Mornings and soft reunions

Vali woke up to Elrond holding both Ash and Gary away from the bed. Ash was squirming while Gary stayed limp like a little puppy probably from having Alakazam do that multiple times before. Gently pushing the pokemon curled up on her chest off, she sat up with a soft yawn, "What time is it?"

"Nine thirty," Elrond answered while giving both boys a glare that had them looking a little sheepish, "Delia asked for them to leave you be once they'd woken up at seven, but they apparently decided that waiting was boring,"

"We really wanted to see you, Vali," Ash told her as he finally went still in Elrond's hold.

Vali rubbed at her eyes, "You two do realize that Steven and I didn't get back until after midnight, right?"

Both boys cringed a bit as if they'd started to realize just what the problem was, they muttered, "Sorry, Vali."

"It's fine," Vali yawned as she began to stretch a bit, "Go tell Delia I'm awake please. I'll be out in a few minutes,"

They both nodded and Elrond released them from his hold. Ash darted past her pokemon to give Vali a hug, "I'm glad your home, Vali."

"Me too," Vali ruffled his hair, "Now out before I have Elrond zap you,"

Ash gained a look of horror and quickly let go of her before speeding out of the room with Gary hot on his heels. Snickering as she watched them go, Vali stretched properly hearing something in her back pop a bit. Elrond closed the door behind the two boys as all of her pokemon began to go through their morning rituals. Vulpix jumped off the bed onto Balto's back as the Arcanine yawned. Smaug carefully stretched himself out making sure not to move his wings too much. Pippin jumped off the bed to stretch out. Empress rolled onto her side and promptly went back to sleep until Elrond picked her up. Eevee stretched himself carefully before moving to nudge her side. Pele just shook herself before trotting slowly around the room. Picking up Eevee, she got off of her bed and returned all her pokemon save for Eevee, Vulpix, and Elrond as the three were the least likely to cause any damage.

Delia offered her a light smile as she entered the kitchen, "Good morning, Vali. I hope you're not angry with Ash or Gary."

"Not enough to let Elrond shock them," Vali headed to the counter after setting Eevee down and prepared food for the pokemon currently in residence while Delia did the same for the humans.

Delia let out a soft laugh knowing quite well that Elrond's shocks rarely caused any damage save for a bit of numbness and singed skin. After preparing the food, Vali let out her pokemon while making sure to keep Steven's pokemon's food up on the counter for now. When Steven entered the kitchen, she placed the food down for his pokemon who started eating immediately after their release. Delia looked at her curiously, "So what's the plan for today, Vali?"

"Head up to the lab and have Professor Oak check on Smaug's wings," Vali answered after swallowing her mouthful of bacon, "I'll spend time with my pokemon and just relax today though I might take Balto on a run with Arwen," She looked between Ash and Gary, "I thought you two had school,"

"It got cancelled," Ash told her with an excited grin, "Apparently the power went out and the generator broke down,"

"Not to mention the pipes underneath the west side of the school burst," Gary added clearly looking happy at the prospect of not having to deal with school for the moment.

"So that means you're likely going to be out of school for a week at least?" Vali asked earning two joyful nods, "I have no idea why you two are so happy. You'll be paying for it come summer since the school will have you make up for the time they lost,"

Both boys looked horrified at the prospect, Vali inwardly giggled at the looks on their faces. Delia spoke up with laughter clear in her voice, "I was hoping that you might be willing to look after these two. At least until Sirius arrives."

"Sure thing," Vali didn't mind looking after the two especially since she had a good way to keep them entertained enough to not misbehave, "When is he arriving?"

"Tomorrow after lunch," Delia answered with a bright smile.

"Hey! That means Siri will be home in time for your birthday, Mom!" Ash grinned as he practically shouted that.

"Yup. If there's one thing I'd want for my birthday, it's to spend time with my family all together," Delia said with a content smile on her face.

After dropping off Smaug's pokeball and the first draft of her research paper, Vali went to see the rest of her pokemon who'd been lingering close to the lab waiting for their trainer to return. Arwen raced up first quickly followed by Celina in the air and Idril in the ground. Terra followed after Idril just a little bit slower, but no less happy to see her trainer. After releasing her other pokemon, she greeted the ones that had been dearly missed. Hugging Arwen and Celina around the neck, she murmured her greetings and how happy she was to see them again. Letting them go see the others, she dropped down to the ground and hugged her ground-types. Terra burrowed into her side while Idril clambered into her lap nuzzling the trainer they'd both dearly missed. Carefully running her fingers down the steadily forming spikes on Idril's back feeling glad that they wouldn't sharpen until the Sandshrew evolved, she looked over all four of her pokemon as they go reacquainted with their missing family members.

Arwen was looking a bit bigger and coat containing a glossy sheen meaning someone had been groomed her recently. Celina was plumper and her crest becoming just a bit brighter meaning mating season was likely around the corner for her. Terra was a bit bigger and her smooth rocky skin gleamed despite digging through the earth. Idril showed the largest physical changes of the four. Alongside the increase in height and weight, Idril's spikes were coming in very well and her coloring was lightening as the claws tipping her fingers were lengthening. Much like Professor Oak had told her after she'd dropped off Smaug, it would only take a battle or two before she evolved.

Arwen nosed Pippin snorting when the spark pokemon batted at her nose. She looked at Vali and neighed at her clearly wondering if this was really Pippin. Giggling softly, the fire-type master-in-training told her, "Yes, Arwen, that's Pippin. He evolved during his first Gym Battle."

Arwen neighed and butted her head against Pippin's side clearly offering her congratulations. Celina hopped over from where she was speaking with Balto and nudged Vali with a soft trill. Concern was clear in her eyes, Balto must've been telling Celina about what happened since leaving last time. Reaching up, she scratched Celina's breast feathers, "Celina, I'm fine. Things were a bit rough for awhile while we were away, I will fully admit that, but I'm fine now."

Celina nudged Vali again before moving behind her trainer. She was about to turn when Celina's head settled on hers and the Pidgeot's wings curled around her. Celina began to trill softly. Celina's body pressed against her back radiating a gentle kind of warmth that left the fire-type master-in-training smiling as Terra and Idril crowded closer. Arwen pushed Celina's wings aside to lay down on the side that Terra wasn't taking up leaning against her trainer's side. Closing her eyes for a moment, she murmured, "I missed you four so much. I'm glad to be home with you."