Hey all! First time trying to write, just had to get the itches out of my system. Feel free to review or suggest anything, but don't be too mean :


"And Ash's Charizard is unable to battle! Gary Oak of Pallet Town leads Ash Ketchum, also of Pallet Town, five Pokemon to one! Can Ash make the ultimate comeback or will the son of esteemed Professor Oak make his long-awaited coronation as the Silver Conference Champion? And the million dollar question everybody is asking, where is Ash's Latias?"

The black-haired boy picked the last of his Pokeballs from his belt. He glanced at it unsurely, the fear of failing before millions of eyes seeming to weigh on his every move, and began in a hushed whisper. "Latias, I don't know what's gotten into you, but please, I need you to fight for me one last time. I know I promised to always keep your best interests in mind, but you promised too always to be by my side, and I need you now. I need you more than ever..."

His hands trembled before steeling in a surge of determination, the overwhelming desire to survive that has driven countless lives in the face of adversity. He wound up, his pounding heart finding its rhythm in routine, and his body went through the motions it knew so well.

"Latias, I choose you!"

The crowd erupted as the famous silhouette of the Eon dragon materialized, and the opposing blue-haired trainer's chest heaved deeply as he steeled himself for the upcoming battle.

And beneath the uproar, a burdened voice choked out "and take care of yourself out there, I can't bear to see you hurt like that


Latias giggled as she danced away from the harbor, a stupefied Ash and his Pikachu in her wake. She didn't expect him to react so strongly to a little peck on the cheek! As she rounded a bend she immediately turned invisible and poked her head back around the corner. The noontime sun gave everything a piercing clarity, and as the boat rocked against the dock and Swellow flitted about overhead Latias took in the scene. The boy with the red cap stood still, not moving a muscle, staring right where she had turned the corner. Water gently lapping against the shore seemed to produce the only sound, keeping time dutifully in a moment that defied time, an instant at once ephemeral and everlasting, a single sliver of eternity that could never be washed away by the ebb and flow of change. No, Latias would later decide, there were no waves, nothing was moving, for surely such a fragile peace would have been shattered at the slightest prodding.

She willed the seconds to stretch into minutes, the minutes into hours, but to no avail. A piercing "Ash, hurry up, let's go already!" rang out from the motorboat, shattering the illusion. The boy shook his head as if to snap out of a trance and turned around, slowly disappearing beneath the railing. A tired whirring sent ripples through the water, startling a stray Feebas or two out of the water. The red cap and yellow mouse, barely peeking over the railing, drifted away in a straight line that parted the cloudless sky reflected on the surface of the ocean.

Latias watched as the boat sank under the horizon, until even her enhanced vision could no longer detect the slightest ripple in the distance. Its serenity restored after the vessel's buzzing had died away, the scene that meant home to Latias held her attention for an indeterminate time longer as she reflected on everything that had happened in the past few days, from the festival to the assault on her hometown to deflecting the assault at the ultimate cost of her brother's life to the departure of the hero at the center of it all. A lingering sadness tugged at her heartstrings as she turned her back on the sea. She ambled about on the dock for a while longer, seemingly for no reason at all, before a waning sunlight called her attention to her tardiness. She gained some altitude and shot inland.


"Latias, where were you! You were gone for so long, never make me worried like that again do you understand?" A girl dressed in a green blouse with little splashes of white around the edge topping a pair of a petite white skirt framed by knee high black socks and pink sneakers scolded what appeared to be empty space. "Don't you ever think you can just get away with simply sneaking into the house, I can hear your every move you know!" The two fork-like hair formations that adorned her head bobbed viciously with every word, seemingly threatening on every breath to take on a life of their own and impale the poor victim of her wrath.

The empty space shimmered briefly as a floating dragon took form. A downy white torso sat atop a deep red running from the end of her pointy tail through her feet and stabilizing wings to her small claws. The same red dotted her face almost like a battle armor were it not of the same soft luster as the rest of her body. A mouth perpetually open in a look of curiosity, hair forks not unlike those of the girl facing her and a pair of gentle, warmly yellow eyes adorned a head that sat on the end of a long, slender neck. A blue triangle adorned her chest, an allusion to a lost past.

