Author Notes:

I know I promised before December, but apparently I had a vacation planned during the time limit I set for myself. Anyway, please forgive the late update. Either way, Happy December!

Following the tradition I've been doing these two chapters, please listen to 我们怎么love by Wu Jia Hui. It kind of suits the feeling I want to bring out.

youtube. com/watch?v=9azXrkJEk7o (Remove spaces)

Oh, and please read and review. I still have one more chapter in the works, so stay tuned.

It was already soon to be daybreak, and the sun dilly dallied behind the clouds from which it was hidden from the naked eye. Most people were still sleeping, barely ready to face the first ray of sunlight. Some, such as the hawkers, were already awake, getting ready to begin another day of work. There was however, one conflicted soul who stumbled between the two extremes.

Through a window which was ajar, one would be able to glimpse a person inside the blankets turning around, seemingly unable to fall into the embrace of a good slumber. This person, coincidently, was Ash. Understandably shaken by the turn of events of the few hours before, the Pokémon master was barely able to get a wink of sleep, let alone forty. He returned to his rooms a few hours ago, yet the time went wasted as he tried in vain to doze off. His mind was far from the point of blackness, and rather, it was still racing. This actually raised more questions than it managed to answer through time. One of them really caused him to slow down and consider his position.

Was he running away from the truth?

That was the precise question which troubled him in his day dream. It was all he thought about. His mind slowed down and considered his position. Latias loved him, why wasn't he surprised?

It seemed so obvious, and he was actually dense enough to be oblivious to the entire fact. And then the wave of memories came rushing forth, breaking every single precaution he made. Looking back, the way she looked at him for the first time, the way she glamorously showed him the secret garden, the way she came to him for help when everything seemed hopeless.

Why was he so hopelessly stupid?

It was practically written in front of his eyes that Latias liked him. And he knew that, what he didn't know was that the dividing line between love and like was a thin thread, one which would snap easily from the slightest tension. The very point where it snapped may have been the very same day where she lost her brother. Tension, such a powerful thing.

He returned in a bad state, and he was surprised that he failed to enter the sleepy state. Lorenzo was the one who drank the coffee, he only had juice. Perhaps Lorenzo's words not only got to him, even the consumed caffeine entered his brain. His brain now worked overtime, trying to make him understand something. The question remained, however.

What was he to do next?

…

Latias awoke to the sounds of cheering. He was atop a roof which was situated somewhere far from the crowds. She was invisible, which was reassuring. She glanced tot the distance, and she saw the many people making the final preparations for the big race tomorrow. She applauded Lorenzo's capability for organization, most of the work had already been completed yesterday. It was the first time in years that the preparations weren't done at the eleventh hour.

What troubled her the most was her current location. It was far from normal, especially since she was used to sleeping inside the garden which she called home. Somehow, she ended up outside. She couldn't fathom how or why she ended up here.

Her extreme recognition of the entire layout of Alto Mare actually came in handy at this time. She remembered the three story buildings which made the street so unique, it was slightly more unique from the others. The choice selection narrowed, she looked for some other distinctive features. There was the few runners that clambered the walls, seemingly in search of nothing more than a ray of sunlight. Then there was the slight area which was covered with hollow floor panes. She soon noticed a sight which was more unforgettable than anything else. It was one more familiar than she would have liked.

It was none other than the leaking pipe, still dripping away.

She now understood her capability to love, one she underestimated in the past. It seemed that the mind was a strong thing, its capacity to control the actions of one was not to be underestimated. Latias now found herself under the servitude of its every whim. It wanted her to meet Ash, she knew that it was true.

She couldn't really hate herself for forcing her mind's hand, it was only natural. She managed to hold back the memories, yet at such a close proximity, it was harder than hard, it was unfathomable.

Even as the memories started to fade, they came back. It was like trying to hold back the water in a tap, impossible. The pressure would always overcome the walls, and eventually, they would crumble.

She left her hiding spot, and proceeded to do her job as a guardian. It somehow managed to take Ash off her mind.

Even for a second.

