Reunions

"Vali!" Zaria pounced on the fire-type master-in-training, "There you are!"

"Hey, Zaria," Vali smiled lightly as she hugged the dark-type trainer in return, "How's the battle royal?"

"Harsh, but we're pulling through. We're keeping in the top fifty despite taking some injuries," Zaria sighed deeply, "I'm just glad we're getting a small break and that we've only got another two hours worth of battling to get through,"

"Then you'll get tomorrow to recover from the intense battling," Vali recalled from what Professor Oak said, "Thanks to the Opening Ceremony and Festival,"

"Yeah. So who're you bunking with?" Zaria asked curiously, "I'm stuck with an air head that's going to get tossed out and a dude that keeps shouting Extreme every time he talks,"

"Lance and Steven," Vali was very glad those two were her roommates rather than Zaria's.

Zaria gave her a glare, "Lucky," The mocha skinned girl looked around in confusion, "Where are they?"

"No idea. They weren't at the cottage when I arrived," Vali said as Zaria released her, "I've mostly been exploring and taking pictures. Even if we're only seeing the visitors section of this place, it's huge. I've already seen six diffrent news crews,"

"Eight for me," Zaria patted Balto's head and rubbed between Aragorn's ears, "Oh cool, he's got his second tail. Where's the egg case?"

"She hatched," Vali grinned at Zaria's excited look, "You can meet her later. She's currently sleeping off a bunch of treats that Delia and I were seeing if she'd like the taste of," Most of her pokemon were, "I have another new pokemon as well. You can meet her later too. She's unlikely to be a battler,"

"Contest pokemon?" Zaria looked a bit curious, "Didn't think I'd see you with one of those, but every pokemon is diffrent. Want to grab a bite to eat? I'm starving and my pokemon'll be fed by their doctors,"

"Sure," Vali had been planning on finding a food place soon.

Vali finally got to see Steven and Lance when she finally got back to the cottage after seeing Zaria off to the battle royals. She was first greeted by Mawile who squealed and hugged her around the waist. Smiling warmly, she bent awkwardly to hug the adorable steel/fairy-type, "Hey, Mawile. Enjoy the tunnels?"

Mawile nodded against her stomach giggling as she snuggled close. Someone peaked out from around the corner of the hallway and called out, "Vali?"

"The one and only," Vali looked up and grinned at Steven, "Looks like we're going to be roommates for the Conference,"

"Looks like it," Steven grinned back looking a tired, "When'd you get here?"

"A few hours ago. I've been exploring and met up with Zaria when she got a small break from the Battle Royal," Vali was released by Mawile who greeted Aragorn and Balto happily while Elrond floated over to greet Steven while she removed her shoes, "I was a little surprised to find out that Lance and you were already here. When did you arrive?"

"A little after dawn," Steven answered as he reached up and rubbed Elrond's forehead earning a soft purr from the Raichu, "Lance arrived not long after me. He isn't back, but he should be soon. Did you eat lunch?"

"With Zaria," Vali dropped her shoes and padded towards where Steven was standing to hug him, "It's good to see you, Steven,"

"You too, Vali," Steven hugged her back tightly, "Are you doing okay?"

"I'm still tired, but I'll be back to my usual soon," Vali released him as Aragorn pushed between them to greet Steven earning light grins, "You look tired,"

"I feel tired," Steven admitted as he bent down to greet Aragorn, "So Aragorn's his name now?" Aragorn's chest puffed up as his tails flicked out, "His second tail came in beautifully,"

They headed to the living room area of the cottage and sat down with Vali dropping onto one of the couch. Steven sat down beside her as Mawile, Balto, Aragorn, and Elrond began talking to one another. She pulled out her camera and began showing Steven the pictures she'd been taking glad to actually talk with him without being interrupted due to signal loss. Steven pointed out places he'd visited and even pulled out his pokenav to show a few pictures as well. He even showed her a picture of a Clefairy that he'd taken in the tunnels. While a bit blurry and dark, no one would ever be able to doubt it was a Clefairy. She cooed over the fairy type wishing for the first time they'd been able to go deeper into the tunnels if only to find one. Not to catch, she wasn't sure if a member of the Clefairy-line would suit her, but she'd love to actually get a proper picture of the beautiful fairy-types.

