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

I Bulbasaur's P.O.V

"Come on warrior! I know you can do better!" I chuckled at Primeape's shouting, which has become a norm in the past few days. "Raise that defense! Strengthen your attack!"

Another month of arduous training has passed. Luckily for Espeon, both Houndoom and Myghtyena had calmed down after evolving. Still fixed on getting stronger, but no longer fighting at every turn... they preferred to fuck the tension away. Unluckily for him, a couple of weeks later both Swablu and Trapinch evolved into Altaria and Vibrava respectively, making Tyrogue, Honedge, and Froakie the only ones who have not evolved yet, and wanted to, since the training regime had started. Ever since, not wanting to be upstaged, Primeape has been pushing Tyrogue to his limits.

The thing is that he decided to evolve into a Hitmontop, the most difficult evolution form he could achieve. So, getting the training regime right and raising both his defense and attack so they would be equal... was hard and time-consuming. Primeape could deal with hard, he was a Fighting Type after all, but being patient? That's something he could not do even if you paid him with a thousand berries!

Luckily Honedge was more like me, a noble pokemon and someone who took her time without rushing. She understands that our trainer is new to ghosts and still doesn't know the best way to train them. She is also enjoying being Ash's weapon during his training sessions. Oh, yes, Ash did not only train us during these two months, but he also trained himself. Primeape and Heracross quite enjoyed finding out about that plan, taking him as an apprentice alongside Tyrogue. Whenever he decided to train his swordsmanship Honedge claims the position as his weapon. From all the new pokemon those two and Froakie seem the closest to Ash. Not that he loves them more or that the others don't get along. It's simply that the three of them formed a bond as fighting kindred spirits.

Talking about Froakie...

"Shouldn't you be fighting alongside them?" I asked the blue frog pokemon by my side, as I pointed with my vine at our trainer fencing against Heracross with Honedge next to Primeape and Tyrogue.

"My species needs to learn to meditate early," he answered me, his eyes kept closed. "We are from the ninja pokemon line. We need to possess an inner focus more advanced than normal pokemon, even if we could never reach the level of a psychic's mind. As we become a Water/Dark dual-type by the end of our evolutionary line, is better to learn it in our early stages." Froakie explained, calmly. "It was Master's idea and I agree. Espeon has been of great help."

I chuckled, lying down on the grass, enjoying the sun. How much has our trainer grown? I still remember the kind and good meaning but inexperienced and naive trainer I decided to join. It is kind of lonely seeing him all grown up and responsible, but then I think of Kingler, Muk, Squirtle, Primeape, and Pidgeot and I can't do anything but smile. Then came all these new, unusual, and powerful pokemon and I thought I would be forgotten, the small Bulbasaur that will not evolve. But Ash looked at me and put me in charge, Pikachu's second in command, and promised me a battle on the first gym in Sinnoh.

When all these pokemon kept on evolving I thought he would want me to evolve as well, adding up another new powerful member on his team. But he then came back from Celadon City and brought us, Squirtle and me, each a collar with an Everstone. I felt all the weight I've been feeling from preventing myself from evolving disappeared, making it easier to train and grow in strength without worrying about evolution. He then kneeled before us and apologized, saying he should have done this a long time ago. It was then I realized Ash might have matured, but he was still the same Ash he has always been.

The same trainer who would never force any of their pokemon to evolve, even if it meant a secure victory. He could have easily had the three Kanto Starters final evolution by the time of the Indigo League, maybe even advance until the semi-finals, but he still put our needs before his dreams. The same boy who can't see what kind of treasure he is and would rather blame himself as a trainer than any of his pokemon.