Christmas with a bit of Potter Luck

Christmas morning dawned with Ash and Gary attempting to jump onto the bed in the room Vali usually used during visits to the Oak residence, they quickly found themselves being held in a psychic hold by a less than amused Elrond. Elrond gestured to where Vulpix was curled up on Vali's chest as was his preferred place to sleep and the two children had the decency to look sheepish. Vali watched the two with amusement, "Merry Christmas, you two."

"Merry Christmas, Vali," The two said as Elrond settled them onto the ground.

"Is anyone else up yet?" Vali carefully shifted Vulpix into her lap earning a whine of displeasure that tapered off when she began scratching behind his right ear.

"Steven is, but everyone else is still sleeping. Daisy's Lopunny kicked us out before we could wake her up," Gary answered with a slight grimace.

Vali checked the time and wasn't surprised to see that it was only 7 in the morning, "As it's only 7 in the morning, I'm not too surprised. How about you two help me make breakfast for everyone?" The two perked up at the mention of her making food, "Go get some stuff out for me."

The two raced from the room with Elrond following after them. Vulpix let out a sleepy yawn and looked up at her. She smiled down at him, "Time to wake up, Little One."

After checking on her Houndour egg, Vali left her guest room with Vulpix, Eevee, and Pippin as her other pokemon didn't feel like getting up just yet. She led the way into the kitchen where she gently set Vulpix down on a chair. Ash held up two cookie sheets, "Can we make cookies too?"

"No, but we will be making biscuits," Vali shushed Vulpix when he whined at her, "Don't worry, Little One. I'm not going to leave your sight, but I do need my hands free to make us some delicious food,"

As Vulpix was a week and a half old, he could now eat berry mush like Idril had back when Vali had first gotten her. He perked up at the thought of food and settled down once Eevee joined him on the chair. She began making breakfast with Gary and Ash acting as her enthusiastic helpers. Elrond and Steven, once he joined them, kept the children from making too big of a mess. Delia joined them as Vali pulled the monkey bread she'd made out of the oven, "Oh, Vali. You didn't have to cook."

"I wanted to," Vali swatted away Ash's hands when he went to reach for the pipping hot food, "I had to find something for Ash and Gary to do since they didn't seem like they'd be able to go back to bed,"

"Well, what do you need me to do?" Delia asked as she moved to wash her hands.

"I need some help making the pokemon food for everyone," Vali gestured to the binders containing the diets of every pokemon in the house based on who owned them.

Once Breakfast had been eaten after all members of the house hold joined them, they went about opening presents. The pokemon were either given some of their favorite berries or some new care kits that their trainers would hold onto. Vulpix was gifted a few toys that Vali would probably use for her Houndour whenever they finally hatched. Ash and Gary were given permission to open their presents. They mainly received either some new clothes or toys with Ash absolutely adoring the stuffed Pikachu doll that Steven had decided to give him. Both of them received a photo-album from Vali that contained copies of the pictures that the two liked a lot as well as pictures of them with the various pokemon dotting the room, the witch was almost strangled by the two with how happy they were about the gift.

Vali had gifted everyone even Daisy a similar gift that differed based on the pictures they liked and which ones they were features in. Steven looked at the glass Aggron that she'd gifted him with wide eyes, "Where on earth did you get this?"

"The Lantern Festival," Vali explained with a grin, "I saw it and thought about you. I was planning on giving it to you earlier, but thought better of it since traveling with that in your bag isn't a good idea considering how easily it could get broken,"

"Thank you, Vali. I'm definitely going to send this home," Steven looked at it curiously, "But I don't recall seeing a booth having anything like this,"

"It was when we separated for a bit after getting something to eat," Vali explained as Vulpix pulled himself into her lap, "There were a bunch of others too, I would've gotten more, but I didn't have enough money on me. I think I'll go back next year if I have a chance and see if I can buy more since they're really well made from what I can tell,"

"I can see why if they were anything like that one," Daisy let out a wistful sigh, "I definitely need to go next year too,"

"Vali, why don't you open your presents," Delia said reminding Vali that she had her own stack of gifts.

Vali received a nice sweater from Delia and some other clothes that she'd been meaning to replace. Sirius had gifted her with a more expensive digital camera, batteries, and a few sd cards for it. Daisy gave her a book on Hoenn mythology. Professor Oak gave her a couple of journals and a copy of the rough draft of a research paper he was writing using information that she'd given him. Ash and Gary both gifted her with a few books on fire-types that they admitted to getting help obtaining. Steven's gift left her staring at it in shock, "S-steven?"