Latias nudged Bianca gently with her snout before resuming her slightly shameful, bowed posture. She knew that she had stayed out too long, particularly without Latios to keep an eye on her. It was just so easy to lose track of time! Having a twin legendary brother who can sight share and communicate telepathically is really quite underrated.

Bianca sighed. "I know it's been hard for you girl, first Latios leaving and then knowing that Ash was bound to continue on his journey any day now. You're strong, there's no denying that, but you should still take it easy. It's hard to lose so many people you care about in such a short time. Are you sure you're doing okay?" She wrapped Latias in a hug about the neck. Latias cooed and let a small smile slip onto her face, her claws pulling Bianca in for a tight hug. She liked Bianca's hugs; they always seemed so warm and so caring, just the way a caretaker should be. Latias thought Bianca would make a terrific breeder, but alas, art was her passion, and she was was an extraordinary talent at that as well. Bianca smiled as she felt Latias ease up. "After all, you still have Lorenzo and me…"

She abruptly pushed the dragon away. "So, did he like it? I saw you go through so many drafts of that drawing, you should be proud of it! If I spent so much time on something I don't think I'd ever give it away." Latias chirped and twirled in the air as she remembered Ash's pleasure at seeing her drawing. She could tell that he liked it, and it made her gush with happiness.

Bianca pulled Latias in again and leaned in close. "Did you give him…anything else?" she asked, mischievous grin present and voice dripping with suggestiveness. Latias's calm wilted under the piercing scrutiny of her friend and she turned away, a full blush on her face. "Aha! I knew it! What'd you do, what'd you do? Did he like it? Did you like it? Ohh, I bet you liked it! I bet you looooooved it, am I right girl?" Bianca poked and scratched the dragon as she teased, the latter squirming in embarrassment, body twisting every which way. One misguided thrash sent Bianca onto her back. Latias poked her head over, eyes wide in concern. She whimpered and nudged her caretaker gently with her snout, careful not to make too much contact lest the girl be hurt. Bianca grunted back "oof… well, judging from how your reaction there, you really loved it!" Latias neighed in protest before she promptly flattened the girl. Peals of laughter rang out in the room as the girls giggled together, the pains of the past few days temporarily forgotten.


Latias floated to and fro in the secret garden, sleep not coming to her. She cast another wayward glance at her brother's usual perch and quickly looked away. She could still almost see the faint blue outline of her brother, the same downy white feathers as hers, the look of determination he could never take off, and most of all the red triangle on his chest that mirrored her own blue one. Even having turned her head Latias couldn't help but bring one claw to the symbol on her chest, now ever so alone in the world. It had already been many days of the same routine for the female dragon, yet no day felt any different, any better. The faint silhouette of her brother never seemed any less real, every time as if she could tackle him again like she always did. He never liked it, it messed up his plumage and she was growing heavier and it wasn't like a legendary to do so and she should be growing up and...it was almost as if he were still there to chastise her every move. She had hated it then, but now...she whimpered.

"Latias?" Bianca's gentle voice cut through the smooth sounds of flowing water to bring Latias back to reality. "Can't sleep again?" The Eon dragon floated up to her, eyes glistening with tears. Latias shook her head and looked away.

"I thought you'd be up again. You haven't slept well all of the last two weeks." A moment of silence passed as the friends seemed to hold each other without moving a muscle. Again the only sound to be heard was a trickling of the creek as it found its way through the garden. A single tear mirrored the water as it slid down feather after feather out of view of the green-shirted girl before losing its traction and landing on the ground with a barely audible plop.

"Can I sleep here tonight?" Latias turned abruptly to face her friend. Her distress slowly gave way to an unforced smile, and she nuzzled Bianca happily. The two lay down on the soft grass, arms around each other, and were soon fast asleep, their gently heaving chests accompanied only by a trickle of moonlight finding its way through the trees as it danced on the flowing water. And at the heart of the garden, if one could have seen the brilliant jewel that seemed to beat with life, one might have seen it too pulse ever so imperceptibly as the two girls fell asleep. Deep tones of blue mixed with a passionate red before seeming to hesitate, almost as if lost in thought. Finally the tumult settled down and the garden was once again at peace.