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

III Torracat's P.O.V

"We need to talk about Scott's offer... and the offer Drake has for you."

"Offer?/Offer?" Both Ash and I asked him perplexed.

I watched as Dratini wrapped himself around my trainer's neck like a scarf and laid his head on his chest over his heart. "What offer?" Ash asked him, warily as if he did not like where this was going.

"You see, you already told the rangers that you won't be a Head Ranger, so after Drake and Lorelai decided to build their own Pokemon League, for the Orange Archipelago they approached Scott to make a deal that would benefit everyone." Lance began his explanation, almost babbling. "They offered him to open the new branch of the Battle Frontier in the Sevii Islands, which are now part of the Orange Islands. The Battle Frontier and Pokemon League will work together to garner attention and protect the islands. Believe it or not..."

"The Orange Archipelago is the biggest smuggling route between the regions of Hoenn, Sinnoh, Kanto, and Johto. They do not have a Pokemon League or Ranger Headquarters, which leaves them defenseless to pirates and traffickers. The only reason they do not attack the islands themselves because they do not want people to take notice of their unguarded waters. They also are a connecting point between Unova's Delacore Islands, making easier to take pokemon from and to Unova undetected," Ash cut him off, while I nodded alongside his explanation. I learned all of this in the many reports Ash and Pikachu had given our pack. "What? I am an Ace Ranger, a captain at that."

"That you are," Lance smiled proudly at me. "Well, cutting the bush as you said, thay came to me with the offer of making you both Champion and Leader of the Battle Frontier." I was not surprised, I saw it coming from all of Lance's babbling. Ash looked stunned, I tried to make him feel better by purring and nuzzling his leg. He did not pay me any attention and kept on hearing Lance talk. "It would not be official until you are at least 17 and you'll be allowed to travel. If anything they'll want you to travel and visit Kalos and Univa to advertise the new Pokemon League as the future Champion. The interviews might be a bother, but they'll ask you to give seminars and battle strong people live, you love that! They even have a complete Elite Four and Gym Leaders for the Eight Gym Challenge, with a Ranger Headquarters in works."

"So fast?!" Ash exclaimed startled. "Where did theh find them?"

"Well... did I say already? I meant they were given ok... if you accept to be the Champion," Lance corrected himself, as I started him in disbelief, while Ash gasped. "Utau and my second in command, Tsubasa, agreed to be part of the Elite Four if they have you as Champion. Your old rivals Morrison, Ritchie, Tyson, and Harrison said the same to be gym leaders. They took you as a challenge and trained a lot, they've become quite strong. From your old rivals I even found a new Viridian Gym Leader, A.J."

"Really?! I am surprised to hear that name after so long," Ash exclaimed surprised. "He was showing a lot of talent back then."

"He still does, he is good," Lance told me with a smile.

"I'm happy for you, I know it was hard to find a replacement for Giovanni," Ash congratulated Lance.

"Scott even invited Gary to be a Battle Frontier," Lance undisclosed with a sly smirk.

"Gary?!/Gary?!" I was as shocked as Ash about that piece of intell.

"Yes, and he said yes. He'll be finishing his studies with Professor Sycamore and become a full-fledged Professor. Then he'll do his fellowship with Professor Ivy and have his own Lab thanks to the Battle Frontier and Scott in Sevii Islands."

"I'm sure he already chose his tittle," Ash chuckled fondly.

"Lab Professor Gary," Lance chuckled  "As if you've not thought about it too!"

"Terrain Ranger Ash," my trainer confessed with a blush.

I... kind of like it, I thought. It suits him.

"The Saint will be excelent publicity worldwide, specially in Hoenn, Kanto, Sinnoh, Johto, and Alola. Your Kanto and Sinnoh Ghost Teams will ask to be relocated to the Orange Archipelago too. They voted for Josh as Head Ranger of the Headquarters and Sarah his second in command. The rest of them will be Head Rangers across the islands." Lance continued his sales pitch. "Will you do it?"

Ash stopped and really thought about it. "Do I really want to? Or am I doing it for others?"

"Ash..." Lance looked worriedly at my trainer.

"Stop it," Ash told him firmly. "The question is if I am ready, if I feel ready. No, not yet. But in two years... maybe. Am I confident? Now I am, I've healed a lot this year. Specially, after I started to see my therapist. If asked a year ago I woulf have said, Lugia no!" I chuckled and shared a deep look with my trainer. We both share a turbulent past, yet we both have risen from the ashes intl better versions of ourselves. I am proud of being Ash's pokemon. "Ok," he finally said, turning to Lance with determination.

"Ok?" Lance replied numbly.

"Ok, I accept," Ash told him again. "But don't go telling anyone until my match against Cynthia. I don't want the added pressure of the public going on about the match between a Champion and a future Champion."

"Deal!" Lance beamed at my trainer, giving him a Dragonite hug.

I laughed with Dratini, who slithered down Ash's back to escape being crushed. Then a pair of Gible stumbled apon the clearing making me look at them stunned. Since when has our Gible have a twin?!

"Lance, I think you are hugging me too hard because I'm starting to see double... ot did you get a Gible?" Ash asked Lance startled.

"Ha ha ha, no! That's Cynthia's gift to Paul!" Lance laughed keeping an arm around his shoulder.

We all joined him delighted by what had just happened.

My trainer is gonna be a champion!

Finally!

*I’m pretty sure you all found the Dratini quite familar. Well, you are quite right! He is Ash’s Dragonite from Pokemon Journeys!
By the way I am calling a group of dragons, a weyr of dragons.