I Torracat's P.O.V

                                    

                                          
"Fourteen... I have fourteen pokemon starters... when did I get foruteen pokemon starters?!" Ash was shouting as we were getting closer to Striaton City. 
"Fourteen?!" Iris was as stunned as Ash by this revelation. 
"Wow, he does have that many," Max commented impressed, but not surprised. That's someone who has traveled with Ash for two years and asked to do it again, someone capable of handling Ash's weirdness. He has my highest regard and respect. "Grass-type we have Bulbasaur, Meganium, Sceptile, Grotle, and Rowlet."
"Water-type we have Squirtle, Feraligatr, Oshawott, and Greninja," Riley continued and was followed by his partner, Lucario.
"As for Fire-type, we have Charizard, Typhlosion, Infernape, Tepig, and Torracat," Lucario smiled at me, which I returned with a smirk of my own.
"Maybe you should catch a Water-type starter pokemon next!" Iris exclaimed with excitement. "That way you'll have five of each type!" 
"Maybe a Mudpik!" Max, being the Hoenn boy he is, offered.
"What about a Piplup?" Riley had to go and defend his region.
Seeing this I had to chim in for my homeland too: "Popplio is a good choice too."
"No, nop. rien, niet! From now on I swear from this day on I will not catch another starter!" Ash swore.
"The poor guy is an denial," Lucario said, shaking his head in mocked concern. "Following his trend of getting at least one regional starter, Sobble will be the pokemon that follows."
We all laughed as Ash protested and swore that he'll never catch another regional starter ever again. 
As if, I scoffed in my head. I then paused and sighed in awe. We had finally arriaved to Striaton City. Beautiful!
We first went to the city's Pokemon Center and requested a room. We took a warm bath and ate good food. Then we finally got ready to walk through the city and find the city's gym. I was surprised by the lack of need of Slowking, no one stopped us or started shouting about The Saint. I knew that Ash's popularity resides on the other side of the world, but he is extremely popular in the Alola Islands. Then again, other than a good spot vacation and for rare pokemon, Unova tends to ignore anything coming from the islands. Pity... for them. Ash was wearing such a huge smile on his face, as he wandered around enjoying the anonymity. Something he'll lack after he starts the publicity campaign in Unova. For now, he'll enjoy it. 
"Are you ready?" Pikachu asked me, jumping Ash's shoulder. 
"I am," I smiled in excitement. "I am surprised Ash is going through the gym challenge again, after winning the Pokemon League in Sinnoh."
Indeed, Ash told us all that he will be challenging the Eight Gym Challenge of Unova with Max, though he will not enter the Vertress Confference. Aegislash, Rowlet, and I were chosen for the first gym.
"He wants to train the pokemon he catches in this region and the ones with the least experience," Pikachu informed me. "Not to mention, he has gotten used to beating the Eight Gym Challenge of every region. It has become a tradition. Also, did you expect him not to battle outside of ranger missions for a year? He'll go crazy!"
I laughed with him, he was so right!  
Axew appeared from within Iris hair, from hearing us laugh so loud, getting fed some fresh fruit from Iris, when a formally-dressed young man with green hair suddenly appeared before us. For a second, I got ready for a fight, my honed reflexes from being an Ace Ranger's pokemon coming to play, but as Pikachu, Ash, Riley, and Lucario did not move a single muscle, I began to rellax. This guy is no danger... at least to us. I can see that underneath his polite and presentable cover, he is a skilled pokemon trainer.