"Vali!" Lance grinned brightly as he caught sight of Vali sitting beside Steven, "You're our roomie?"

"Yup," Vali raised a hand as Aragorn lept off the couch beside her to greet Lance earning a bark of laughter, "Got here a few hours ago, you two weren't here, so I dropped my stuff of and went to explore. I ended up meeting up with Zaria as I did so and ended up getting lunch,"

"She's participating in the Battle Royal, isn't she?" Lance dropped down to mess with Aragorn.

"Yeah and she's managing to stay in the 50th place which is pretty good since its been non-stop since they started," Vali dropped her hand as Steven got up and headed for the kitchen, "I'm really hoping we get to battle during the Conference,"

"I hope we do," Lance grinned at her, "I really want to test one of my future elite four,"

Vali snorted softly as Steven returned with two cans of lemonade and handed her one, "I'm hoping to watch you two battle in real time rather than through a video."

Lance stood up with Aragorn in his arms and a cocky grin on his face, "I'll win again."

"We'll see," Steven snorted softly.

The two had a small staring contest before Steven's pokenav went off, "I've got to take this."

Steven left the room and Lance walked over to drop Aragorn onto Vali's lap, "How've you been? I heard through the grapevine you were part of the Lavender Town incident as well."

Vali wasn't as shocked as she should've been that Lance had been a participant, but the fact he knew she'd been part of it was surprising. She had to wonder if it was due to her age that it got out, "I'm fine. How did you know I was involved?"

"You're the only ten year old girl I know that would be recommended by both Blaine and Surge," Lance told her as he took a seat on the love-seat and she finally caught sight of his Dratini curled around his shoulders, "Not to mention I saw you walking up to the command tent with Agatha. Took me a moment recognize you without any pokemon, you always had Balto or Elrond around if not Vulpi-"

Aragorn interrupted him with a bark earning a confused look and Vali told Lance, "Vulpix earned the chance for a nickname and chose Aragorn."

"Nice," Lance congratulated Aragorn before saying, "It's weird when you don't have any pokemon around you,"

"Try living in a place without any and suddenly coming to one with some," Vali replied earning a wide eyed look, "Before Siri and I came to Kanto, we lived in a place like that. I never want to go back to that,"

"I can't imagine a place like that," Lance looked like he couldn't believe a word she was saying.

"After living in Kanto, I can see why," Vali hugged Aragorn who leaned against her as Elrond sank into her side likely feeling the slight drop in her good move, "So where did you spend your time until the Conference?"

Lance shook his head softly and smiled as he reached up to pet Dratini, "In Blackthorn City, my mother wanted me home and I wanted to spend some time training with my clan. I also wanted to see my cousin off on her journey."

"I thought the Johto gyms were closed," Vali said with some confusion.

"They are since Johto is holding it's Silver Conference right now, but Clair wanted to get a head start on actually training," Lance chuckled softly, "She wants to become the next Blackthorn Gym Leader, so doing the whole Gym Circuit isn't really that important to her,"

Lance could have been a Gym Leader if he didn't want to be a Champion. It was an interesting thought. Steven returned with a slight smile on his face, "My father called."

"How is he?" Vali asked him.

"He's well," Steven put his phone away, "He's actually here at the Indigo Plateau,"

"He's early. The Conference doesn't open until tomorrow," Lance said with a raised eyebrow.

"He knows, but he wanted to meet my friends," Steven said looking at Vali, "He wants to meet you mostly, Vali,"

"He wants to meet me?" Vali wasn't that surprised since she'd been his son's traveling partner for almost 11 months, "Now?"

Steven shook his head, "In a few hours for dinner," He looked at Lance, "You're invited as well. Zaria too if we can find her."

"She's supposed to text me once the Battle Royal is over," Vali told Steven after taking a drink from her lemonade, "What kind of restaurant are we eating at? Nothing too nice, right? I don't own anything really nice,"

"Don't worry, you can wear whatever so long as it isn't completely travel worn," Steven waved off her concern, "What you're wearing now would be fine,"

Vali looked over her clothes before shaking her head, "I'll probably change into something else. That reminds me, do you guys want to wander around the festival together tomorrow? Go as a group with Zaria and I?"

"Sure," Lance agreed with a grin, "Sounds like a plan,"

"I'd like that," Steven's hand dropped to his pokeball belt, "I think Metagross would like it as well,"