…

Ash now found himself waking to the sounds of the chirping Pidgey. Admittedly, he never actually slept at all. He rarely got up earlier than Pikachu, and the confused mouse looked at his trainer with a look that asked 'Are you all right?' It was a sight to behold, Ash getting up on time, let alone before than Pikachu himself. Ash seemed to have no energy of any sort. The life was sucked out of him, and all that remained was exasperation.

He found himself searching desperately for ways from which he could escape the feeling of fatigue. He tried to think about the many close, memorable and amazing battles he had throughout the years, but it was all in vain. Nothing could make him forget the talk which took place in the lowly cafe last night.

There was, however, one place he could hide to. The race would take place tomorrow, and that meant that he needed to choose a Pokémon which he would use in the following day. It had the same numbing effect on his romanticism as the endless training he had during the years of travelling. Admittedly, he developed a certain trepidation against affection, mostly attributed to his good friend Brock's many encounters with the hands of Max, Misty and Croagunk, the last of which being a particularly painful one.

Nevertheless, his years without Brock had allowed him to mature, breaking pass the barriers which the Poison Jabs and ear pulling had erected.

He shook the many thoughts from his head, and returned to the matter at hand. He needed to make a choice of which Pokémon he was going to use. And that selection was no slouch. His years have not only earned him experience, but also many more friends. His Pokémon were no longer limited to the handful he caught during his travels in each region. Not counting the other types, which were not allowed in the Tour de Alto Mare, he had a lot of Water types.

His first ever Water type was a Squirtle, a very skilled and powerful Pokémon. Apart from that, he had the Totodile which was filled with glee, the Crophish which never seemed to lose its sense of humor outside of battling, the hot tempered Buizel, and his more recent Oshawott and Palpitoad.

His choice was immediately narrowed down to three of them. Squirtle was currently in the firefighting force, which meant that free time was hard to come by. His Oshawott was absolutely terrible in water, which hydrophobia added hurt to injury, all things said, Oshawott did overcome his aversion, but this was a competition, and he was in it to win, rather than to prove that his Pokémon had no fears at all. Palpitoad was more offensive than speedy sort, which meant that he was far from the best candidate for the race.

That left Buizel, Crophish and Totodile. Somehow, Ash's thoughts instantly flew towards to Totodile. It wasn't the best choice, seeing as Buizel was faster, but it almost seemed natural. He didn't commit so soon, however. Instead, he opted to take a walk, and think about the entire ordeal.

Why Totodile? Honestly, it was very obvious. The memories seemingly caused him to go back through time, back to when he was a kid.

Maybe he just wanted to have fun.

…

Latias wandered around, not seeing anything worth her intervention. And then her mind went back, back into the time where she barely had a care in the world.

She could have restrained herself, but the matters at hand had barely enough to take her mind off the facts.

The race may be her last chance to meet Ash, but what would she do? Would she talk to him, or would she run off like the scared little immature girl she was? It seemed obvious that the former was the best choice, but there was always the factor of mindset to consider.

Nevertheless, her duties took the tip of the mountain of priority. There was a very low crime rate in Alto Mare, which sometimes raised questions, such as why the city needed a pair of guardians in the first place? The answers came up as quickly as the questions arose. Back then, people had more belief in magic, and for a good reason. There were those who mastered the ability to wield the otherworldly powers. Those who had no such ability learnt to believe. They thought that it was what brought everyone into this world, and that it was the same thing which took their lives away.

And then they also thought that love was all part of the magic.

Now they called it fate, but back then, it was faith. It was fate that brought two people together, but it would be faith which made them fall in love.

And now, Latias thinks that everything made perfect sense. It was fate that brought her and Ash together, and it was faith that made her mind linger in the past.

Running was not necessarily the solution, especially since her past now caught up with her. She decided to meet with Ash on the following day, right after the race ended. What she would say then depended simply on the situation. Besides, rehearsals were never really her thing, and it made no sense to change right now of all times.

Tomorrow, she made herself promise that nothing, not even her personal feelings would come between her and Ash. She promised, and she swore to commit to her choice.

At least, that's what she told herself.

…

Ash and Pikachu went out for a walk, and they visited the few attractions which they knew or heard about from the many residents of the area. Yet no matter where they went, they found themselves in the shadow of many other tourists, and Ash was unable to find a place of solitude, one where he could actually stop and think of his current predicament.

