A dragon tamer

The Blackthorn hills was an area just below where Mount Silver truly started and Route 45 ended. Where there wasn't forests with ancient pines and berry bushes that looked more like trees, the sloping hills were little more than rocky pebbles and sand with a few precious patches of grass that just managed to grow there. An Inn sat at the base of it all right next to the sign post that told you which way to get to Blackthorn, Mount Silver, and Route 45. Blaine led the way into it after they'd returned everyone save for their chosen couple of pokemon. Entering the inn led revealed a rather homely looking farm stead-like look, they headed to the front desk where Blaine spoke to the woman sitting there, "Blaine Katsura of Cinnabar. I reserved two rooms a week and four days ago."

The woman looked through a book on the desk and hummed softly before nodding, "Yes, you did. I'll get your keys."

The woman slipped away for a brief moment before returning with the keys. After receiving them and directions to their rooms, Blaine spoke as they began making their way up the stairs, "We'll be staying here for a day before heading to the meeting point. We made it in my time frame, so after we're done with the job, we'll be heading somewhere to see about the Magby."

Vali almost stumbled at that and felt a sense of anxiety hit her.

The meeting point turned out to be a Ranger Base that was rather small. It regularly only held two teams of rangers from either region at a time to promote companionship between the two though both tended to avoid the other. One team from each were both out patrolling at a time. Vali looked around the small tree-house like buildings curiously as she walked behind Blaine. They stopped as a pair of Dragonites dropped from the sky to land not far from them. From the two males that dismounted, one of them was very familiar to Vali. Vali stared at the familiar figure just as the Dragonite he'd been riding caught sight of her and promptly let out a loud coo before rushing over to hug her. Letting out a laugh as she hugged the great beast that was being careful while her pokemon jumped ship, she said, "I missed you too, Diaval. Lance has been making sure you've been getting enough battles in and eating enough Aguav berries, right?"

Diaval nuzzled into her letting out a deep groaning coo while Lance spluttered at her. The man beside him let out a booming laugh while Vali grinned at Lance over Diaval's shoulder while gently petting the dragon's shoulder. Lance shouted, "He doesn't need that many berries!"

"I beg to to differ. His scales shine so much better when he eat them more frequently," Vali grinned at Lance as a giggle left her, "I've got some in my bag though, so you can definitely have some,"

Diaval let out a joyful cry as his antenna waggled and he gave Lance a grin. Vali found another Dragonite in her personal space that she didn't know within seconds and had to lean back a little though she met the powerful being's eyes. Diaval made a deep sounds in his throat that halfway threatening and hugged Vali a hair tighter. The other Dragonite stared for a bit longer before moving forward with a small whine and pout. She stared at it for a moment while Diaval let out a grumble and pulled her away from the other Dragonite. She looked at the man that was with Lance as he said, "Drogon likes you and is hoping you'll be wiling to spare some of your berries with him."

"I could if you're okay with that," Vali said as Diaval let out a heartbroken whine, "Not the Aguav, Silly. I know those are your favorite,"

Diaval let out a low grumble and eyed the now named Drogon before nodding his head as he let go of Vali. The man chuckled as he said, "I suppose a few berries wouldn't be too bad. I assume you're Valkyrie Potter-Black?"

"Vali," Vali replied with a light smile, "You're Ulric Blackthorn, right?"

"Indeed," The man nodded with a slight grin reveal a sharp k-9, "I'm the gym leader of Blackthorn City and Current Drake of our clan. Lance here is my nephew," He looked towards Blaine as his dark golden eyes darkened, "Why don't we leave these two out here for a bit to catch up? We've got things to settle with the Rangers and I need to speak with you on some matters anyway,"

Blaine frowned slightly for a few moments before nodding, "Very well," He looked at Vali, "Brat, we shouldn't be too long. Do not cause too much trouble. I highly suggest just sitting down right here and talking."

"Alright," Vali nodded as Eevee jumped onto her shoulder.

Blaine and Ulric headed inside with the blue haired dragon-tamer ordering Drogon to stay with the hatchlings. Lance spoke once the two had disappeared from sight, "So this is your next job?"

"Yup," Vali plopped onto the ground and began digging into her bag looking for the berries she'd grabbed, "What brought you this far?"

"Uncle decided to bring me with him," Lance explained as he took a seat beside her with Diaval sitting down in front of Vali and Drogon plopping down beside the smaller Dragonite, "He wants me to get used to how a Drake needs to act. I might not be the next gym leader, but I'll be the next Drake,"

Vali looked at him in confusion as her hands found the bitter berries. She tossed them to the two dragons though made sure to save the ones she knew Empress preferred. She smiled slightly at the sounds of them enjoying the berries, "You don't sound happy about it."

"I'm not to a point," Lance admitted after a beat of silence, "I love my family. The people, our dragons, the history, and everything in-between it all. I truly do love it," He looked sad, "But when I become champion of the two regions, I won't be able to give them my full attention like a drake needs to. When a Drake is just a Gym Leader or the Champion of Johto, it's stressful though they're able to handle it. But two regions? I won't be able to give them the attention I need to."

"Well, you ask for help," Lance gave her a look, "I'm not saying all the time, but when you're feeling overwhelmed. When you're the champion and I'm one of your Elite, you'll be able to count on me to help out,"

Lance smile slightly, "That does help even if it's awhile off, I just worry that it won't be enough."

"And that's part of why you'll be a good leader," Vali grinned at him, "Worrying over it, wanting to be enough, it shows you you have the makings of a good leader already,"

Lance snorted softly, "Your logic is odd."

Vali stuck her tongue out at her.

"That friend of Lance's, she's an odd one," Ulric commented as they finished discussing everything and began heading back to the children.

"My brat of a student is bright, but quirky," Blaine replied with a shake of his head, "She can be a gentle hearted, but when her temper is stroked, a flame rages. She is bull headed, but as understanding where it counts,"

Ulric smiled slightly as he ran a hand through his short blue hair, "She's definitely got a spark. Anyone that can get a Charizard, Shelgon, and Larvitar to listen to her has to have one. Granted only the Shelgon was truly wild from what Lance told me, she still has guts to have such pokemon," He slowly began to grin, "Kid can handle dragons though. The way she treats Diaval and Drogon was perfect."

"She's been around Oak's beast of a dragon long enough," Blaine shook his head lightly, "Not to mention his Charizard,"

A laugh left Ulric at that, "Both perfect examples of their species," A slight frown formed on his face, "That air around her, I've never seen Drogon take to someone so fast."

Blaine glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and chuckled softly, "When it comes to certain pokemon, they're drawn to her. If you ever come to Cinnabar and go to the Pokemon Mansion, you'll find Vali practically surrounded by the Vulpixes and Ninetales' that live around there. Until the day I actually went to go check on her during one of those day-trips, I didn't realize that she effected even the wild pokemon with that air of her."

Ulric's brows furrowed, "That's so odd, I've never heard of anything like it save for maybe reading something back in the family archives."

Blaine had to wonder what was written there and if it would explain anything about Vali's uniqueness. He knew it wasn't her magic as Sirius didn't seem to draw any pokemon to him save for his partner. The way she could drawn in even the most aloof wild pokemon. He had seen her pet and interact with the Ninetales that rarely deigned to involve themselves with humans. It was something that filled him with disbelief and amazement. Only when other humans approached did the Ninetales and Vulpix practically abandon ship, it was amazing to see.