Echoes

In a region far from Kanto stood a tall and majestic tower that was home to one of the most most well known and respected organizations throughout the world, the Pokemon Rangers.

Known as the Ranger Union, the tower was home to the majority of the Ranger's mechanics and operators, the former of which were responsible for creating and improving the equipment used by the Rangers, while the latter supported the Rangers through communicating and providing information.

Also calling it home though were the ten best Rangers in the world, known as the Top Rangers, and the one who stood atop the entire organization, Chairwoman Erma.

Currently however only four of the Top Rangers were in Almia, gathered in the main control room of the Union along with the three top operators, Chairwoman Erma, and two teachers from the Academy that had just returned from Kanto.

"Are you serious?" One of the Top Rangers uttered, the one who was on the cover of the pamphlet Ace had read so long ago, Sven.

Currently they were looking over the data brought back by Ms. April and Kincaid about a recent Ranger Associate applicant, Ace Ketchum. At first Sven and the rest couldn't understand the reason that one applicant was considered so important by the Chairwoman, even if he did have a Riolu for a partner.

But what they were looking completely dumbfounded not only him, but just about everyone who was seeing it for the first time.

There had been three basic tests for Ace to pass from Ms. April and Kincaid, the first being a written exam like the League's, while the second was a test of how well he could bond with random Pokemon to befriend them.

That was where things started getting weird, as when he saw the wild Pokemon the two teachers brought to test him, the young man's eyes began to glow with an eerie amber color as he approached them without any caution. The wild Pokemon then slowly began to calm down in his presence, before he appeared to have tamed them so completely that they even readily fought for him when they were asked to battle.

Then, if that hadn't been amazing enough, they watched through the Staravia cam as Ace ran through the improvised obstacle course they'd created for him. And based off his performance in this one, he would've shattered every single record they had if he'd gone through their usual course.

With one of the Union's Chimchar acting as his guide for what was supposed to be a three to four hour long course, Ace managed to complete it in just over an hour as he performed numerous feats that those watching could only consider super human.

"What IS this guy?" Another of the Top Rangers, a new addition called Keith, asked incredulously as the recording ended, before Ms. April readily told them,

"As amazing as his performance was, Ace was actually wearing numerous pieces of weighted clothing as he ran the course. Naturally, I weighed it all during his physical beforehand, and estimated that he was carrying a grand total of two hundred extra pounds almost constantly..."

"What the hell..." Kieth uttered as he imagined having to haul around that much extra weight, and couldn't imagine having to do even a fraction of it.

"That's not even considering his written exam scores." One of the operators, a girl with bushy blonde hair named Rhythmi, added suddenly as she pulled up Ace's test.

Despite him planning to take the test in a few months at the Kanto regional headquarters, Ace had scored amongst their highest percentile of their students, and he had been given the standard final that full ledge Rangers received, instead of the usual easier test given to their Associates.

"Did you really expect this much from this kid just based off of his application Chairwoman?" A woman with long light green hair asked curiously, to which an elderly woman with her gray hair tied in bushy twin-tails and a walking stick in hand stepped forward, and said,

"I had high expectations, yes, but nothing like this. Most of our best Rangers were partnered with those of the Lucario line, the very type of Ranger we need right now, but Ace Ketchum blew every expectation I had out of the water."

Even as she said that, Erma couldn't help but wonder if fate itself was trying to help them out as she watched what Ace Ketchum was capable of.

Recently reports were coming into the Union from nearly every single region in the world about the growing number of criminal organizations and activity. There was Team Rocket in the Kanto and Johto regions, while the earth and sea cults were becoming increasingly active in the Hoenn region, and there was a slew of reports about criminal activity in Sinnoh as well.

Unova, Kalos, Alola, Galar, Paldea, Fiore, Oblivia, and even right there in Almia, crime was on the rise involving Pokemon as groups seemed to organize in every region at once. While the Rangers would of course readily step in to assist in any such situations, they were spreading themselves thin with the increasing number of reports in different regions.

Having a person bonded with a Riolu applying to them right now, even as a mere Associate, was like a blessing in the troubling times Erma knew were ahead. Seeing what that applicant was capable of though, Erma started believing that fate itself was intervening to assist them.

"Your decision Chairwoman?" Asked Kate, one of their youngest Top Rangers who was promoted at the same time as Keith, a girl with brown hair tied in a similar manner as Erma's own.

"Ace Ketchum passes of course. However we can't leave someone so capable as a mere Associate." Erma stated to those who were gathered, even as her mind began racing for a way to further tie Ace to them.

She didn't think he'd accept becoming a full Ranger due to the numerous duties and daily obligations he'd be forced to attend to that would limit his other pursuits, such as his participation in the League and his joining the Breeders Association. No, when dealing with such people it was best to tie them in a way that they'd be of maximum use to one another, but Ace would still have his full freedom.

"I got it!" Erma said a second later, drawing everyone's attention to her as she stated, "Ace Ketchum will be-"

***

Half a world away from Kanto, closer to the Kalos and Galar regions, was a large landmass with a massive crater in its center, Paldea.

The region was home to one of the largest and most prestigious academies in the world, so much so that wealthy men and women would readily send their children from half the world away there to attend it. Naranja Academy.

And one such student, who was finally in her final year of schooling, was studying for their rapidly approaching finals in her dorm room.

