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

V Dawn's P.O.V

We weren't looking for trouble. Paul simply was teaching me about his hometown and showing me the local meteorites. Yes, that surprised me as well. But we both found common ground, on the fact we are both younger siblings of an Ace Ranger... well, an Ace Ranger and an ex-Ace Ranger. He's become a good friend if one who is not socially skilled and a bit annoying at times. Though he still does not understand an irrefutable fact: Ash is the best big brother. No matter how good Reggie is, Ash beats him any day!

However, Team Galactic didn't seem to care about what Paul and I were planning on doing and decided to attack the same attraction that we were at. Of course, like the responsible younger siblings of Ace Rangers that we are, we decided to join the fray and fight off the criminal syndicate. How hard could it be? Especially, after defeating a Rocket grunt team earlier in the week.

I rapidly released Ambipom and Piplup, the battle specialist in my team. Paul rapidly followed with half of his team and quickly went to attack. Though, I wonder why he did not release his whole team.

Ambipom was not happy with me. When she had come out from her Poke Ball, she looked at the grunts from Galactic Team in shock. She then proceeded to look around, searching for Ash for sure, and when she did not find him, she tried to pull me away from the fight and get me to leave. However, I was firm in my decision and I told her so. She looked at me stunned, but in silent pride, before turning around and following my commands into battle.

For a while, even with the clear disadvantage in numbers, we were holding our ground. Until they decided to release the swarm of Golbat. Yeah, we were pretty screwed then. Mom forgive my language, but there was no other word to describe our situation. We were screwed. 

Then, like a flashback to the past, Pikachu jumped right into the action and took down the swarm of Golbat with a powerful Thunder attack. That was all that was needed to turn the tables. Soon, Heracross and Primeape joined the brawl, knocking out any Pokemon in their proximity. Pikachu was locked in a fight with a Pokemon that looked like the evolution of Croagunk.

"You two get back here now!" Out of the blue, Reggie appeared and yelled at us. I was stunned, the usual kind and gentle big brother looked furious beyond words. Even Paul seemed shocked by this change. It was only when I noticed that Ash was waiting for us to back out of the fight so he could join, that I started to move and prompted Paul to do the same. "What were you thinking?! Fighting a criminal syndicate!" Reggie then released a rare-looking purple Pokemon to guard us, Drapion to join the fight with Ash's Pokemon and Staraptor to help the people around. "You could have gotten yourselves killed!"

"We just wanted to help!" I snapped back, not handling it anymore. Who was he to berate us like this when he used to do the same thing as us before?! I thought angrily. Paul didn't say anything but he stood beside me in silent support. "Ash does it all the time! And I help him!"

"Ash is an Ace Ranger!" Reggie snapped at us, making us jump. He was acting very erratically... it was scary. "He lets you help with Pokemon needing to find their way back home or healing them. But this is beyond your paycheck! They have guns and weapons, they aim to kill!"

Just as he said the word 'kill' shots were fired from both sides. 

Everything slowed down for me, just like it did... then...

I was back on the stage staring at the barrel of that arecusdamn gun...

My legs began to tremble and I reached out to take hold of Piplup, to get some comfort... but he was not there. He was in his Poke Ball. 

I was about to begin to hyperventilate when I hear the familiar sound of Pikachu fighting off bullets with his Iron Tail.

I took deep breaths to calm myself and dared to finally take a peek at the battlefield. There I saw Pikachu defending Ash-like always, a familiar sight nowadays that managed to calm me down. A feeling dawned in me, like a blanket of the safety of comfort wrapping itself around me...