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

I Professor Oak's P.O.V

I looked sadly at the crying boy but proudly as well.

Ash had just returned from his last adventure with his Primeape, Squirtle, and Pidgeot. He first went for his Primeape, who had spent the last few years making a name of himself as the Grand Prix Champion of Indigo's Battle Pokemon Tournament. Primeape was happy with his achievement and had finished his training. He also missed his trainer and wanted to spread his knowledge to his other pokemon companions. So, Ash not only got a pokemon back but gained a fighting teacher.

He then went to get his Squirtle, only to find out that the Squirtle Squad is now the Blastoise Squad. His Squirtle has done his job and was eager to get back to his friends. He even paid Sabrina a visit to see his, now Sabrina's, Haunter who ended up having evolved into Gengar. But they both decided that staying with Sabrina was the best choice.

Pidgeot... Well, she was a little bit harder from what Ash had told me. He had to catch the Fearow that has been tormenting the pokemon and trainers in Route 1 and then get him to Viridian City's Pokemon Center for rehabilitation. With that done, the Spearow flock was disbanded. She then accepted to come back with Ash, as a few Pidgey had already evolved into Pidgeot and they could take care of the flock in her stead.

But even if he had three of his lost pokemon back, today he had to say goodbye to 29. This lead him to be cuddled by his pokemon as he cried his heart out. Not that anyone could blame him. He has always been attached to his pokemon and he had done his very best to stay strong and tell them goodbye with a smile. But now that they were gone, he could cry and mourn them.

I had never been this proud of him. He could have trained them alongside his other pokemon, have them on rotation and everything, but he had truly matured. He had made the right but hard choice and let them go. He allowed them to find happiness... Even if it is away from him.

Surprisingly enough, the first one to comfort him was Charizard. He dragged Ash to his lap and enveloped him with his wings, Pikachu, as always, jumped on his shoulder. Then came the Tauros Herd Alpha, laying his head on Ash's lap, followed by the rest of Ash's pokemon. I believe that Tauros had the biggest effect on him, the same Alpha of the herd he had just traded away trying to comfort him... Ash just couldn't handle it anymore and cried to his heart's content.

'Tauros has been expecting this for a long time,' my Alakazam told me telepathically. 'He has known that his herd was not happy with this leisure life they had been living. But they did not complain when he was the only one that got called, after all he is... was the head of the herd. The strongest one, as such it was his honor and duty to answer to their trainer's call but he also knew that they all loved their master too much the be one to say goodbye. If anything, Tauros hates himself for not being strong enough, to have this duty and weight fall on his trainer's shoulders. Tauros knows that his master has always been the strongest human that he has ever known. He was the one who always said goodbye first so that they didn't have to. All so that his pokemon could be happy.' I looked at my psychic pokemon in shock. 'Don't worry, master. Tauros doesn't blame the young master. He only feels blessed at having been chosen by his human.'

"Ash truly is an incredible trainer... I only hope that he realizes that and doesn't let this blame eat him away," I murmured. "Well, let's get this over with," I said, noticing that Ash had finally calmed down and approached him and his herd of pokemon. "My boy, these arrived yesterday," I told him, handing him a black Xtransceiver and a blue PokeNav Plus. "The trades have also been finalized."

His eyes watered again but this time he kept the tears in. "Then, could you present my new pokemon please?"

"It would be my honor," I replied with a smile. "First, I traded the four lieutenants of your Tauros to gym leaders. They were the ones with the biggest move pools and with the most fighting experience." I noticed that Tauros was looking exceptionally happy and proud by those news. "Norman decided to trade your Tauros for a Zangoose. Then, I was contacted by Whitney who also wanted one in exchange for a Miltank. Seeing this I contacted Lenora, the Normal Type Gym Leader from Unova, who told me she had always wanted to have a Tauros and caught a Honedge just for this occasion."