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

V Max's P.O.V

I observed in awe as Ash decided who to take with him to Kalos. Pikachu, Lucario, Charizard, Gengar, Kilowattrel, Fuecoco, Rowlet, Oshawott, Cyndaquil, and Hisuian Zorua made the cut. They were the last ones he had caught and the ones that needed his aid the most. Especially, Rowlet, Oshawott, Cyndaquil, and Hisuian Zorua- as all of them are pokemon out of time. Rowlet, Oshawott, and Cyndaquil were easy to hide their background, as it is only in their final evolution that the three of them take their Hisuian form. Now Hisuian Zorua is a bit harder, though he is as good as a normal Zorua when it comes to illusions. So, as long as he are not in a battle, keeping an illusion of being a normal Zorua should be easy.

Still, I can't believe the pokemon team he has at hand. It was a dream team for any trainer, and it is his newest pokemon out of almost eighty pokemon! One better than the rest!

Not that I can talk about it. As my team consists of Gallade, Serperior, Alola Raichu, Mightyena, Meganium, Breloom, Banette, Scraggy, Gigalith, Seismitoad, and a pink Pidgey. He has truly infected me...

"Who have you chosen to take with you to Kalos?" Ash asked me excitedly.

He must be quite happy to see Gary again, I thought fondly. Being apart from his boyfriend, as he had been called back to Lumiose City, to aid Professor Sycamore in a project.

"I am taking Gallade, Scraggy, and Pidgey," I answered him.

"Your starter, the ones that need you the most, and leaving half the roaster open for new catchs. Smart thinking," Ash praised me, making me blush.

I've been getting used to being praised by Ash as my mentor for a while, though it's always a different experience. I just look up to him so much! I just watched him raise a Wattrel to a Kilowattrel in a matter of a month! Who else does that?! Yes, this pokemon is a combination of Electric/Flying-type, which means Ash is the perfect trainer to train them... but stil!

This is why he is Ash Ketchum and no one else will ever be like him!

I am truly sorry for whatever kid he ends up adopting, I thought, wincing at the image. They'll have a lot to live up to. The Oak and Ketchum legacy combined... and I thought being dad's son was too much at times. I'll pray for that possible future kid from now. They'll need every single prayer.

"I am surprised you are taking Charizard," I commented. "I thought maybe you would take Dunsparce with you."

"Oh, he evolved a week ago into Dudunsparce," Ash informed me, much to my shock. I had not been aware of that! "You and Trip were too busy training until to realize. Well, what I'm trying to get to, is that after Trip left to Kanto to start his second journey, Dudunsparce told me that he has no wish to continue battling. He likes sparing from time to time, mostly to keep his skills sharp, but he would rather stay in the island, sunbathing."

"Well, that's quite lazy and not something I would expect from one of your pokemon," I commented.

"Meganium, Bulbasaur, and most of my grass-type pokemon not counting Sceptile, prefer to take life in a more calm manner," Ash replied with amusement. "They do like battling more than Dudunsparce, but they still don't go looking for it. Not like my most notable members. There are many of my pokemon that don't enjoy battling that much, like Granbull, Mawile, Plusle, Minun, Kricketune, Ninjask, Shedninja, Galarian Slowbro, Galarian Slowking, Miltank, Magcargo, Froslass, and Polteageist." Now that he mentions them, there are quite a few of his pokemon that do not battle that much. Even though, they are quite powerful, Ash had trained them after all. "They don't mind battling, I've sent them into battle before. But it's not something they enjoy to do for a living, it's more like a hobby." Battling in the circuit Ash participates in as a hobby? Only with Ash Ketchum, I shook my head in amusement. "I would never force them to do something they do not enjoy. They still want to be my pokemon, don't midn to patrol the islands for me when I am away, and are enjoying themselves. What else can I ask for?"

"That's true," I agreed. "I had not realized that. I just thought you let those that do not want to battle go and live their lives elsewhere."

"I never did that," Ash shook his head confused. "Squirtle wanted to be a firefighter and missed his squad, once that dream was fulfilled he decided to come back home. Pidgeot and Lapras had their duties to their kind, Butterfree had found his mate and wanted to live with her for a while, Primeape wanted an specific kind of training I could not give him back then... still can't." Ash tilted his head. "If you think about it, it's like when we leave home for our journeys. Simply because we are faraway fulfilling our dream it does not mean we are not family. They went to get their journeys, they needed to take a journey on their own, and then when it was over, they came home."

"It's that easy?" I asked him stunned, I had never thought about it that way.

"No way!" Ash laughed, shaking his head. "It is the hardest thing I've ever done and will ever continue to do. However, I know it is something that they need to do. It also helped me understand what my mother goes through every time she sees me leave. Which is why I make sure to call her daily with my xtransceiver, because if I could have done that with my pokemon I would have. The countless nights I spent awake wondering where they are, what they were doing, how they were... I lost count honestly. It is very hard..."

"I don't think I could ever do that," I commented, looking at Ash with new eyes and a lot more respect- something I had once thought impossible.

"You can," Ash assured me, with a serious a very mature look on his face. "Though, I hope you never do."

Author's Note: I am back! I am so sorry for my long vacation! It's just that things have gotten busy with school and there has been some issues I've been dealing for. Not to mention, I needed a break from this fandom before I burned out and finishes a couple other stories. But I am back! Though the updates won't be as fast as I'm known for until July. Some weeks I'll have more time and inspiration, some others less. Please bear with me until then! Thank you!