Answers

After dinner and a pampering session that left all of her pokemon completely relaxed, Vali grabbed Balto and they headed to Steven's room where Metagross was waiting. Steven patted Metagross' head and the psychic and steel-type approached Balto. Balto sniffed at it for a few minutes before barking and nodding his head. Metagross spoke in her mind, "The Fire-Dog has agreed to give the information to us, but it isn't a conscious decision on his part. It shall only take a few moments to discover the reason."

"This won't hurt Balto, will it?" Vali asked earning a metallic groaning sound.

"No. We are experienced enough that the Fire-Dog will barely feel out intrusion. As he is curious as well, it will ease most of the minor discomfort caused by our presence in his mind," Metagross replied making Vali sigh in relief, "We will begin now as his current thought process with allow us to follow it to his subconscious where the answer lingers,"

Vali settled down on the bed next to Steven as she looked at where Balto was sitting on the ground. A faint out-line surrounded him as he stared into Metagross' eyes. Steven placed a hand on her shoulder, "Everything will be fine, Vali. Metagross learned from some of the most experienced Metagross back in Hoenn. They also like you and your pokemon which will only encourage them to be careful."

"I trust them," Vali assured him as the anxiety she felt settled uncomfortably in her stomach, "I just hope that whatever is subconsciously causing Balto to accept me as his trainer isn't bad,"

"I'm sure it isn't bad," Steven looked at Balto, "If it was, Balto would have shaken it off or one of the psychic-types at Professor Oak's lab would have said something,"

"True," It didn't make the anxiety lessen at all.

The out-line of pale blue disappeared and Balto was shaking his head before snorting. He turned to Vali with a yip and bounded over to her. He jumped onto her lap and nuzzled her lightly. Smiling softly, she began scratching behind his ears feeling her anxiety begin to slip away. Steven spoke after a few moments, "Metagross, what did you discover?"

Metagross let out a metallic groaning sound that lasted for a few moments before they turned to the two trainers. Metagross spoke within Vali's mind and she felt a bit startled at how breathless their mental voice sounded, "The Fire-Dog senses within you an inner flame allowing him to feel kinship with you more so than with any prospective trainers the aged one has ever brought before him. With the knowledge that he has bestowed upon us, we too can sense your inner flame. The intensity that it burns with reveals your will to live despite that which haunts you. It is as intense as the fire-types that we have encountered," Metagross' eyes were focused on her as Steven let out a sharp gasp, "The bird of flames you encountered...The phoenix Fawkes awakened the flame where it slept within you and stoked it with his tears. The magic within your veins holds pieces of that flame within you."

Vali lifted a hand and reached under her shirt to pull out the feather that had been the core of her wand. She held it in her hand feeling the warmth of the feather slide through her skin, "D-does this feather have anything to do with that?"

Metagross made an odd humming sound as they came closer, "It carries sparks of a powerful inner flame. It shields your own inner flame from easy detection. So long as you carry that feather close to your heart, none save for the fire-types we come across should be able to detect it. We will lock this memory away in both our mind and Master Steven's."

"What about Vali's?" Steven asked speaking for the first time since Metagross had started explaining his findings.

"Friend Vali's magic acts as an innate shield that will only allow those psychics of pokemon levels to detect even the smallest traces of the inner flame," Metagross gestured to the feather in her hand, "To most human psychic's, Friend Vali's mind will be warmer than most as is common among of those aspiring to become fire-type masters. To those on the level of pokemon, they will feel traces of the inner flame. They will attempt to trace the bits of inner flame and will find them linked to the feather. So long as she holds onto it, Friend Vali shall be safe. It's place over your heart is best,"

"Thank you, Metagross," Vali told the large steel and psychic-type, "This eases my mind greatly,"

Metagross made a metallic grunt before moving to the space beneath the window where they settled. Steven smiled lightly, "They're going to be resting," He looked down at the feather, "May I?"

Vali held it out to Steven without a word and watched as he gently picked it up. The feather was long and softer than anything she'd ever touched before. It was a mixture of bright and dark reds with a mix of yellows on the edge that turned into a dark gold color at the very edge. The calamus, the part of the feather that was attached to the bird, and shaft were a dark black that gleamed in the light. Steven stared at the feather in awe and she murmured, "Warm, isn't it?"

"Is it always so warm?" Steven as he returned the feather.

Vali returned the feather to its usual place and inwardly sighed as the discomfort that she hadn't really noticed eased, "Yes though sometimes it is warmer like if it rains or snows. I think that Fawkes can feel the feathers that he gives away on some level though I can't be sure."

"It's an interesting theory," Steven admitted as Vali got up after putting Balto down, "Going back to your room?"

"The lectures we gave reminded me of some theories I had before and even gave me some new ones," Vali turned to him, "I want to get them written down before I forget and plan out some tentative strategies for tomorrow," She paused for a moment before saying, "Thank you, Steven. I probably would've never learned any of this or at least, not this soon,"

Steven smiled at her, "It's no trouble, Vali, and it's really interesting to know. It makes me wonder if you might have a pokemon as your animagus form if you eventually tried to become one."

Vali's lips quirked into a smile as she thought about that, "That would be interesting especially if I could use pokemon attacks, it will be a few years before I actually consider it though," She looked down at Balto as he nudged her, "A lot of things make sense now. The warmth I felt after touching Fawkes for the first time and the fact that I always seemed to be better at fire based magic than anything else," She shook her head, "We're heading to my room. Do you want to practice double battling together after I get done at the gym with the triplets?"

"I don't see why not," Steven replied.

"Well, goodnight then," Vali walked over to the door and pulled it open.

"Goodnight, Vali," Vali heard as Balto walked out of the room and she followed him.

Vali closed the door behind her and headed to her room. Balto looked up at her as they walked and she said, "Looks like I've got a lot to think about and tell everyone back home. Maybe I should write a letter and send it with some gifts. I did promise Ash and Gary that I would send them some souvenirs sometimes," Balto barked, "I'll get my pictures developed too and send them home as well. Maybe take a few group shots too and include some pictures of the city. I could make a scrapbook when I go home or Delia could make one if she needed something to do. Professor Oak would appreciate if I documented everyone's growth especially Sandshrew's. I'll need to put it all together and send it off at the post office before we leave Cerulean."