Steven offered her a warm smile, "I know that not being able to talk to your family outside of when we're in towns is a bit hard on you. With permission from my father, I'm giving you the newest version of the pokenav that won't be available until the new year."

Vali looked down at the fire painted pokenav then back at Steven, "But isn't this a bit expensive?"

"Not really, you're basically going to be a beta tester for it see as Father wants with make sure trainers won't be able to break it too quickly," Steven took it from her and turned it on, "I've programmed my number, Professor Oak's number, the number for this residence, your home residence, the general one for the League, and the police,"

Vali took the gift when he handed it back to her, "Thank you, Steven."

"It's no problem," Steven's smile turned a bit mischievous, "But that isn't the only gift I got you,"

Vali looked at him in confusion, "You didn't need to get me another gift."

"Technically, it wasn't going to be a Christmas gift, but forgot about it until we were leaving Fuchsia," Steven pulled a wrapped gift from behind his back and held it out to her.

Vali took it after placing her new pokenav down where it couldn't get broken and open the box to find a wooden carving of Moltres, "When did you get this?"

"Around the same time you got me the glass Aggron," Steven answered as Vali took the carved piece of wood, "I know that Moltres is your favorite of the three legendary birds and thought you'd appreciate the gift,"

Vali ran her fingers over the carving feeling the slightly rough edges, "Thank you, Steven."

It was about the size of a math textbook from her old world and almost as thick. Delia peered at it from on the couch next to where Vali was leaning against Balto, "We could hang it up above your bed, Vali."

"Yeah," Vali turned it over and found faded words inscribed on it, "Hey there are some words here,"

"Really?" Steven asked with a surprised expression on his face.

Vali nodded and ran her fingers over the words, "The Lord of Flames watches over those that contain embers of the Eternal Flame."

Paling as she said that, Vali stopped reading and reached up to grip Fawkes' feather through her shirt. Steven paled as well, "Vali, didn't that Ninetales say the Lord of Flames is watching you?"

"N-no. She said that he calls to me," Vali swallowed harshly, "Someone, a 'She', also calls to me, but not as much,"

Silence fell over the room, Vali's pokemon began to close ranks around her with Vulpix letting out a soft whine. Professor Oak took the carving from Vali and looked over the back reading aloud:

"The Lord of Flames watches over those that contain embers of the Eternal Flame.

Tasked to teach them the way, the Lord of Flames guides all to his domain;

In the burning place where flames never die, the Bearers of the Eternal Flame shall learn,

Underneath his burning gaze, they shall become the guides of the Chosen..."

"There is more, but it seems to have faded away," Professor Oak looked a bit pale as well, "Vali..."

"My dreams," Vali whispered softly, "He's trying to guide me to him,"

Vali hugged Vulpix to her chest feeling cold despite the warmth of her pokemon family surrounding her. Daisy, Ash, and Gary all looked more than a little spooked. The eldest Oak grandchild asked, "What exactly does that creepy poem have to do with Vali?"

"Ever since Sabrina tried to get into my mind when I first entered Saffron City, I've been having dreams more like visions that come and go," Vali looked at Daisy and for once didn't feel angry, "I learned from the Ninetales that gave me Vulpix's egg that the Lord of Flames is calling to me and they're supposed to lead me to him when the times comes," She closed her eyes as she admitted, "After we ended up in that cavern back in the Safari stone where Steven and I found those crystals, I had another vision that was diffrent from the others. I can't exactly explain what any of the visions are since something causes me a lot of pain whenever I try,"

"You didn't mention that to me," Steven looked a bit hurt.

Vali offered him an apologetic look, "You're already worried about me and my other visions. I didn't want to make it any worse. I'm sorry, Steven."

"So some mystical being is pretty much demanding you come find him?" Sirius asked earning a nod from Vali, "So its likely he won't stop sending you those visions until you do,"

Vali nodded as she closed her eyes, "It isn't time yet. In the first vision, he told me I would know when it was time to find him."

"But when will that be?" Sirius frowned deeply, "I don't like this, Pup,"

"I don't either, but it does convince me of something," Vali opened her eyes to look at him with a slight grin, "Coming to this world was meant to happen, I think we would've ended up here for one reason or another regardless,"