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

IV Lance's P.O.V

"Would you look at that, I did not know that Ash could act," I commented, impressed.

"Pika-pi!" Pikachu snickered on my shoulder.

We were on the set of the first filming of Diantha's new action movie, starring Ash and his Lucario. At the moement, Ash and Lucario were "training" with Diantha and Gardevoir in combat. It was kind of amusing, because the scene had Diantha's character teaching Ash how to battle like a spy for the first time. However, Ash was trained by a Blue Knight and was way beyond anything Diantha could do. It was easy to notice that his struggling was because he was trying to hold back. Luckily, others would see that and think he was struggling to keep up. So, at the end it worked for the movie.

Lucario was having a harder time. Gardevoir was a defense and special attack specialist, while Lucario was a Fighting-type, one that had a type-advantage against the fairy. In a fair battle, Gardevoir was superior, she was a Champion's Ace after all. However, in this scene? It was quite hard for Lucario, he, like Ash, always go all out. Holding back, when they know the other can handle it, was not in their vocabulary.

"Cut!" The director announced. "Good job! All of you were wonderful!"

"Ah," Ash sighed, flopping on my chest. I chuckled as I shifted my stance to hold him better. "When I accepted to star alongside Diantha in an action movie, I thought it would be fun. I did not realize how hard it would be to hold back!" I laughed at his adorable pouting. "I am being honest!"

"Well, you did an amazing job!" Diantha praised him, coming to a stop beside us with her Gardevoir. "If anything, I would like to ask you for some classes in self-defense. I need to sharpen my skills to be able to keep up with you."

"If I find the time, I will tell you," Ash sighed, not bothering to take the face off my chest. "Do you know how much I have on my plate?"

Team Flare, mentoring Max and Serena, the upcoming third Saint Festival, leading the Sevii Islands' Battle Frontier, and the Orange Archipelago Pokemon League that will debut next year... on it's own is too much, but adding the movie, it's crazy.

"Maybe you should take classes from someone else..." I turned to my fellow champion with a grimace.

"Maybe I should," she giggled. "By the way, where's that precious mentee I've been hearing so much about?"

"On his way to Cyllage City with the rest of my companions," Ash answered, finally lifting his head from my chest. But he did not let go of me. He simply turned around and laid back, his back against my chest. "I left them in Ambrette Town, after meeting a journalist named Alexa. She was working on an article about an amazing discovery at the Fossil Lab. She invited us to come with her, and we all checked out the lab's collection of fossils from pokemon that lived long ago and are now extinct." I chuckled at how his eyes sparkled in excitement. I also noticed Diantha and Gardevoir looking at him warmly. "The fossils weren't the only amazing discovery, though. The researchers took us into a special frozen habitat inside the lab, where we met a living Amaura and Aurorus that were restored from fossils discovered in the ice!"

"Oh! I know that lab! I got my Aurorus from them!" Diantha shared, clapping her hands with a huge smile. "They are incredible at what they do!"

"They are!" Ash agreed, just as excited. "Clemont had so much fun talking about their technology to revive fossils, while Gary spent the whole time taking notes and discussing sciene."

"Science is quite a board term," I pointed out in amusement.

"I don't udnerstand half of the things Gary and Clemont say on their own," Ash replied drily. "When they are together that 50% is increased to a 70%, but when they add a whole lab of scientists it is a 100%. Battling and ranger work is my thing, science and research is Gary's. We know it and we keep it like that. Can you imagine me getting involved in an experiment? With my luck I'll end up being turned into a pokemon! Which wouldn't be the first time!"

Diantha, the pokemon, and I laughed at his exasperation. But I had to give it to him, he was right. His luck was the worst out there. At least now he sees it and admits it.

Poor Ash, I thought, shaking my head.

"Hey, changing the topic," I ignored Ash's "Please do!", and continued talking. "Last time I visited your tower in Pummelo Island, Dragonnite and Garchomp were at each other's throats... which surprised me, as your Dragonite has quite a gentle soul."

"Ah, that," Ash sighed, while Pikachu and Lucario sweatdropped.

"Something wrong?" Diantha asked in concern.

She knows, just like me, that having more than one dragon in a team could be quite dangerous. The territorial disputes could be quite bloody, especially when you add pseudo-legendaries. Which is why Dragon Specialists and Dragon Masters are so few.

"No, well, yes," Ash contradicted himself with a grimace. "Garchomp was doing the dragon equivalent of pulling Dragonite's pigtails."

"Garchomp likes Dragonite?!" Diantha squealed excitedly, as Gardevoir twirled around joyfully.

"He does," Ash sighed. "But he angered Dragonite, rather than endear himself to the other dragon. It took a while, but at the end the two of them fixed their shit." I raised an eyebrow at his cursing. "I don't need to turn around to know you are judging me, Lance. But try dealing with two hardheaded dragons and not curse... don't say I thing. I just realized what came out of my mouth. Ah, I really need to start thinking before opening my mouth."

I laughed, alongside Diantha. "So, they are together now?" I asked to make sure.

"Yes, so are Altaria and Flygon," Ash replied. "My pokemon are pairing up like crazy, at any moment they'll start doing the same with Gary's." Ash chuckled. "When I left them in Pummelo Island, they packed up and moved to our place in the Sevii Islands, to be closer to Gary's pokemon."

"They are sharing territory? That's rare," Diantha commented surprised.

"More than sharing, each group has its own territory and they have a parcel of territory in the middle which they share," Ash corrected her.

"Still, that's quite something," I agreed with Diantha's surprise. "Even if you are two dating, pokemon are quite territorial and possessive."

"I think it's because they are tired of always training and sparring with the same pokemon," Ash admitted sheepishly.

"Now that's more like your pokemon!" I laughed. "They sure take after you!"