Giana had grown over the five years since she first met Ace, maturing into a cold yet beautiful woman that had gained quite the renown for her excellence in battle with her Pokemon. Unfortunately however, that earned her the excessive attention of quite the troublesome person, who also happened to be her roommate.

*slam!*

"Giana! Have you seen this video!?" Said roommate exclaimed while throwing their shared bathroom door open and rushing to her.

"Wait Nemona! You're soaking wet!" Giana shouted as she hurried to protect her books and papers, right as Nemona leapt onto her bed despite being naked and totally soaked from the shower. "And why are you watching videos in the shower anyways!?!"

As per the usual, Nemona ignored whatever Giana had to say as she eagerly tried to show her the video she discovered on Pokevision. There was even a stray patch of bubbles in her mostly black hair that Nemona had ignored in her rush to show Giana the video.

This had been the norm ever since they finished establishing the sea cable linking the regions, which allowed people to regularly contact those in other regions without the need for written postage, as Nemona spent most of her time looking for videos of strong trainers to add to her list of people to battle someday.

As obnoxious as her roommate was about it though, Giana also noted any particularly impressive trainers as possible recruits for Team Rocket in the future. This time however that wasn't the case, as Giana immediately recognized the man in the video as Nemona played it.

"Ace...!" She uttered in surprise from seeing the young man and his notable Pokemon, Riolu.

Giana had of course been keeping tabs on Ace whenever he visited Viridian city through Sabrina's psychic reports, which also led to her learning about his monstrous libido. This time however she was hearing about him through Nemona, who looked over at Giana with stars in her eyes as she exclaimed,

"You know him!?! Think you can arrange a battle for us?!?" Giana deadpanned as she stared at the battle addict, and stated,

"I only met him once, and he's not even old enough to participate in the League anyways." Even as she said that though, Giana knew through Sabrina that Ace would be beginning his journey any day now. Her words however had no effect on Nemona, who stated,

"Well when he does start his journey I wonder how strong he'll get! There's got to be like a hundred videos posted by this person, and they're all of his battles!" Giana frowned when she heard that, and glanced at the related videos to see Nemona was right, and they were all posted by someone with the name 'OfficialMrsKetchum', while the profile pic was of Ace with dozens of pink hearts surrounding him.

'He's already got stalkers!?!' Giana mentally exclaimed to herself, while also wondering how Sabrina missed this person in her psychic reports to her.

But as she watched the battles Giana reaffirmed her decision in trying to get Ace to join Team Rocket, or at least allied with them. Unfortunately Giovanni wouldn't accept it, and would readily make an enemy of Ace if the topic was brought up. Sabrina already had to prevent the organization as a whole from going after Ace when he traveled to Viridian city, until they all moved to the new hideout in Celadon city.

She then tried to think of ways to get Ace to join them, ranging from offering him rare Pokemon to straight up offering herself with how high his sex drive was, until Nemona sneezed beside her.

"ACHOO! I wonder if someone's talking about me." Nemona wondered out loud, making Giana deadpan at her as she stated irritably,

"Or it could be that you're still completely soaked, AND naked in the room while the air conditioning is running."

Nemona blinked at Giana as she processed what she said, before turning herself onto her side and looking down her body, as if she had completely forgotten that she rushed out there from the shower, which was still running.

"Right!" Nemona stated, getting up to finish her shower, even as Giana exclaimed,

"Leave your phone!" Nemona didn't seem to hear her though, or care as she brought her phone into the shower with her once more, making Giana roll her eyes as she moved positions to resume her studying.

***

"Professor Oak, are you really ok with this?" One of the men dressed in lab coats asked the professor suddenly, making him look up from a sample he was studying as he asked,

"Ok with what?" The assistant hesitated slightly, as if unsure if he wanted to put what he wanted to say into words, before finally saying,

"Everything with Ace. I mean, I understand him getting Riolu was out of everyone's control, but it seems like he's disregarding your rules a little too much." Oak just sighed when he heard that, before saying,

"My rules are not iron-clad laws that need to be followed, I'd say they're more like guidelines. When the time comes Ace, Ash and Gary will all go out into the world to pursue their dreams, regardless of if those dreams involve being a part of the League and assisting in my research or not.

"The League is only a stepping stone for the three of them, to help them discover what it is they truly want out of life, and my support is merely the shove they need to get out there. I can't deny though, I would love to be able to study that alpha Ace has befriended..."

The professor then seemed to enter his own little world as he thought about the alpha in question, making the assistant smile wryly as he went back to his work. Though he had been concerned with Ace applying to the Rangers and Breeders Association behind the professor's back, it appeared there was no problem at all.

What the professor knew that the assistant didn't though was that Ace wasn't the only only one skirting his 'guidelines', as Gary had long since begun secretly training the Pokemon that he was going to receive from his grandfather. Professor Oak pretended not to notice this though of course, as Gary had long since complained about the head start Ace had on him and Ash.

"The Rangers huh...?" Oak muttered to himself suddenly, the edge of his mouth curled upwards in a smile.

***

Unaware of the impact he was having on those around him, even clear across the world, a certain young man was getting ready before the sun even rose over the mountains.

Unlike every other morning for the last decade though, the young man wasn't dressing to train or work out.

"Ready partner?" He asked the small Pokemon beside him.

"RI!" Cried out in response, making the man smile as he ruffled the top of his head.

"Well then, let's go. Today, our journey starts."