that in Bugsy's so… good job,” the guy said in approval, “I can tell he's healthy too,”

“You know Bugsy?” Virah paused then quickly considered that the teen, being a bug specialist, could have just watched the gym leader's matches with rapt attention.

“Something like that, I used to work as a gym trainer for him but I stopped when my starter died,” the cashier sighed, “Bug Types don't live long, know that,”

Virah felt offended- “Koga and his Ariados-”

“Have been together for decades, I know,” the guy snapped as if that was what he typically heard in response to the argument of the standard Bug Type lifespan.

“But they're powerful, and so is Bugsy, so Koga's Ariados and his Beedrill living for as long as they have is only natural, but not all of us are like them,” the teen said heatedly before schooling his expression, “if you want to raise bugs without getting hurt, pick a Heracross or a Forretress, those two… live long. Enough.”

Virah eyed the two Net Balls on his hip, so that's what those are?..

“Well, anyways, here, oh- and if you have more money to spare, maybe you should buy the Carbos too, since it allows their muscles to last longer as well as encourages the production of adrenaline for Pokemon especially if their bodies are meant to produce it to begin with,”

Virah nodded and he placed the aforementioned vitamin bottle next to her purchases, then the teen paused, adding, “and, why don't you buy the Bug Type Pokefeed blend we have? It's good for your Weedle's growth.”

“How much is it?” Virah asked.

“300 Pokedollars for a bag that'll last you a week,” came the answer.

“I'll take it,” Virah agreed, then she paused, “and do you have something for Normal Types?”

“Hm? Yeah, why?” The teenager stopped to look at her.

“Just add it in there,” Virah said, if it's too expensive, then… taking out a bit of money from her own pocket wasn't an issue.

“Got it,” the cashier put everything she bought together and in the end, Virah paid for an extra 100 Pokedollars for the Normal Type feed but the rest was covered under the 5000 she brought with her.

As Virah walked away, the teenager called out to her, “hey, you're preparing for your journey right?”

“Yeah?” Virah said.

“Do you have anything saved up?”

Virah shook her head, “no, why?”

“You should,” he said.

“Uh, why?” Virah asked.

“Why? Because journeys need money?” The teen answered, “why do you think your classmates are allowed to bet with each other? Don't you have a mom that asks to “keep” your money for you or something?” The teenager frowned when Virah shook her head, “huh, it's where the fabled Running Shoes come from you know?”

“Who needs shoes to run?” Virah said, incredulous.

“Suit yourself,” the teenager shrugged and turned to his latest customer.

Virah left the Pokemart confused, but decided that the ex-gym trainer's words of advice made sense.

…

Virah nibbled on the nub of her pencil's eraser and glared at her written notes about Weedle's new diet.

Vitamins full of Iron- which is unsurprisingly meant to raise the defense of a Pokemon, but that's only the case for those who have steel or rocks surrounding their bodies, such as Forretresses or Steelixes, - as well as Protein were Nitro's main way of increasing his strength biologically but…

That's not really everything and sure, Nitro also now has an entire bag of Bug Type Pokefeed but Virah wasn't sure if that was enough.

She was thinking of feeding him berries but she wasn't sure what else she could give him.

She thought of berries that temporarily increase a Pokemon's strength when eaten during battles but they were rather expensive and Virah wasn't sure if she could keep feeding her Weedle those kinds of food in the near future.

So Virah brainstormed and after a while, got stuck, unable to find more ways to improve Nitro's diet other than to continue feeding him sitrus berries (occasionally) and train with him day after day.

She knew she was missing something but Virah wasn't quite sure what.

So she flipped through her notes about Beedrill biology hoping it'll get her to finally find the words stuck at the tip of her tongue.

And she did- a type of leaf, usually eaten by Venomoths as well as Beedrills- and even their pre-evolutions, - which is thought to be the reason for their venom.

Nitro hasn't exactly eaten this kind of leaf all his life- why would he, he's trainer owned after all, and feeding him leaves just feels petty for Virah to do, - but maybe if she does it'll help increase the potency of his Poison Sting?

It most likely wouldn't reach the levels of Toxic- as that is a specialized move, - but the damage of the poison should get stronger…

Virah closed her notebook and recalled Nitro, causing Ratata to stare at her, “we're leaving, take care of the place while we're gone alright?”

The Ratata raised its hand and saluted her, “Ratata!”

Virah giggled, “see you,”