Admittedly, the problem wasn't with his choice of the Pokémon he was going to use in the race. It was the confrontation he somehow knew was coming.

He would have to face Latias sooner or later, and there was no question about the awkwardness of the situation. It would either be painful, or it would be the kind that ended with a walk, hand in hand, into the sunlight. Which it would be was for time itself to decide.

He was wandering aimlessly, and that was no lie either. He didn't have any idea of where to go. He once thought that a trip to the secret garden was inevitable, but there were two reasons that explained his reluctance to do so. One of the reasons was because he forgotten where the place was located. The other was the stones in his heart which he felt were best left unturned.

It was not really considered to be aimless roving either, because in reality, his legs were actually bringing himself to a place which he could call familiar, and at the same time gain the privacy and stillness he so desperately searched for. He noticed the statues of the guardians, which he happened to see during his last visit those years ago. Pikachu was enraptured by the beauty, but any passerby could clearly see that the trainer and Pokémon's mind were at two different places.

He soon found himself at the gates to Alto Mare's prestigious museum, the very same one which sparked the closely avoided end of Alto Mare. It was the Defense Mechanism itself which caused the entire disaster to begin in the first place, but the museum itself had too many bad memories in there.

His legs were moving on their own accord, and he found himself looking at the many relics of the old days. And then there were the slightly more older relics. These things added up to the climax of the Museum, the Defense Mechanism of Alto Mare.

The day which nearly destroyed the city was never mentioned in the papers, nor did it become another legend which the fishermen shared after each day's catching. It may not have been a well known event, yet it still left traces on the walls of the areas which held key to the entire event.

The museum was one of the few zones which had the most battle scars. Its walls were already half crumbled, and the roof itself seemed to be curved in. Considering that this was the precise place which held the Defense Mechanism, it was obvious as to why the scars were concentrated on to the place.

Lorenzo was standing atop an aisle, overseeing the restoration efforts. It has already been a long time, but that didn't mean much, especially since the museum suffered more damage than your average earthquake or tsunami. The machine which was made to defend and protect was moved, and it clearly could not handle another day like the one those years ago.

Ash clambered up the stairs, and found Lorenzo using cement to cover up the holes which formed all over the walls. They seemed to be as deep as endless crevices. Seeing as they never let light in. A dark past brought to dark futures, it seemed.

Lorenzo looked up, possibly hearing the sounds of footsteps on the stairs. He found the very same teenager he gave a lecture to yesterday standing right in front of him. Formalities were exchanged, and Ash then sat on the floor, striking a conversation with the museum's curator. Yet it was indeed a one sided affair, seeing as any attempt to connect with the old man fell on deaf ears.

"I'm entered in the race tomorrow, and I was hoping that you could give me the route for tomorrow's race." As soon as Ash finished his query, a leaflet was already lying beside him. Lorenzo didn't even bat an eyebrow to his comments, and continued to fill up the holes which covered every single viewable spot in the museum.

Ash didn't really get the message, and he attempted another topic, trying to start the fire of dialogue with another match. "I've been thinking about how much Alto Mare has changed lately. Do you need any help with the rebuilding?" Once Ash completed his offer, he noticed that Lorenzo wasn't even listening to him. And once he looked towards the hallways of the museum, he saw why. There was more than a dozen men working on the refurbishment. There was practically no need for anyone else to help, and even if help was welcome, there was a severe lack of tools. A few men were using screwdrivers as mallets. Ash noticed that all the restoration efforts may have been causing more damage than it fixed, seeing that a nail and hammer was no substitute for a drill.

Ash tried one more time, this time trying to be as casual as the situation allowed. He knew that some people actually liked working in complete silence, but Lorenzo was definitely not included in that category.

"I've been thinking about using my Totodile in the race tomorrow, what do you think?"

That may have been the last straw, since Lorenzo instantly turned to face him. He may have wanted to reply, but all he said was this.

"Honestly, I think that you're the worst liar I've ever met in my whole life."

Ash was barely able to react as he watched the man descend the ladder. Lorenzo was not angry in the least bit, however, he said his words with a tinge of sarcasm. And he actually made Ash feel worse than he had in the first place.

