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

II Professor Kukui's P.O.V

I could only stare at the scene before me in stunned shock. The festival has been a great success. Not only were we making enough money to aid a whole region if needed, but we were also stamping the Alola Islands on the map. Ash was everything Alola stood for and we could not ask for a better face to promote our islands. The joy he felt from battling was shared with everyone with a beaming smile and gentle words. He was all for fair play and just enjoying the moment with anyone, even his opponents. When the long day of battling was over, he had stayed back and talked with every single competitor, giving them advice and encouraging them to continue training. My student Kiawe was over the moon and more determined than anyone to continue training his pokemon to be the very best Fire-type pokemon specialist out there. Gladion had also taken advantage to thank him for saving his mom and sister.

Even the Hakunas were delighted with him. Ash had taken up their offer and had completed the Island Challenge with the same pokemon he entered for the Saint Festival, as practice and training to prepare them for this event. Ash had won the Fightium-Z from Hala, the Waterium-Z from Sofu, Firium-Z from Kaeo, and Darkinium-Z from Nanu. Of course, he had requested to go through the trials each trainer goes through before facing the Kahunas. He battled against the Gumshoos Totem Pokemon in Melemele Island gaining a Normalium-Z, he then faced the Lurantis Totem Pokemon in Akala Island receiving a Grassium-Z, then he went to explore the Vast Poni Canyon to find and battle the Kommo-o Totem Pokemon and get the Dragonium-Z, and finally, instead of facing off a Totem Pokemon in Ula'ula Island, Nanu had him battle Acerola and her special Mimikyu gave him a Ghostium-Z. Ash now possessed 16 out of the 28 known Z-Crystals. And has the fastest record of completing the Island Trails in over a century.

Honestly, if Champion Lance had not warned us that the Orange Archipelago has already claimed him as their champion, we would have offered him the same position in our islands.

Then The Saint Festival came and Ash took everything to the next level. 30 battles one after the other with only 3 pairs of pokemon, of course, there were breaks, but still, the stamina and teamwork needed from not only the pokemon but Ash... I'm sure that for the next one he'll prepare more pairs. However, on the first day, he did wonderfully. I could not expect him to top it... yet, here we are. Hitmontop and Zangoose take down their opponents with a succession of well-placed and powerful kicks and punches. Fury Cutter, Hone Claws, Focus Punch, Close Combat, Detect, Quick Guard, Triple Kick, and repeat. Working seamlessly together, like twins. Hala gets too excited every time they come out, enjoying every second, even though it's not a lot, as their fights are the quickest to be done.

Then the eeveelution pair... now that team is just straight out scary cousin! Ash's face becomes this closed-off mask, no noise coming out of any of them, as they communicate telepathically. They've tried to take them down by using dark energy to cut the telepathic communication off, but it seems like they do not even need it! Ash snapped his fingers or clapped his hands and the next moment both Espeon and Sylveon were throwing themselves into a complicated but incredibly well choreographed Psychic Fang/Fairy Wind combo. I do not want to even mention how scary their Special Attack and Defense are. The Moonblast, the Future Sight... Arceus! Not to mention that even if they managed to damage them, Espeon would use simply use Morning Sun. How they are not in the Ace Stage I will never know... I kind of do not want to see those battles. They'll be carnage!

Now, Vibrava and Altaria, would sweep down and hunt their prey, picking them apart before flying away and doing graceful aerial choreography simply because they could. Not that they needed to fly away from attacks, Altaria defenses were impenetrable for the competitors and I've never seen two flying pokemon that fought as well as them on the ground. Honestly, what was with Ash and training his pokemon to know how to brawl!

Though, it was that fact that brought us to the situation we were in. Vibrava has flown too far from Altaria and her defense did not reach him in time, bringing him down after a cutting attack from their opponents damaged his wings. Altaria, of course, went down to aid him and the battle continued on the ground, surprising everyone. I would honestly not be surprised if Ash got his Flying Mastery before his Generalist Mastery, he was proving to the world that he truly knows how to train flying pokemon. They battle on the ground as gracefully as they do in the sky. Ash had neutralized one of the greatest weaknesses of pokemon that fly.

The Machap of the opponent tried to punch Vibrava, but Altaria blocked it with her wing, then the Volorb tried to electrocute Altaria but Vibrava jumped in front of her and received the attack. One second later, Vibrava was shinning making us all gasp. He was evolving. We were all about to watch a dragon pokemon evolve to his last stage live!

"That's my brother!" Champion Lance exclaimed jumping out of his seat in excitement, in the private room in which all the champions, kahunas, and the Aether family were watching the battles. The Kojiro family had decided to watch it from the stands.

Soon the light faded and in the place, Vibrava had once stood, a Flygon took his place. A Flygon with healed wings. The moment Ash realized that he returned the fight to the sky and finished them off with a lethal combined Earthquake/Hurricane combo.

"He can be quite scary..." Lillie murmured, hugging her Eevee close to her chest.

"I am so glad I did not face any of those pokemon," Gladion commented, getting agreeing noises from his pokemon, as the three of them watched Ash smiling carefree in the middle of two vicious dragon pokemon as if they had not just destroyed the battlefield beyond recognition.

"He did it on purpose," Champion Wallace commented. "I might not know them as Cynthia and Lance do, but that excessive use of force was done so a break would be called and he could take his time checking his newly evolved pokemon and celebrate the moment."

"He did," Champion Cynthia agreed with a smile, chuckling when Champion Lance rushed out of the door whooping in a very uncharacteristically way.

"He won't shut p about it now, gloating as if it was his pokemon the one who had evolved," Champion Wallace shook his head in exasperation, but the smile on his face broke his act.

"Let him, it is his little brother's dragon the one who had evolved," Champion Cynthia replied, the smile never leaving her face.

"Who is next?" Lusamine asked, excitedly.

"Ilima," I answered, still a bit breathless from the incredible show of pure dragon power we had just seen. "He came from where he was studying in Kalos for this event."

"If he wins, we'll have two native alolan trainers going for the training camp," Lusamine commented, smiling proudly at her son, who blushed under the praise.

"Do you think he will be able to win?" Champion Cynthia asked, but her smile was now sharper, deadlier, and so was the glint in her eyes. This was a proud older sister, ready to defend the honor of her little brother.

"Zangoose and Hitmontop are next, Ilida specializes in Normal-type pokemon, he'll know how to handle them," I answered, not backing down, I also have the pride of a teacher to defend. "Also, he made a pit spot in the islands before coming to the stadium, he gained a special Z-crystal that will for sure take Ash by surprise, giving him enough time to for a win."

"We'll see," Champion Cynthia smiled, beautiful yet deadly.

It seems that's a characteristic all champions and Ash share.

They are beautiful yet deadly.