Return to Cinnabar

Jackson was waiting for them as they disembarked from the boat and quickly grabbed Vali's bag, "Boss-man, Vali! I'm glad your back."

"Did anything stupid happen?" Blaine asked as he started moving immediately leaving the two gym trainers to catch up.

"Nothing really," Jackson shook his head lightly, "I do have good news. Martha has made a small breakthrough in one of her projects. Not sure which one since it's all gone over my head,"

Jackson rattled off various things that everyone had been doing while Blaine had been away and Vali simply listened feeling a bit sad that she'd missed out on it. She couldn't wait to see everyone and would be happy to spend time with them. She felt Elrond tug at her mind and focused on Jackson when he gestured to the pink haired man, "Yeah, Jackson? Sorry, I wasn't really focused. I was thinking about the fact I'll be able to see everyone and spend time with them again."

"I'm glad to hear it," Jackson smiled warmly at her, "Everyone's been so worried especially when Boss-man said you were injured via Sneasel and Weavile. Those critters are nasty pieces of work even when trained right, I honestly can't imagine how you felt in that moment,"

"It was crazy," Vali felt so bad for the lies.

Jackson shook his head with a slight mournful look, "Terrible thing to happen to you, I swear. I'm just glad you've made it back and will be working to recover. Are you sure about returning to Cinnabar though? Why not stay home a while longer?"

"Home is a bit boring while Cinnabar will let my pokemon and I keep moving forward," Vali replied as she reached up to scratch under Eevee's chin, "Not to mention, I was starting to get a bit stir crazy and missed being here. Cinnabar is starting to become home as well even if its only been a month and a bit,"

Jackson looked a little surprised before positively beaming at her.

Vali was able to unpack her bag and get settled somewhat in her room before someone finally got the memo she'd returned. A knock sounded as Vali sat with Smaug's head in her lap and Balto stretched out across the bed. She looked at the door for a moment and contemplated not replying before finally saying, "Come in."

The door opened to reveal Zavian who's eyes ran over the pokemon scattered across the room. He looked relieved at seeing everyone there as he stepped inside and close the door behind him, "Bad job?"

"Bad luck," Vali retorted with a shake of her head, "I pretty much got the short end of it though we all made it out in the end. It's a lesson we're never forgetting though,"

"Good to hear it," Zavian ran a hand through his hair, "Fuck, Vali. I like ya, Kid. You stress me out to hell and back though,"

Vali couldn't stop the bark of laughter bubbling up in her throat from escaping and grinned at him, "You aren't the first to say that, Zavian."

"Glad to have you back," Zavian grinned back at her.

To Vali's surprise, the group of gym trainers had decided to throw a small party in honor of her coming back to the gym. Vali was touched by it and greatly enjoyed the food that had been gotten for the party. Blaine only put up a half-hearted protest before grinning and calling them 'damn brats' before saying not to stay up too late. Vali ate far too much, but felt lighter surrounded by her fellow gym trainers as well as Amity. When she decided to head to bed, Amity joined her. Amity spoke as they walked through the halls of the gym, "I was scared that you wouldn't come back. When Blaine said that you'd been hurt..."

"I know a lot of people were," Vali replied though she knew Amity's fears went deeper, "That fear wasn't just for my health, it goes deeper though. It's the fear that your only link to finding out what's going on with you is gone, right?"

"Yes," Amity looked down at her knees slightly as she slowly wheeled herself next to Vali, "It's selfish of me, but I can't help it,"

"I get it, Amity," Vali smiled at Amity's rather shocked look, "I'd feel the same. I'm pretty sure that I have at some point even if I've forgotten it," She made an aborted shrug, "We're not all that close, so it's natural you'd fear losing an information source rather than a friend. One day, it'll change,"

Amity's jaw clenched, "T-that just makes me feel worse."

Vali frowned softly, "Sorry, I'm usually better at helping people," She snapped her fingers, "Focus on the fact that you were scared of losing a friend, we were becoming friends after all, right? So do that, we just need to become closer friends," She sighed softly, "I honestly don't know what else to say."

"It's fine," Amity looked down at her hands, "But Vali, it's good to have you back,"

"I'm glad to be back," Vali replied with a warm grin.

Seeing as Vali's body struggled with the more physically demanding aspects of being a gym trainer, Jackson decided to teach her the electronic aspects which would've come at a later date once she'd spent more time at Cinnabar. In-between working with the computer, Jackson had her follow him around and basically get a more in-depth feel for how their gym was structured. When she wasn't doing that, Blaine had her doing either Therapy or Training. Both were capitalized as they'd become hell for Vali and her pokemon, they both relished and dreaded the painful hours that awaited them.

With medicine that the doctors prescribed and magic flooding her veins, Vali was able to do her Therapy for longer than most people normally do. Training was both physical and power with everything in between thrown at her pokemon, they spent all day working their bodies to the bones. Blaine made sure when Vali had Therapy her pokemon didn't train and vise versa thus ensuring a day of rest between each intensive training session. By the end of their first week with this new schedule, they were ready to quit though none voiced it. Week two was complained about though all felt a bit better at the end. Week three was complete garbage with no one able to move at the end of it. And week four, they felt like it was do able.