Altomare revisited: Chapter 37
Ash and Latias walked through one of the hidden doors to the garden, Latias carrying the trays of Milkshakes whilst Ash brought the other drinks. Once inside the garden they followed the sound of music to the clearing they had all left from.
Emerging into the clearing Latias and Ash couldn't help but stare, it had been transformed. A string of lights wound around the edge of the clearing, snaking around tree branches and illuminating the clearing, following the string of lights round Ash noticed they were connected to a small capacitor which Pikachu was currently charging with intermittent thunderbolts; also attached to the capacitor was a large stereo and four speakers, one in each corner of the clearing. The music was currently fairly quiet but Bianca was just testing the system so the speaker's were practically at their lowest setting.
Three tables ran down the right side of the clearing, laden down with crisps, small cakes, pizza and all manner of other foods. The far left table was left empty apart from a few packets of plastic cups.
"Hey!" Bianca called out when she spotted Ash and Latias staring from the shadows of the tree line.
"Hey." Ash responded stepping into the clearing
"Place the drinks over there." Bianca said gesturing to the tables that ran down the right of the clearing
Ash nodded and with Latias following behind him placed the drinks down on the empty table before heading back to Bianca.
"So…" Bianca giggled as they came over "How many Milkshakes did you get him to buy?"
"Twenty." Latias giggled happily
"Wha..!" Ash exclaimed "You knew that would happen!"
Bianca laughed "Yeah, every time we go to that part of town she begs me for Milkshakes or money to buy Milkshakes" she shook her head "I guessed you would cave, but still twenty!"
Latias stuck her tongue out at Bianca 'See, Ashy is nice to me.' She teased kissing Ash on the cheek
Ash blushed and stroked Latias' head gently "So what's with the lights?"
Bianca frowned and gave Ash a disbelieving stare "Isn't it obvious?" when Ash's clueless look didn't change Bianca sighed "It's going to get dark in an hour or so."
"Hey Bianca I got the CDs." May said as she placed a stack of CDs on the floor next to the stereo
"Thanks." Bianca said turning her attention back to the music system
"Oh, hey Ash… Latias" May said her voice level
"Hey May" they both replied
'So. How long till the party starts?' Latias asked
"As soon as Max get's back with the CD shuffler." Bianca replied
"Bianca got you two acting as pack mules?" Ash teased May
"Yeah." May agreed laughing
With a few grunts Max stumbled into the clearing carrying a large device with a dozen CD drives in it along with five wires of various colours and lengths.
Bianca ran over and took the shuffler off Max carrying it over to the capacitor and placing it next to the stereo "Thanks." She turned to Max
"No problem." Max said happily "I figured you might need these too." He handed her the wires
"Heh, I knew I wouldn't have to ask you for those." Bianca laughed taking the wires she mumbled a small rhyme under her breath as she placed each wire in it's corresponding port.
With the shuffler set up she placed the first eleven CDs in the stack into the trays before adding the twelfth CD, full of romantic slow songs, in the last tray with a small giggle.
"Ok let's get this party started!" she yelled plugging the final wire into the back of the stereo and powering up the shuffler before turning the volume up.
As the first song blared out everyone turned their attention to Ash and Latias "Come on dance!" Bianca yelled out sending a ripple of giggles through the group
'Come on Ash!' Latias called tugging him to his feet
"But I'm not a good dancer!" Ash protested embarrassed
'So?' Latias giggled 'What are you going to do, step on my feet?'
Ash laughed "Good point." He let Latias tug him into the centre of the clearing
As the song played Latias was darting around and shifting in time with the music as Ash tried desperately to keep up with her, their hands locked as Latias dragged Ash around the clearing.
As the song reached it's crescendo Latias let go out Ash and shot into the air looping and spinning erratically but somehow timing her spins with the music, as the music built up she got higher and higher into the sky then as it cut off for the next song she went into freefall dropping into Ash's arms with a massive grin. Ash gave a gasp of surprise when he felt Latias' weight settle surprisingly softly onto his arms, Latias' head darted up and they kissed quickly breaking apart blushing to a sudden applause.
The clapping died off to be followed by a brief round of giggles that were quickly drowned out as the next, even faster, song started up. People began drifting onto the dance floor, even Charizard and Charla were dancing although it was more like an aerial acrobatics display as they swooped and dove in the sky above the clearing the odd jet of flame bathing the area in a red glow for a few seconds before fading again.
Latias and Ash predictably migrated over to the buffet table, but only for a minute or two since after wolfing down a few handfuls of crisps and quickly slurping down a Milkshake Latias dragged Ash back out onto the dance floor, the energetic dragon ignoring Ash's protests and assuring him that he would do fine.