The next morning

We see Latios, whose telepathy was being used in his sleep with a smile on his face. Most of the words were nonsense words, with the occasional words and phrases such as "hey," and "think you're funny, huh?"

"Ash?" Latios asked with an almost nervous tone in his sleep.

"What is it, Latios?" Ash asked, startling the Dragon type awake. Latios was breathing heavily, now trying to catch his breath.

"Did I startle you awake?" Ash asked.

"Y-yeah, kinda," Latios said, still feeling a bit out of it.

"Are you okay, Latios? You look like you had quite the bad dream," Ash said, curious as to what his friend was dreaming about.

"Honestly, I don't remember, bu-but, I..!" Latios exclaimed, only to feel Ash's hand on his back, causing him to become more tense.

"It was just a dream, so what's there to worry about?" Ash asked, trying to comfort Latios.

"Yeah, you're right... Besides, I shouldn't focus on it anyway," Latios responded, starting to relax a bit.

"That's the spirit!" Ash said with a grin on his face.

Latios then looked around the surrounding area. Starting to look worried, he got up to take look around the rest of the garden.

"If you're looking for Latias, she headed over to Bianca's house," Ash explained, trying to calm his friend down. Latios breathed a sigh of relief.

"That's a relief. For a second there, I thought those team rocket guys may have come back to kidnap her," Latios said, feeling more relaxed now.


Meanwhile, by the docks, we see different team rocket members in the form of Jessie, James and Meowth wash up onto the street on a big wave.

"Why are my ears ringing..?" James wondered, lying on the ground.

"Of all things to pop da balloon, it had to be a magikarp dat used splash," Meowth said as an image of a magikarp popped up in his mind. "I knew we shouldn't have trusted dat Mr. Mime to patch up da hot air balloon."

"Then why did you tell us!?" Jessie exclaimed, standing up quickly.

"I wouldn't have told ya if ya hadn't been so pushy as to know what it had said!" Meowth exclaimed back, getting angry with Jessie now.

As the two of them argued, James finally got up and realized something.

"Hey guys? Look at where we are," James said, getting Jessie's and Meowth's attention. They soon realized they were now in Altomare and Jessie's face lit up.

"I guess it's our lucky day because we can take a break here!" Jessie said, getting a sigh as a response from Meowth.

"You call dis lucky? Wait till we tell da boss dat we're basically stranded here without money... He'll think we've been slackin' off," Meowth said, thinking all the bad outcomes.

"Though, knowing what happened here last time, we should probably get into disguise, and catch that Latias for the boss," James said, getting nods of agreement from Jessie and Meowth.

"Wobbuffet!" Wobbuffet said as he popped out of his poke ball.


Back at the garden, Ash sat down while Latios simply hovered back and forth. They waited, and waited, and waited some more for Latias to return. Now both of them were starting to get worried and a bit impatient.

"What in the world is taking her so long?" Latios wondered, wondering where she could possibly be.

"I don't know, but I hope they come back soon, and with food too," Ash said as his stomach growled.

"Is that all you think about? Aren't you at least a bit worried about her?" Latios asked, starting to feel upset with him.

"Of course I'm worried. I just haven't eaten anything yet, and I need to conserve food until I can buy more. Besides, I asked her to tell Bianca to bring back food," Ash explained, now having his hand on his stomach as it growled louder.

"Oh..." Latios said, feeling he asked a bit of a dumb question just now.

No sooner than that, Latias, who just stopped being in disguise, had just come back with Bianca and Lorenzo.

"I can't believe my eyes. You were right," Lorenzo said, still wondering how this could be.

"I told you that Ash was here and brought Latios back," Bianca said to her grandfather.

"Pika?" Pikachu said, sniffing the air.

"I see you already smell the food we brought back, Pikachu," Latias said, Pikachu rubbing the back of his head in response.

Ash then pulled out a picnic blanket and Lorenzo set up a table and chairs for the food.

"Alright! Let's dig in!" Ash said impatiently.

"We only brought back just enough food for everyone, so let us eat some stuff too, Ash," Bianca explained.

"Fiiine," Ash said, feeling disappointed now.

"Um... Is it okay if I have some?" Latios wondered, not wanting to eat the usual berry or pokemon food.

"Sure! Same goes for you too Latias," Bianca responded, before the five of them chowed down.

A little later, the once heaping plates were empty and everyone felt satisfied.

"Man, that curry was good. Where did you guys get it anyway?" Latios asked, curious as to where they bought it.

"Well, within the time you were gone, a restaurant opened up and has become quite popular recently for its curries," Bianca replied.

"Well, I should get going now, seeing as I have to be at the museum soon. Can someone help me with this table?" Lorenzo said, getting up from the chair.

"I'll bring the table and chairs back for you Grandpa," Bianca replied, starting to pack stuff up.

Lorenzo then left the garden, soon followed by Bianca. Ash now started to walk away, only to get stopped by Latias.

