Going forward and beyond {Path of the Aura Ranger: Book I}

II Charizard's P.O.V

"So, you are the famous Charizard." The Pupitar commented when he had finally been released by Pikachu and Ash. He was closely being followed by Jolteon, who adored the idea of having an older brother- even if he is of another species.

We've been on the road for around two weeks. Ash seems to be enjoying being able to hide from all the cameras, unlike his friends, as we've seen through BuzzNav. Still, it wasn't like nothing had happened to us while on the route, if anything we've had various adventures since we entered the forest. Then again, that's what normally happens when you are traveling with Ash. We've met and helped a Pokemornithologist, helped a Nuzleaf return to his herd and Starly had evolved into Staravia while in the Ranch after he perfectionated Aerial Ace. Not to mention that Ash finally got rid of the arm sling and I was finally deemed healed enough to start doing some light training, though I still needed to wait until we reach Oreburgh City for Nurse Joy to take my stitches and return to the Charizard Valley.

Talking about interesting things, it seems that the Larvitar Ash and Pikachu had helped all those years back had finally decided to join their group after finally evolving in the wild. He had it easy, all he had to do is approach the Ranger Headquarters on Mt. Silver and point to the news channel on the T.V. Everyone knows how Ash had gained his status as Honorary Ranger before joining the forces officially, so they rapidly understood that the Pupitar was the famous Larvitar of the story and sent someone to give Ash the newly caught pokemon.

It took them about a week to find them. Honestly, couldn't they just give Ash a fucking call?! But in the end, they finally found him and gave them Pupitar's Poke Ball. Let's just say that both Ash and Pikachu were ecstatic that the first pokemon they helped hatched had returned to their family. Now, it's good that they are happy and all that, but no one but them has been able to get close to the new member of our family or even greet Pupitar! Until now...

"You've heard about me?" I grunted, letting out some smoke.

"Yep," he replied. "Dad and Uncle Ash could not stop telling me stories about you, Butterfree, Uncle Primeape, Aunt Pidgeot, and Lapras. They missed all of you, but it seems that now the only ones that didn't return were Butterfree and Lapras. If only for a lack of methods to communicate with them."

Arceus help me! He had picked up Jolteon's nicknames! I moaned in my head.

"We missed them too," I replied. "But back then we had to take different paths. There will be times that one has to take a different path to fulfill their dream but that doesn't mean we stopped being family or that we will never see each other again... it just means that life had other plans for us at that moment and that one day it will be time to reunite." They all looked at me with stunned expressions. "What?!" I growled.

"Sorry, it's just... that sounds something Ash would say to us when... we are being unreasonable..." Turtwig said.

"You mean when we are being scolded." Bulbasaur, the traitor, sniggered. "Those were the same words Ash told Charizard after the training camp before he had returned to the Charizard Valley."

"Oh, thank Arceus!" Turtwig sighed. "For a moment I thought someone had replaced Charizard with an impostor," everyone laughed at that.

"Shut it!" I growled, keeping my blush at check- no need to give them any other reason to laugh at me.

"I know," Pupitar's admission had us all freezing. "Back then there was nothing more that I wanted than to stay with Dad and Uncle Ash. But I didn't want to leave mother either, not to mention I had to lot to learn from her... from living in the wild." He turned to look at Pikachu and Ash, who were helping Dawn train her pokemon. "However, here we are. Reunited once more after so many moons have passed. It is all about timing and patience."