Talks with Metagross

The day after the visit to Bill saw Vali taking her pokemon out to one of the somewhat desolate areas outside of town. Areas like this were commonly used by trainers to practice attacks that were far too powerful to be used in a city until the pokemon using the attack could control it. While they could just stick around the pokemon center, she didn't want to leave holes all over the place especially since none of her pokemon could really fill them up and Steven was out battling people to get Squirtle to evolve. After making sure no one was around, Vali released all her pokemon who looked a bit confused when they noticed that they weren't in Cerulean at the moment.

Clearing her throat to gain their attention, Vali began speaking, "This is known as a desolate area where pokemon trainers usually have their pokemon work on attacks that are far too powerful to be used in a city until they're able to control it, I bet you're wondering why I brought us out here and why Steven isn't here," Her pokemon nodded, "Steven is currently working to get Squirtle to evolve and is battling other people to ensure that happens. As it currently stands, he has agreed to have two of his pokemon, Metagross and Skarmory work with us today. He will join us later once Squirtle evolves. Now, I brought us out here for multiple reasons. Smaug, I want you to get down Fire-Fang today since you're so close to getting it down. Balto, I want you to keep working on Reversal. Celina, you'll be working on Swift for the same reason as Smaug is working on Fire-Fang. Once you get it down, you'll be working on Twister with Skarmory. Pikachu, I know you want to work on Thunder Bolt, but for today, I want you to teach Sandshrew how to dig," Each of her pokemon nodded as she released Steven's pokemon who already knew the situation even if they weren't exactly sold on it, "Skarmory, please continue helping Celina with her attacks. Metagross, can you set up a barrier of rocks around us and some targets?"

Skarmory took off without a word and Celina followed after the elder pokemon. Metagross made a metallic grunt before their eyes turned bright blue and the ground began to rumble. Soon enough, a round barrier of rocky pillars surrounded a good portion of the desolate area while a group of boulders was set up not far away. One boulder was about Balto's size and settled close to the puppy pokemon. Once the ground stopped shaking, her pokemon got to work. Metagross settled down beside her as she took a seat on the warm clay beneath her, "Friend Vali, why did you choose this specific area? There are others closer to the city."

Vali glanced at them before looking back at her pokemon, "I asked Nurse Joy before we left about the various desolate areas. She told me that this one had the softest ground that was perfect for Sandshrew to start learning how to dig on. She also told me that there had been a trainer that had come through a week ago that had a team of dragon-type pokemon. He used this area to train them."

"So you're hoping that the bird will be able to get a better grasp of the dragon-type energy she requires to use Twister?" Metagross asked earning a nod, "And why ask for us rather than Claydol?"

"My pokemon need to get more familiar with you as well as Skarmory if we're to be battling with one another," Vali answered watching as Pikachu patiently explained digging to a curious Sandshrew, "There's also the fact that I'm more familiar with you than Claydol and I have questions that I'd like to ask,"

Metagross made a metallic hum, "What questions?"

"My inner flame," Vali answered shifting slightly, "You said that Fawkes awakened it, but how did he do that just by me touching him?"

Metagross was silent for a few moments. Vali used that time to observe her pokemon as they worked and enjoy the breeze a bit. Smaug's mouth was lit up with fire, but by the time he went to bite down on the target he'd chosen, the flames fizzled out. Balto was doing his best to pull off a Reversal and had the beginning down pact which meant he should finish learning it soon enough. Celina's Swift wasn't fizzling out of existence anymore and she could create at least five energy stars which meant she should be able to pull it off very soon. Pikachu was showing Sandshrew how to shift the dirt apart with their paws after using their claws to dig some up. Metagross finally spoke drawing her attention to him, "We do not know. It is likely that he channeled a hint of his magic into the spot you touched, but we cannot truly say. All we know is that the phoenix did it."

Vali had expected such an answer though that didn't mean it was any less frustrating to think about. Instead of trying to push for answers that she would probably never get, she asked, "You said that my inner flame was sleeping before Fawkes awakened it. What exactly did you mean by that?"

"Every fire-type's inner flame must be awakened by their parents or in your case, the phoenix," Metagross answered earning a confused look, "Most fire-type parents will breath out flames onto their eggs. Within the flames they use on the eggs, a few small sparks of their own inner flame fall onto the eggs shell and sink inside where they will enter the embryo and form the baby fire-types inner flame. In the case of those like the lizard or the magma ones, the inner flame of their mother does so before the egg leaves their body. In the case of the lizard, it is due to the inner flame boasting bits of dragon-type energy that it will need to survive later on. In the case of the magma ones, the species has no maternal instincts. The eggs are abandoned once their laid,"

A bit harsh, but understandable since some pokemon did not do parenting. After absorbing the information, Vali asked, "Is this just fire-types or is it every type of pokemon?"

"It is every pokemon though only fire-types are required to contribute bits of their inner fire to the baby," Metagross answered earning a soft hum from Vali as she took out her dex to write down everything Metagross was saying.

Once she had everything down, Vali asked, "My inner flame is mine, right?"

"Yes and it will only go out if you die," Metagross answered earning a nod from Vali, "Any other questions?"

And with that said, Vali continued picking Metagross four brains for information. In the back of her mind, she wondered if perhaps she should write a research paper about this stuff since she'd never heard of it before. Well, she would leave it to Professor Oak to write the paper since he would be able to do all the scientific stuff that would be needed to verifying the information.