A Victory Meal

-The Next Day-

"THREE CHEERS FOR ALEXA! HIP HIP!" Bryce excitedly shouted.

"SAUR!" His Pokemon replied.

"HIP HIP!"

"SAUR!"

Alexa smiled as she broke apart a pair of fresh chopsticks, giving a smile to her traveling companion across the picnic table from her, outside of the Vermillion City Ramen Shack location. Before each trainer was a steaming bowl of noodles, with sheets of nori seaweed and kamaboko. Next to Bryce was the morning edition of the World Pokémon Newsletter, which detailed all major events relating to Official League Battles and Global Affairs.

"Hey, it's my treat! It's to celebrate my win over Surge after all!" The teen said with a smile before digging in. 'A good battle… no voices. Nothing to worry about.' The trainer thought to herself, thinking back to the eerie voice she heard in her head the day before.

"Your Electivire can sure move fast out there!" Bryce said, breaking a piece of seaweed in half and feeding it to his starter. Taking some ramen into his mouth, his muffled voice said: "It was like watching a bolt of lightning!"

"Well Electivire's Motor Drive Ability works pretty great when other electric types are involved. All it took was one hit and he got all the juice he needed to sweep through the Lieutenant's team."

"Was he that strong when you first became teammates?" The boy asked his mentor.

"You say that like he was an Electivire when I got him," Alexa said with a chuckle. "But I raised him from a little Elekid. Him and my Lucario were training buddies ever since they were kids."

"Can your Electivire use those Aura powers too?"

"Honestly, he's never tried. Doesn't want to learn either. He says all he needs is some muscle and he's good to go." Digging into her meal, Alexa shifted gears noticing the 'WP Newsletter' at his side. "What does today's paper say? Anything about Red or Ash?"

"Well..." Bryce said picking up the paper and reading it aloud to the table. "Your big bro recently had a big win in an exhibition match against Alola's reigning Champion, Gladion! He brought a Garchomp into battle against a Silvally and came out on top!"

"That's incredible!" Alexa said, imagining what that fight would've looked like. "You know, my brother used that Pokémon to defeat Lance to become Champion of Kanto!"

"As for Red, it's mostly just the same old articles about his big return," Bryce said, before reciting the paper. "Kanto's Comeback Kid returns at the age of 40! After miraculously returning to the spotlight, Red Ketchum is setting the world ablaze with his amazing roster. Recently, he achieved victory in two stellar matches against Fuschia City Gym Leader Janine and Cinnabar Island Gym Leader Blaine all in the same day!... I hate to say it Alexa, but your rival is a real celebrity."

"Don't tell me that!" Alexa said, pounding the table. 'Red's going through his badges at a record pace...' Alexa thought to herself as Bryce turned the page to the Global Affairs section of the Newsletter. 'I gotta catch up somehow-'

"No way!" Bryce exclaimed, taking Alexa out of her train of thought.

"What is it?"

"Team Rocket attacked the Elm Research Lab in Johto!" As the name of the organization rang out in Alexa's head, she clenched her fist. "Three strange men believed to be allied with the criminal organization broke into the empty lab and stole a 'precious item.' While it can not be revealed to the public, Johto's Champion is currently on the case!"

'Team Rocket! Those jerks are trying to return... after all that we did to stop them...' Alexa's fist began to tremble as the thought of them crossed her mind.

"Y'know Miss Alexa," Bryce said, putting the paper down. "I bet that you could've put a stop to them!" Alexa tuned into the boy's sincere words. "You coulda busted out your Aura Powers and put a stop to them in no time!"

Alexa softly chuckled, staring down into her soup. "It's a little bit more complicated than that."

"So... how does a person use Aura?" Bryce asked, having now finished his meal.

"Well… Aura is something truly magical. It's something that flows around us whether we see it or we don't. All living things in this Pokemon World possess Aura. Those of us who are in tune with it can do things like sense emotions, or communicate with our Pokemon. For those of us who are really skilled with it, we can make barriers and form attacks with the Aura around us. That's what my brother says at least!" She said with a smile, rubbing the back of her head. As her pupil and his starter stared off in wonder, Alexa glanced down and saw her reflection in the broth of her ramen, as her smile reverted to a look of sadness.

'You used to be that way… but now look at you. You were strong, fighting to save the multiverse. But now you struggle to use your true power.'

"The truth is Bryce… I haven't felt like a true Aura Guardian lately," Alexa said, glancing up at the young boy. "I've been full of doubts lately and I'm not who I used to be."

"What!?" Bryce exclaimed. "That's crazy talk! You and your friends saved life as we know it! How can you not feel like a hero!"

"I wish I knew how to explain it but-"

"Listen here Miss Alexa! We gotta close out our tab and hit the road! Battles always brighten up your day! And Saffron City is just to the north of here! What do you say we pick you up another Gym Badge?"

"Another Gym Badge?!" Alexa said excitedly, bringing her hands down on the table in excitement. Grabbing a large wad of cash out of her pocket and slamming it on the table, she darted over to her traveling companion and his Bulbasaur, grabbing both by the backs of their necks. "C'mon boys! We got a Gym Badge to win!" Shooting forwards, the teenager carried the two out of the ramen shop and onto the streets of Vermillion, so they could begin their journey north to Route 6 and Saffron City!

'This is great!' Bryce thought to himself, while his teacher was distracted. 'Saffron City will be the perfect place for her to reconnect with her Lucario!'