Celadon shopping trip

With Elrond's help, Vali was able to keep Ash and Gary from running off to explore the department store. Ash pouted at her, "Vali, why can't we explore?"

"Because you'll get lost," Vali led the way into one of the many elevators dotting the Celadon department store, "This place is like a maze especially when you go into the stores. I don't want to have to get Elrond or Vulpix to track you down," She hit the floor number they needed to go to, "Besides once I get my TMs, I'll take you to get something for your pokemon,"

"Really?" Ash grinned while Gary huffed softly.

Professor Oak had taken her advice and Gary was now the owner of a Bellsprout. The boy while happy at getting a pokemon complained that Bellsprout were lame. Vali planned on taking him to meet Erika while they were there since the Gym Leader would be able to prove the boy wrong. It would also give both boys something to focus on and allow her some time to relax without having to deal with either boy trying to run off. She focused on Gary as he asked, "Where did Steven go, anyway?"

"He needed to go check some things out," Vali answered with a light smile, "He'll join us soon enough and bringing a friend of his along as well,"

Steven was meeting with Ryner about something he hadn't been too clear on. She wasn't able to question him too much since they'd needed to leave pretty soon and then he'd had to go if he wanted to meet Ryner on time. Ash looked at her curiously, "Do you know his friend?"

"Yes, Ryner is a nice guy alongside his partner Stella, a Kirlia," Vali led them off the elevator when it dinged and over to where the store selling TMs was, "I met them during my time in Vermilion,"

"What are those?" Ash asked as he gestured to the TM cases on display.

Vali looked at the display and eyed the sleek looking cases, "They're TM cases. They're what we use to keep our TMs from being damaged and give them knowledge of the TMs to our pokemon," She led the boys past the case, "Those must be the latest models."

"Do you have one like that?" Gary asked eyeing the cases curiously.

"No. Mine works just fine," Vali led them to the TMs, "These are the TMs currently on sale, they have a booklet that lists what TMs they're selling and which ones you'd have to order,"

Vali showed them the rather thick and clunky catalog that seemed to get bigger each time she visited this store. Ash looked at it with wide eyes, "Why is it so big?"

"They're continually making new TMs," Vali answered as she opened the catalog and began to flick through it, "The Celadon Department Store prides itself on having the latest of everything available to the public,"

Vali found that all the TMs she needed were being sold and quickly began looking for them. She picked up Hyper Beam, Arial Ace, Solar Beam, Grass Knot, Wilde Charge, and Will-o-Wisp. She also picked up Thunder Fang since it was on sale. After making sure she had all but Grass Knot as permanent TMs, she bought them while inwardly wincing at the fact she'd drained her savings to only two thousand poke. She led the boys over to the shop selling pokemon apparel as Gary asked, "Vali, why did you grimace at the counter?"

"Because I just spent a lot of money," Vali told the boy with a low sigh, "Trainers don't exactly make a lot of money until they're facing high level opponents. You've got to be frugal since having a nice nest egg set up for a rainy day will save you a lot of trouble,"

"Does that mean we're not going to be able to get anything?" Ash asked with a small frown, "I don't want to make you broke, Vali,"

"You're not wasting my money, Ash, especially since Padfoot is paying for it," Vali grinned at him, "Just don't go too expensive regardless,"

With that, Vali let the two boys go off with Elrond and Pippin keeping an eye on the two.

"What are they doing?" Steven asked as he walked up with Ryner.

Vali was currently using Balto as a backrest while fiddling around with her plans on how to beat Giovanni. She looked across the outside battlefield of the Celadon Gym that was still technically being constructed at where Erika was speaking with the two boys currently under her charge. At the current moment, Ash was hugging the front right leg belonging to Erika's beast of a Venusaur chattering excitedly to the gentle giant. Erika was standing with Gary and a pair of Bellsprout talking to the brown haired boy. Looking back at Steven, she said, "I assume Erika is telling Gary about the benefits of having a Bellsprout while Ash is trying to get Venusaur to fall in love with him," Steven snorted softly at that last comment and Vali tossed him a grin before focusing on Ryner, "Hey, Ryner. How are you?"

"Not bad," Ryner sat down near her with Steven and Stella following after him looking at the man with fond exasperation, "You?"

"Not bad," Vali parroted back before saying, "I'm pretty excited given that we only need one more badge to enter the League,"

Ryner nodded with a soft yawn, "That's good, I saw your last Gym battle thanks to Steven and you did really good. How's Smaug?"

"Trying to push himself, but he's recovering well," Vali fiddled with Smaug's pokeball feeling it warm beneath her fingers, "It'll be a little bit before he's flying like before, but I'm fine with that," She looked at him in curiosity, "What brings you to Kanto, Ryner?"

"Steven's paperwork and the fact I'm the poor guy overseeing our joint work with Cinnabar's fossil research lab," Ryner let out a groan as Stella patted his head a bit roughly, "Stella!"

"Don't be such a downer," Stella chirped at Ryner, "You got promoted after all,"

"Promoted?" Vali looked at Steven, "Does that mean you two won't be working together now?"

"Not at all, Ryner will still be working under me," Steven smiled lightly, "I am officially in charge of the project. Once we finish our Gym run, I'll be overseeing some fossil digs in Mount Moon while Ryner keeps things at the lab stable,"

"That's great, Steven," Vali grinned at him, "You'll definitely do a good job and probably have a blast, but don't forget to train your pokemon,"

"I won't," Steven's lips pulled into a smirk, "Especially since I plan on beating Lance during our next battle,"