The beginning of a new road {Path of the Aura Ranger: Book II}

I Lance's P.O.V

"Lance!" Max exclaimed in happiness, rushing towards me as soon as he saw me enter the garden of the Champion's Tower.

Pummelo Island was decided to become the base of the new Orange Pokemon League. It already had the stadium and a hotel resort big enough for the competitors and those there to watch the conference happen. All it needed was a headquarters for the league to do business and a building for the main Ranger Headquarters of the region. Both which were rapidly done, using a construction company that hires pokemon is always a must- their job gets done in half the time. Not far from the Pummelo Stadium rose twin buildings of modern architecture, without ornamentation and using the colors red, blue, and yellow as base- following a DE STIJL style. The buildings were facing each other, as if they were being reflected by a mirror, and were surrounded by five towers. Four towers for the Elite Four and the one for the Champion.

Each tower also followed the same architectonic style, inside of them the place was built for all styles of pokemon to be able to live. With perches for Flying-type pokemon, big doors and open spaces for big pokemon, an aquarium that expanded throughout the tower - without needing to take all over the inside walls - for Water-type pokemon, a dojo for Fighting-type pokemon, ice rooms for Ice-type pokemon, and the sort. Not to mention, the huge, private, open space around the towers for pokemon that prefer staying out. Of course, there was also a place for the humans, with many guest rooms, a gym (which pokemon can also use), a business room, a sauna and massage room. All the perks and amenities, even a private pool at the top of the tower!

Lorelei and Drake really went all out. It was kind of hilarious to watch Ash's reaction at the final product. But after seeing his pokemon so happy he relented, also with all the pokemon he has he needed a lot of space to keep them. So, he accepted the tower. As for the open space around the towers, it was left to decorate at the choice of everyone. Of course, Ash left Bulbasaur in charge, who manipulated the terrain so that there would be a pond inn middle of sakura/zen garden. It was beautiful and peaceful, yet that did not stop Ash's pokemon from battling out all the time. Not that Bulbasaur minded, I think he enjoys the hardwork of rebuilding the garden every day- I see him adding small changes every time.

"Hello Max, that's quite a team you've got there," I praised him, quite impress by the team Max was able to build at such a young age. A Gallade, a Mightyena, a Banette, a Breloom, an Alolan Raichu, a Meganium, a Serperior, a Seismitoad, a Gigalith, a baby Scraggy, and a pink Pidgey. "They also look very well trained and strong, congratulations! By the way, how did Servine evolve? Last time I talked to Ash, he told me she was in a boot camp with Her Majesty Espeon."

"Oh, Ash challenged us, Iris and I, into a double battle!" Max beamed at me, practically vibrating with excitement. "Iris' Swablu and my Servine, against his Dragonair and Gabite. It seem to be what we all needed to push our pokemon towards evolution. Swablu evolved into Altaria, I got a Serperior, and Ash now has three pseudo-legendary pokemon in his team."

"Wait a second... Ash has a Garchomp and a Dragonite and he did not tell me?" I paused slightly shock at the news. "What is wrong with that boy?!"

"I would like to know too," a clearly mad Cynthia commented behind me. I turned around to see her with an uncharacteristical frown on her face, and Princess crossing her arms over her chest with a glare. "I will need to have a talk with that boy, this is not how you treat your older siblings!"

"I think he was mostly planning to surprise you in person," Max intervened shyly.

"Well, that does sound like something Ash would do," I replied.

"You are right," Cynthia agreed, going back to her smiling self.

"C-Champion L-Lance and C-Champion C-Cynthia-!" Iris exclaimed as she reached our spot in the huge garden, her Fraxure, Emolga, Altaria, and Excadrill were following closely behind her. "T-this is... awesome! I am such a big fan!" She rushed towards us with a beaming smile. "I want to be a Dragon Master like you!" She told me with eyes shining with excitement. "Ash is helping me a lot but..."

"He does not understand what it means to love one type of pokemon above the rest, to dedicate yourself to just that," I interrupted her, knowing where she was going. "For Generalists, especially those like Ash, it is hard to understand those that choose to especilize in one path. They simply love pokemon so much to choose one type above the rest, and while they can mentor someone like us... it is only in how to be a trainer and how to grow. How to care for dragons and those small tricks will need to come from somewhere else." Iris smiled back at me, the tension leaving her body slowly. "However, you better not start running before you finish learning how to walk. Because that's all Ash will teach you, he will give you and Max a base from which you will later grow on your own. The same way he did for May and Dawn before. So, learn from him, later go back to the Dragon Clan or come to visit the Wataru state in Johto to learn about dragon in specific."

"R-really?! I can visit the Wataru State?" Iris had tears in her eyes, as she asked me in disbelief. "It's like a dream come true..."

"Of course, any friend of Ash is a friend of mine," I smiled gently at the young girl. From what told me Ash, she has a lot of latent talent that has started to bloom lately. "Talking about Ash, where is he?"

"He is meeting with investors and administrative workers," Riley answered me, joining our growing group in the garden. "It's about the Naranja Academy."

"That's right! Ash's brainchild after seeing the Pokemon School in Alola!" Cynthia exclaimed excitedly, she has always been someone who loved and appreciated studying. "A place where students from all over the archipelago can go and learn, staying at dorms in the academy or flying or taking a water taxi to the island every day for class. It would be a place where they can grow and learn about life and pokemon."

"That's right, it would be kind of a mix of what our regions do and what Unova, Kalos, and Galar do," Riley continued. "Instead of staying at school until one gets their high school diploma or leaving students to their own devices while theyr travel through the regions. Naranja Academy would teach students various needed classes like biology - both human and pokemon -, art, home economics, math, history, languages, battle studies, and coordination studies, to mention a few. There will be also various tracks from which students can choose, general studies track, STEM track, humanities track, business track, and science track. But each year for various months they will have this huge project that would go hand in hand with their studies, they will need to find their treasure. They will be allowed to travel all around the archipelago and work for their objective, is it to be a pokemon watcher, or to challenge the Orange Pokemon League, or to be part of the Grand Festival, or to face the Battle Frotnier, that's their choice. As long as by the end they justify it with actions and a written report, you'll pass. Also, the teachers and the class tutor will be in charge of making sure that the students are keeping with their studies... Ash had always had issues with studying and staying behind a desk. This is his way of allowing students to learn and grow with experiences, the same way he did- but safer and in a more controlled environment. Devon Corporation, Kojiro Corporation, the Aether Foundation, and Ash himself, are investing in the academy and it's new style of teaching. "

"That's such an Ash thing to do," I shook my head with a fond smile- Scales chuckling next to me. "Grand Festival? I did not know that Pokemon Contests have also started to make an appearance in the islands."

"Oh, yes!" Max cheered. "After all the media attention the archipelago has been getting, they would be fools not to join the train. May is planning of competing on the first year it opens, so are Drew and Dawn!"

"Rayquaza! The Orange Archipelago has been turned upside down in only a couple of years... what else is Ash planning to do now?" I questioned jokingly, but paled when Riley, Max, and Iris exchanged looks. "Please tell me he is not planning of doing anything else," I literally begged, throwing my Dragon Master pride to the wind. This is much more important than my pride. "Of course, he is planning of doing something, when is he not?! Oh, well, I'll just have to be there to have his back and to scold him afterwards. That's what big brothers do."

"And big sisters," chimmed Cynthia with a competitiive glint in her eyes.

Oh, you really want to do this Cynthia? You are on! I'll show you who is Ash's best older sibling!