"Come on, you know as well as I do that you came here to talk about something else." Lorenzo didn't need the boy to nod, he knew perfectly well that Ash came to talk about the talk they had yesterday. He hadn't seen Latias for some time, and he knew perfectly well that she was avoiding Ash. And the irony was that Ash also seemed to be evading Latias.

And Lorenzo knew perfectly well that the similarities showed that they were made for each other.

"I really think that you should get your mind off avoidance and start to think about what you're going to do," Ash seemed to want to reply, but Lorenzo cut him off before he even managed to make a noise. "Why did you join the race, what were you thinking?"

"I really didn't know that Latias had any feelings for me, all right?" Ash kept his voice low, scared for attracting attention, and then he continued. "Honestly, I didn't know anything until I met you that night." Ash buried himself in his arms, and then waited for the curveball that Lorenzo was obviously going to throw back.

"Like I said, you're a horrible liar Ash." Lorenzo actually had a smirk upon his face, claiming victory upon the argument.

"You'd know, wouldn't you?"

Lorenzo then laughed out loud. "You're just too easy to read."

"And how did you do it? Ash asked curiously.

"Why else would you be wandering around at night in your pajamas?" Lorenzo said obviously. Ash could have slapped himself on the spot, especially since the explanation dilapidated the fog which surrounded him.

"Argh! Why am I so easy to read?"

"It's not your fault, everyone is like that when they come back to the place where they had their first love." Lorenzo's mind fluttered back to the time when he first returned to Alto Mare after a short leave of absence. Back then, he felt a calling to come back, and to smell the roses which made him fall in love in the first place.

"Yours may have been a little bit worse, you probably had no choice at all in the matter."

While Ash thought back to the past, Lorenzo continued. "Then again, those are the ones that last the longest." The pain started to recede, and it was all replaced with tides of curiosity. The boy then started to talk to the old man as his mentor, rather than a friend. Most of the things hidden behind the glass covered with thick fog started to seem clearer.

…

Latias still wandered, feeling the wind caressing her feathers. There may have been no need for all of this if she had just followed her instincts on that very first time. Why did she fly away? Looking back, it must have been one of the brashest maneuvers she ever pulled. It seemed so obvious that she should have just walked towards him, giving him the hug he deserved, and she desired.

Nevertheless, whatever happened in the past was gone with the wind. And there was but a slight, if any chance at all to get it back. She could run, but she would never outrun the rushing wind in terms of speed. There was, however, one way which would allow one to emerge victorious from the battlefield which one called love.

It was to simply outwit fate itself.

She already planned a quick reunion. And everything that would happen after it as well. It wouldn't be the sort of meeting which started off with two strangers who barely knew each other, and then ended as two lovers, walking hand in hand. Nor would it be the kind which had a table, atop filled with food, and two edges seated with occupants which would slowly edge towards each other.

No, this would be simple. It would start off with the race itself. And once the race ended, Latias would do the very same thing which she did the last time Ash left. She would kiss him.

Only this time, she would not run off. And hopefully, neither would Ash.

Everything seemed so simple, yet it did come with its own catch. The race had to be won by Ash himself. Otherwise, well, there really wasn't another option. Ash had to win, otherwise, the sudden appearance of Latias and the unexpected kiss would be something somewhat embarrassing.

She still can't accept the fact that she's in love, and that she would have to live with the emotional scars for the rest of her life if this ends in failure. She couldn't think of another excuse to meet Ash, and she spent all day trying to figure out something that could work out better, but her efforts were rewarded with nothing but a blank slate.

Did she really need to put so much effort into finding another excuse?

Honestly, she thinks not. For it was Ash, the most prestigious trainer in the world, that was entering. And nothing could stand in his way of winning.

If anyone could do it, it was Ash.

Her Ash.

…

Ash did some training with his Totodile that evening. They were determined as ever to win, and this time, not only because of his honor at stake, but also because he aimed for a reward at the end of the race. The medallion which depicted the two guardians was enticing, but what he really wanted was to manage to meet Latias once more.

