A/N: 16/10/2021. Major edit done to this story and all chapters.
Chapter Sixteen: Leaving Home
On the 1st of July, the day following my tenth birthday, I left Shamouti Island – the first place that I could call home – knowing that I would not be returning for at least one full year. I'd still be able to contact Nurse Joy via video phone (so she could see that I was okay), but it wouldn't be the same as seeing her every day and living with her.
The journey to Blackthorn City took three days on Altaria's back as they only needed to stop at night for her to rest. Noivern only joined her in the air for the afternoons so that he could stay away for the majority of the night in order to protect the camp and explore the land they'd stopped in. Zweilous wasn't able to explore as easily when she also stood watch, because she was so big and unable to move without waking everyone else, but that didn't stop her from curious nosing or biting at various leaves and trees they encountered.
The journey was peaceful.
Despite having been flying for a few years, I never got tired of the feeling of the wind brushing across my body and through my hair as we travelled through the open skies. My only regret was that I would never be able to see the world as it past bellow us, the stunning views that I had no doubt were visible from so high up. Seeing the world in shades of black or blue left a lot to be desired when I could remember the colour of sunset – the striking reds and oranges, the splash of purple and hues of blue.
As we travelled, I could hear the sound of Pokemon as they ran along the ground below us, and other Pokemon as they flew by us and we lew among them. their cries and songs were beautiful, as they sang their freedom to the winds and the sun.
But finally, our travel came to an end as we arrived in Blackthorn City.
On touching down in the city, I returned Altaria and released Riolu. As I was in a city, I was only allowed the one Pokemon to accompany me and, even then, I was limited by species, size and temperament. Blackthorn City may be one of the few cities that allowed a first evolved form dragon type company to accompany the trainer if the temperament is mellow enough, but they didn't extend their tolerance beyond that. Of my team, only Riolu, Prinplup, Frogadiar and Vulpix fell into the category of being allowed to accompany me in city. But once they all evolved, only Lucario would be allowed to accompany me in all cities and Greninja in a handful.
With guide stick in one hand, and the other on Riolu's shoulder, I headed to the hospital.
As this was the first time I'd be staying somewhere with a hospital, I needed to go and get my vaccinations and be registered. Since I was being fostered by Liza of Charicific Valley and the Gym of Blackthorn City, I was able to be officially registered in the Blackthorn Hospital. The registration process was quite simple, including a blood and DNA test, measuring of height and weight and doing a quick health questionnaire to see if there are any current health concerns. I had brought a copy of the medical report that the doctor who had first seem me had made so the hospital wouldn't have to do a medical assessment of old treaties in order to update their files.
After the uncomfortable doctor's appointment, Riolu guided me to large Pokemon Centre were I'd ranged to met my guide to Liza. In her last email, Liza hadn't known who exactly would be taking me to Charicific Valley, but she'd definitely have someone waiting for me. As the Valley had so many territorial wild Pokemon, it was recommended that visitors either came through a dedicated and protected pathway that she and her Charizard regularly checked, or they were taken via air balloon from one of her trusted guides.
Riolu and I sat together on a bench, the both of us using Aura to slowly map out the city they were in from the point they were sitting. Seeing and acknowledging the vast number of humans around, but moving beyond them to the streets and the buildings and the trees. Riolu's reach was far greater then my own, but I'd been getting far better over the years as part of my training and was able to 'see' miles in any direction.
"Jenny Hart?" A woman's voice called from a few steps away. She was tall and thin, her heart kind and strong.
With another human so close, I brought my Aura all the way back and returned to darkness. Having felt the reduction in my Aura, Riolu jumped from the bench and moved so he was both besides and in front of me when I stood up to face the woman.
"Yes, that's me. Are you the guide Liza arranged?" I questioned, extending my guide stick as I placed one hand on Riolu's shoulder to seek his comfort in the face of yet another stranger.
"That's me. Chloe Blackthorn," the woman coughed awkwardly, letting me know that she had held her hand out for me to shake.
"Blackthorn City Gym Leader?" I questioned curiously.
"That's right." Chloe hummed. "You ready to go?"
"Yes, I've got everything in my backpack, and I've already been to the hospital." I confirmed.
"I was hoping to meet your Deino, will I be able to see her?" Chloe questioned as they got working.
"Deino evolved. She's now a Zweilous. Has been for nearly seven months." I smiled softly in remembrance. "I thought Professor Elm has been forwarding the reports to you?"
"He has been, but it's been a little busy around her. I'm backlogged in paperwork. But I think Lance has been reading them religiously. He's tempted to take a holiday and go looking for a Deino of his own." Chloe chuckled.
"Lance Blackthorn, the champion," I recalled. He was one of the few I would have trusted to tell the truth of Grasshope to, back when I'd first escaped and I'd known so little of the world. "And dragon master. A good man."
"That he is." Chloe agreed. "Now, let's get going. Will you be okay with your Riolu guiding you?"
"Yes, I'll be fine." I confirmed.
"Let's get going then. No point hanging around when we have places to be." Chloe started moving briskly through the streets towards the point where Atlaria had landed. One of the landing and take-off points that the city had for large flying types so they weren't flying through the city's airspace. Riolu and I walked a few steps behind her, our pace naturally slower as I was using my guide stick to ensure that my steps didn't fall on uneven ground.
"Thank you for being my guide today. And letting me meet you before I fostered with your gym." I made sure to speak a little louder so my voice travelled to Chloe.