"Where are you going?" Latias asked, wondering what Ash was doing.

"To the docks, seeing as I was thinking about going home. Why? You want me to stay?" Ash said.

"Please? Even if it's only for a little longer?" Latias asked, hoping Ash would stay.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to stay another day or two, so why not?" Ash said with a smile on his face.

Before Latias could get another word in, a net snatched Latias and Pikachu up out of nowhere.

"Pikaaaaaa!" Pikachu screamed as he was dragged away.

"Ash! Brother! Help me! I can't use my moves right now!" Latias said, unable to use dragon pulse for some unknown reason.

"Alright, who did that!?" Ash asked angrily.

As the net went up into the air, we see it go back to a make shift hot air balloon.

"Prepare for trouble!" a woman wearing a really bad disguise said.

"And make it double!" a badly disguised man said.

"To protect the world from devastation!" the woman said.

"To unite all people within our nation!" the man said.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!" the woman said.

"To extend our reach to the stars above!" the man said.

"Jessie!" Jessie said as she took of the disguise off.

"James!" James said, doing the same.

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!" Jessie said.

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!" James said.

"Meowth, dat's right!" Meowth said.

"Wobbuffet!" Wobbuffet said, wrapping up the motto.

"Team Rocket!" Ash said angrily.

"You guys again!?" Latios exclaimed.

"Now den, we're going to be taking Pikachu and Latias back to da boss," Meowth said as the three of them tried to escape.

"Okay, you asked for it!" Latios said, feeling even more furious.

Latios then started to fly after Team Rocket while preparing a steel wing. He cut the rope trapping Latias and Pikachu using Steel Wing, freeing them. Pikachu started falling, but was quickly rescued by Latias. Soon after, Latios looped around and prepared a shadow claw to pop the balloon.

"Here it comes!" Jessie, James and Meowth said in unison.

Latios tore right through the balloon with shadow claw, causing team rocket to fly high into the sky.

"Looks like team rocket is blasting off again!" Team Rocket said as they went up into the sky.

Not long after, the hot air balloon crashed right back into the ground with Jessie, James and Meowth still in it. The three of them collapsed out of the basket, feeling dazed. When they looked up and saw Latios, he was staring right back at them with rage in his eyes.

"If you three ever try to hurt my sister again, you will feel my wrath, so leave! Now!" Latios said, preparing a dragon claw.

"Sir, yes sir!" Team Rocket said, scurrying away in a panic.

Pikachu then jumped out of Latias' arms and into Ash's, feeling happy to be back at his friend's side.

"I'm glad you're safe Pikachu!" Ash said, hugging Pikachu. "Thanks, Latios!"

"O-oh, um... no problem," Latios said, starting to blush, only to realize that, so he tried to hid it by looking the other direction.

"Why am I feeling this way? Am I... am I starting develop feelings for Ash?" Latios thought, wondering what is happening to him. Latios keep thinking about this, even until the sky grew dark.

"Hello? Earth to Latios?" Ash asked, snapping Latios out of his thoughts.

"Huh? Why is it dark already? Was I that deep in thought for so long?" Latios wondered.

"Yeah, you were. Ash tried to get your attention 4 hours ago, but you didn't respond, so me and him had a bite to eat from his bag. We still have some more food if you want some," Latias explained, offering her brother a rice ball.

"Nah, I'm good," Latios said, only for his stomach to growl.

"Okay, maybe just one," Latios said as he took the rice ball. After he scarfed it down, Latios yawned, starting to feel tired. "I think we should get some sleep."

"Yeah, good idea," Ash said, pulling out his sleeping bag again.

Soon enough, everyone but Latios was asleep. He still was thinking about what happened earlier.


Later that night, we see Latios lying down on the roof tops. He couldn't fall asleep and felt like he might need a change of environment, though that didn't help.

"Brother? Why are you up here?" Latias asked, floating over to him.

"Huh? Oh... just thinking about something, that's all," Latios said, trying to get Latias to head back.

"About what?" Latias asked her brother, who now realizes he'll have to tell her.

"It's just that... I've been feeling nervous around Ash these past two days and every time I think of him, my heart starts racing... I think I might have a-," Latios tried to explain, only to get cut off by Latias.

"A crush on him?" Latias responded.

"Yeah... but that got me thinking. I know how you feel about him, and even though I want to tell him this, I would rather see you happy," Latios said.

"Want to know something?" Latias said, getting her brother's attention.

"What?" Latios said, curious as to what his sister had to say.

"While I'd love for me and Ash to be a couple, I would actually be happier to see you truly happy for once. So, go tell Ash how you feel about him before he leaves tomorrow," Latias said, catching Latios off guard.

"Really? You really mean that?" Latios said, making sure it was okay with his sister.

"Of course I do," Latias said in a caring voice.

"Thanks, sis," Latios said.

"No problem," Latias said before they headed back to the garden.