Pikachu read him easily in the past years, yet maturity seemed to have hardened his mind's exterior, so much that Pikachu could no longer look at him and understand his inner workings. They could pass comments and orders without even making a sound, but their minds were somewhat closed.

Ash was used to sharing his thoughts with Pikachu, yet this time, he failed to bring himself to the point where he could tell his friend everything. He couldn't even understand it himself, let alone comprehend it.

Pikachu could sense that something was amiss, yet he discharged it as the race. The other contestants have been training all year for the competition. Ash, on the other hand, had barely even grasped the surface of water chariot racing. Yet even when all the odds were against him, Pikachu knew that Ash would somehow twist fate to his side, earning another victory which seemed inconceivable to others.

He remained wary, though, as Ash seemed to have his mind somewhere else. During training, Pikachu acted as a supervisor, and he learnt to capture the small mistakes which Ash would have pointed out as well. Yet this time, Totodile's Aqua Jets lacked a certain oomph, and their accuracy was somewhat off. Yet Ash was still leaning towards the tree, his mind wandering.

Pikachu ran over, pulling the sleeves of his jeans. Ash seemed to get brought back into reality, and looked at Totodile's moves. Aqua Jet was one of the main things in Water type Pokémon which required speed. In battles, it was one of the moves which always went first. Mastering it required speed, lots of speed.

Ash noticed for the first time that Totodile's Aqua Jet tilted towards its left. He crouched down and told Totodile its mistakes, hopefully fixing, and at the very least, avoiding it, in the future.

He never noticed Pikachu's questioning gaze, and he returned immediately to the tree after the lecture. And so many more mistakes went unnoticed, all of which Pikachu took into his own hands.

…

The first ray of sunlight had barely grazed the opening of Ash's window pane when he awoke to the sound of his alarm clock. Old habits dies hard, and his infamy as a late waker was well known. He had, however, prepared to be in his best condition for the race today. He actually purchased an alarm clock, as opposed to using Pikachu. If anything, this only confirmed Pikachu's suspicions. Ash was not acting normal.

A bit of last minute training was in order, and Totodile was as psyched as ever. The horns sounded all around, signifying the beginning of the awaited event. Calling the attention it got warm was an understatement, it attracted more attention than the lesser known leagues.

Ash was already fully awake when he entered the racing grounds. There were around thirty contestants, and admittedly, that was a somewhat disappointing number, especially since there were no empty streets, due to the tourist traffic. Nonetheless, the main point of the tourney was already achieved. The profits by far outnumbered the expenses required to organize and maintain the race.

Pikachu stood on the bridge which overlooked the starting point. This was the best part to watch, since you can easily see the racers starting off and the winners getting close. For those areas which were obscured by the many buildings, there was a large screen which showed live coverage from around the city. It was currently making a quick aerial sweep of the area, and there was a swarm of spectators standing at every single spot where you could see the canals.

Last time, Pikachu actually fell into Ash's chariot. That may have contributed to his eventual loss, but not by any considerable factor. This time, Ash seemed more determined than ever to win. For what reason, it remained a mystery, but what mattered was than Ash would win for sure.

The three birds which resided on a pedestal were Natu and its evolved form, Xatu. They acted as the signal for the beginning of the race. The two Natu were the red lights, and once Xatu spread its wings, the contestants would all rush forth. Timing wasn't the most essential part, instead, skill in maneuvering the combination of both large, open spaces and enclosed canals were the key.

Either way, the announcer was nearly finished in working up a stir in the crowd. The applause was deafening, and then the signal was given for the race to start.

Natu number one, wings spread out wide. The contestants' Pokémon started to flip their legs or fins, gaining a slight bit of momentum.

The second one did just the same, and the contestants tightened their grip.

The next thing seemed to happen in slow motion, the Xatu spread its wings out, and then everyone rushed forward. Amazingly, no one collided with another, and everything went smoothly.

Pikachu's eyes swept from the real deal to the representation on the screen, it was time for some fun.

He never would know that someone else was watching, more closely than he was.

…

Go Ash.

Slightly less words than my previous chapters, and I apologize.

As usual, please read and review. Thanks for all the support. It really means a lot.

Xuan Ying. 旋阴。