"It's alright. Nurse Joy did comment in her reference letter that you aren't completely comfortable around strangers." Chloe slowed so she was only a little in front of me, my guide stick was slightly brushing in her step. "That was why I volunteered to take you up to see Liza, so you got to meet me on the same day you met her. Get it out of the way. That, and Liza and I are old friends."
"When did you meat?" I questioned.
"When we were ten, and we went to Professor Denison to get our first Pokemon. That was nearly eighteen years ago now. Blimey, the time has simple flown by." Chloe whistled. "We travelled together for three years before she ended up apprenticing at an old fire master, and I begun training to take over the Blackthorn Gym when I was eighteen. Lance had been making strives to become the Champion and it was clear he wouldn't be able to take over the gym."
"Isn't Lance Blackthorn your cousin?"
Although I'd done research into Lance Blackthorn, that research had been focused in on the changes he had made and the changes he was looking to make. The achievements he'd made as a trainer, and the way he treated his Pokemon and the people around him. I'd also looked into the Blackthorn Clan, but I hadn't looked into things like his date of birth, how old he was when he became champion and his connection to other Blackthorn members beyond what had been mentioned in passing.
"He is. My father is his father's brother. We grew up together as Lance is only two years older than me." Chloe admitted. "He became champion the same year I took up my role as Gym Leader."
"But then he became Champion when he was nineteen." I titled my head, surprised. I'd known that Lance was young, but I hadn't known how young. He would be thirty now.
"And that was the last time my dear cousin had fun." Chloe joked as she came to a stop. "We've arrived at the air balloon that is going to take us to Charicific Valley, but you're going to have to return your Riolu until Liza has had the chance to introduce you all to the Alpha Charizard and the other Pokemon of the Valley.
"Alright," I agreed hesitantly after a moment.
Riolu guided me onto the basket and, once I had a tight grip on the edge of the basket, I returned him to his Pokeball. Once he was returned, I shrunk and clipped my guide stick to my belt before gripping the edge of the basket with that hand as well. Flying without a Pokemon by my side was very disconcerting, and not even activating my Aura would help me since then I'd just know how far the land was from me and how far I would fall if the balloon failed.
"Have you discussed your training with Liza?" Chloe questioned as the flame roared and the basket jerked with their take-off.
"No. She knows what I hope to achieve in my time with her, but Liza said we'd discuss it in person." I focused on the conversation and the sound of Chloe's steady breathing across the basket instead of the feel of the basket rocking under my feet.
"That's unusual. Liza normally prefers to discuss her fostering in detail before the fostering child turns up. To make sure they'll benefit from the situation." Chloe's voice spiked a pitch in surprise.
"Well, she knows plenty about me and my family, so she probably has plenty of things planned. She just didn't want to discuss it with me." I shrugged, not overly concerned as Liza was contractually obliged to teach me something and we'd confirm the details when I landed.
Chloe and Professor Oak had been very thorough in going over what my duties were and what I would learn.
"Will you describe what you can see?"
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On arriving outside of the cabin that Liza called home, I was led straight to what would be my room for my direction in order to unpack while Liza and Chloe chatted.
The first thing I did was release my family since we were safely inside and so wouldn't be threatened by the wild Pokemon.
The room I had been given had a floor bed which could be folded up at the start of every day to give me more space. There was a tank which span the length of one wall, which was four metres deep and three wide – just enough space for Frogadiar and Prinplupt to be submerged so as to protect them from the oppressive heat of the Valley. If they evolved during our time in the Valley, they would have to take it in turns in the water but they would also be more resistant to the heat. The only other furniture in the room was a chest of draws which were tucked into the corner of the room for my things to be stored in. Riolu helped me sort out the things that had been in my backpack into the right draws, before the bag was tucked under it.
I was sat, brushing Altaria's cotton wings when Liza appeared in the doorway.
"Alright, Kid, let's get down to discussing the details of your stay here. You can leave your Pokemon here to get settled, I've got tea in the kitchen."
"Riolu, Vulpix, keep an eye on everyone." I ordered with a smile before I followed Liza into the kitchen. The sound of a tea cup being placed on the table while I was still following footsteps let me know that Chloe was still here.
"There is an empty seat, three steps in front of you," Liza pointed out, trying to be helpful.
I continued forward until my guide stick tapped between the back legs of the chair. At which point I reached out with my hand which I used to guide myself into the empty seat.
"Your tea is on the table in front of you. Do you want milk or sugar in it?" Chloe questioned.
I reached out and sniffed the tea to see what leaves it had been made out off. It was a little bit spicy, and there was the hint of wild berries as well. The sort of tea that didn't require milk, and was more favourite because it was made without the caffeine that the men of Shamouti seemed to prefer.
"No thank you. It's fine as it is." I wrapped my hands around the cup to allow the warmth to seep into my hands which were always cold.
"Right, down to business. As you know, those who Foster under me typically do so for between six and nine months. Based on the rate of learning Nurse Joy reported, and the fact that your team has been with you for two years, you'll likely learn quicker than those before you. I've never fostered a child who has had a Pokemon since hatching, and definitely not one with many Pokemon under their care. You're also about a year older." Liza began.
"If you do finish in under six months, you can definitely come and stay with me early." Chloe jumped in. "I really wouldn't mind; three dragon types on your team, you'd fit right in."
"Right then, duties and targeted learning points…"
