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

IX Ash's P.O.V

"Now guys, we are going to get everyone else, so behave." I told them as all the humans returned inside.

15 minuets later we all returned with the rest of our Pokemon. Riley, Zoey, and Hopkins were all helping me carry a pile of Poke Balls. Jessie, James and Meowth joined soon after Dawn was carrying one Poke Ball and May had two. Dawn and May let out Gloom, Wartortle, and Venusaur. Look at that her Ivysaur had evolved.

I threw my first pile letting out Frogadier, Bulbasaur, Polteageist, Granbull, Skarmory, Miltank, Typhlosion, Sceptile, Froslass, Honedge, Slowking, and Ninjask. I was soon handed the pile Zoey was carrying and threw them in the air too. Those contained Noctowl, Torkoal, Glalie, Vibrava, Mawile, Shedinja, Slowbro, Nidoqueen, Tauros, Swellow, and Snorlax. Riley then handed me my third pile, which had Primape, Heracross, Hitmontop, Pidgeot, Feraligatr, Donphan, Nidoking, Zangoose, Altaria, Espeon, and Magcargo.

Pikachu for some reason took a few steps back as I was about to throw the last pile... I honestly should have seen it coming. Why don't I ever learn? The last pile had Sylveon, Kingler, Glaceon, Krickitune, Meganium, Muk, Charizard, Mightyena, Houndoom, Plusle, and Minun. As soon as a certain few pokemon spotted ash. he was promptly flame throwered on and tackle hugged by Muk, Houndoom, and Mightyenna.

That stopped as soon as Dawn screeched at the top of her lungs and hid behind Riley.

"Why do you have a Pulse and Minun? Ash, you never told me you had those Pokemon." Dawn yelled. By now everyone was looking at her weirdly. Dawn realized this almost immediately. "I am so sorry, I didn't mean to loose my cool like that." Dawn apologized.

I got up, dusted myself off and made my way to Dawn. "Is everything ok Dawn?" I asked as gently as I could.

"Yes, it's just, I have a fear of Plusle and Minun since childhood." Dawn explained.

"Do you want me to recall them?" I asked. Plusle and Minun gave an understanding look and distanced themselves a little.

"No. They are part of your family. I would never ask you to keep them away because of my own trauma. I am just going to have to confront it." Dawn responded, looking away. Dawn then explained her past with a Pulse and Minun and about Diamond dandruff being what DD meant. Dawn was surprised to hear no one laughing and Jessie gave her a hug.

"You poor thing, I would be traumatized too. A lady's hair is their treasure." Jessie said.

"Thanks." Dawn said as she hugged back.

Plusle said something which Meowth translated. "Plusle here says that it is very uncharacteristic of a Plusle or Minun to attack unprovoked. He thinks that you might have accidentally hurt them when you grabbed them."

Dawn's eyes widened. "I didn't even think of that. That would make so much sense... What have I done?" Dawn asked close to tears. The next moment she steeled her nerves and walked to the two electric types slowly. Plusle and Minun froze knowing that if they moved it might not end well for Dawn. As soon as Dawn got close enough to them she took a deep breath, knelt down, and pet the two on the head gently. After a moment Dawn smiled. "This isn't so bad."

"Nothing to be afraid of." I told her reassuringly, as Dawn got up again.

"Thanks." Dawn said.

"Now that that's out of the way. It is time for our Pokemon to come out." James said as he and Jessie threw their Poke Balls.

Meowth then noticed something and panicked. "Wait! Jessie! Stop!" Too late. James let out Cacturn, Carnivine, Mime Jr. Growlie, Mareanie, Weezing, both Victreebells and Chimecho who all promptly dogsled on James minus Weezing. Jessie let out Dustox, Yanma, Mimikyu, Arbok, and Seviper. It was then that everyone knew why Meowth was panicking. Seviper laid eyes on Zangoose who just looked confused.

it took 15 minuets of Jessie, James, Meowth, Hopkins and all of their pokemon holding back Seviper to get her under control. Zangoose then realized why Seviper was so aggressive towards him. he explained that his father was a Seviper, which calmed down Jessie's Seviper who decided to think on that information.

"Now then, I shall show you all around the house and your rooms." Hopkins said as he gestured for everyone to follow.

Before they went into the house I saidÑ "Have fun and be nice to each other." To which multiple cries were heard.

Inside everything was decorated for the upcoming holiday. Garland, a giant tree, ornaments, wreaths and more everywhere.

"Your family certainly goes big for the holidays." Riley commented.

"You should see what halloween is like. we have a full on interactive haunted house." James responded. After showing everyone the dining room, living room, Pokemon house (Where a few of the Pokemon were hanging out and was also decorated with a huge tree in the middle). They were shown to their each individual room. James and Jessie took one of the master bedrooms nearby. They all met in the pokemon house where it was decided that some pokemon were allowed inside if they so choose. Pikachu, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Chimchar, Turtwig, Litten, Egg, Rowlet, Buizle, Espeon, Glaceon, Jolteon, Sylveon, Plusle, Minun, Polteageist, Piplup, Buneary, Glameow, Lucario, Skitty, Wartortle, Meowth, Wobbufett, Mimikyu, and Mime Jr. were the only ones that went inside. everyone else either was too big, preferred the pokemon house, or in the case of Muk and Magcargo, too dangerous to be inside. after a bit they all went inside and started chatting. over some hot beverages.

"I hope you don't mind me asking where the nickname twerp came from?" Zoey asked.

"We don't mind at all. but please listen to the end before you say anything." James responded. When Zoey nodded James continued. "Before we came to sinnoh, Jessie, Meowth, and I were a part of the criminal organization Team Rocket." Zoey gasped but bit her tongue to hear the rest of the story. "We first met Ash as a newbie trainer having just gotten pikachu, who was injured at the time, to the pokemon center. Our mission was to rob the pokemon center. It was a failure and Pikachu ended up blowing up the pokemon center using my koffing at the time. This made everyone look at pikachu with an incredulous look, making pikachu blush. Since then we have tried and failed over and over again to steal Pikachu. Ash and his friends kept getting in our way, hence the nickname was born." James finished and Jessie took over. "We have followed Ash through Kanto twice, Jotoh, and hoenn. Despite all that, on our last ever attempt at getting Pikachu, he spared us, cleared our names because we ended up doing more good than harm, and we got away from Team rocket and got married. and here we are now. We still call him twerp out of habit and as a term of affection now." Jessie finished.

"Wow." Zoey said before coming up with the words to say. "I am sure you had your reasons to join such an organization, but I am glad you turned your life around." Zoey Said as the couple smiled at her in thanks.

"Speaking of which, whatever happened to Jessibelle?" I asked, recalling James dreadful past.

"I could have sworn I told you." James muttered.

"Who is Jessibelle?" Dawn asked.

"My crazy, controlling ex-fiancé and the reason I went into team rocket in the first place." James responded shuddering a little.

"Wait, what?" Zoey said not expecting that.