Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon. I own the plot line of this story.

This is unbeta'd. Please forgive any mistakes, I'm looking for a beta.

Her Aura touches his and it's the one! She feels the honesty, the traces left by Lugia, Celebi. By Latias and Deoxys and another Lucario. She lingers on the touch of the lucario, it is well trained and powerful. Coming to the fore are the traces of yet more of the legends, of Manaphy, Darkrai and Shaymin. They trusted this human, and so would she. She places her treasure in his hands, she can feel his confusion.

"Why me?"

Her hunters are close, as she leaves, unburdened but still wounded, she reflects the trust of the legends to him, magnified so that he feels them as clearly as she. Her trust is in there as well, and her gratitude.

**VV**

He sees the hope as lucario gives him the egg. He still doesn't understand why, so he asks. Lucario flees, but Aura washes over him again and he feels the trust, he remembers the legendary pokemon who trusted him. Lucario wants him to hide, to not draw attention to himself or the new life he now holds.

The sounds of a vicious battle breaks the silence, and he wants so badly to run toward it, to help ...! It takes gritted teeth, hunched shoulders, shadowed eyes and clenched fists to turn and walk away.

Walking away had been the hardest thing he'd ever had to do. He'd always helped pokemon in trouble, but this time he was incapable.

He wasn't strong enough, and not only that, he'd been given an egg to take care of. That Lucario had run off with a certain urgency. It told him not to follow, but instead, it told him to run the other way.

Now, Ash had another purpose to fufill. This time, he knew, he couldn't simply fight his way out as a trainer. He had to learn something more.

His dream of becoming a Pokemon Master would have to be put on hold. If not discontinued. This dream no longer served a purpose. What good would it do for him when he actually reached it? What would he do then? One day, yes, he would reclaim his dream, but for now, he'd start traveling to Almia.

To the School for Pokemon Rangers.

Using what little energy she had left, she charged up one more Aura Sphere, hoping it would be enough to make the Monferno faint. She turned around and threw it.

Turning back she ran as fast as she could to find a hiding place. Not hearing any footsteps behind her, she backtracked and made a few false trails to follow. One to the East and one to the North. They'd come from the West and probably expected she'd keep going East, so instead she went South. Heading towards Sunyshore City, she made sure to leave different trails just incase they figured it out.

Panting, she reached the city. Thanking Arceus, the doors of the pokemon center opened before her and she fell through them.

Before the Lucario had fainted, she heard a gasp and a rush of feet. Then, the blackness consumed her.

Back At Camp...

"I'm leaving guys. I've told you a million times already. What more do you want from me?" Ash told them.

"An explination of why would be nice!" Dawn was tapping her foot impatiently on the ground.

"I don't want to be a Pokemon Master anymore! Is that good enough!"

"No! The Ash we know wouldn't do this, he said he'd never give up on being a Pokemon Master." she yelled in his face.

"I've given up on that dream because I have a more important one now!" the boy yelled back.

"And what in Arceus's name would that be!" Dawn was ready to burst, she was so angry.

"I'm going to be a Ranger since you wanna know so badly!"

Seeing his female travelling companion had nothing to say, he turned on his heel and started walking away once more. This would be the second hardest thing he'd ever done, Ash decided. Right now he was leaving his life long dream behind as he walked away from his two current companions. One day, he would come back to the Sinnoh region to pick his dream up once more, but now was not the time.

"A Ranger? Why would you all of a sudden leave your biggest dream here, to be a Ranger of all things?" asked Dawn.

"Something happened yesterday. It made me realize that there are things out there that are worse than Jessie and James! Being a Ranger, that could change something. So, I'm going to catch the first boat I can back to Kanto, I'll go home for a few weeks, and then leave for Almia."

"Then let me come along Ash. I'd be glad to go with you. Being an Operator is something I could do, I know I wouldn't be suited for being a Ranger. I can be a Breeder and an Operator at the same time." Brock went running after Ash.

"Okay. Then let's go. You're welcome to come with us to the next town Dawn. You'd be on your own from there, but you'll be able to contact your mom."

Defeated, Dawn sighed and said,"Okay, I won't be able to snap you out of this, so I'll have to go along for now."

"Then it's settled, we'll drop you off at the next town."