When I walked into the kitchen back at the restaurant ant turned on the lights, I found myself surrounded by the employees. I jumped back.

"So?" One asked. "How did it go?"

I sighed. "I'm not going to lie to you guys...we were up against some tough competition, like "The People's Eatery"," Some awed when I mentioned the name. They too, knew that the quality of the other nominees topped ours in most categories.

"So we lost?"

I scoffed. "Like hell we did," Molly walked in, holding the 2009 Culinary Arts award. Everyone erupted in cheer.

"Calvin Winthrop, "Il Posto Per Godere"!"

The audience applauded dad as he got up from his seat and walked to the stage. After the many years of hard work, not only did we have a killer anniversary party, but now we won an award? This was definitely a crowning achievement.

"Thank you," Dad said over the microphone. "Wow, it's so amazing to hold this award. Five years ago I would've never thought I would've achieved something like this. I have to thank the employees at the restaurant, for their devotion and hard work over the years, my assistant manager Danielle, for her outstanding work managing in my absence and the first employee I had when I started, my daughter Molly, for giving me the name for the restaurant when it opened, and of course my wife, Emelina. She passed away before I could unveil, but she would be proud that it's achieved such an award."

There was applause as dad walked off the stage and returned to his seat.

'The speech was a bit crappy,' Danielle added.

"I was sweating bullets," He said. "But it was worth it."

The ceremony came to a close at around a quarter to twelve. As everyone walked towards the exit, someone called dad's name.

"Mr. Winthrop!" It was Bianca. She was holding what looked like a picture frame in her hand. "I wanted to give this to you the other night, but unfortunately I never let go of it."

Dad took it from her and looked at the picture. It was a scene from the anniversary party that was hand-drawn so well, it was almost as if we were looking at a black and white photo. We were equally astonished.

"Bianca...this is amazing," He said. "Is this what you were drawing the other night when you came by?"

She nodded. "I'm glad you like it."

"I will hang it in my office," He said. "Thank you."

I had a strong feeling that this wasn't the last time that we would meet, but I kept it to myself and waved goodbye. We had one more stop before we went home, and that was the restaurant. Dad was contemplating something about surprising the employees upon arrival, and said that they should know if their work over the years had paid off.

"...and here we are," Dad said, still holding the award. "Well, it's past closing time, and I know you all stuck around to hear the good news, but it's time to go home everyone. We have to get back to work in the morning."

"Just like that?" Another employee asked. "Nothing different?"

"Well we're not going to change the quality of our service just because of this award," Dad said. "It was our normal work schedule that won us an award in the first place, so hopefully we'll win another award in 2019 running on the same schedule."

They all agreed, and walked out of the kitchen. In just a few short minutes, the restaurant was empty, and the employees were walking up the street to their homes. So were we. Dad unlocked the door to the house and spotted Millie. Unlike everyone else, she showed no signs of age whatsoever.

"Millie, Look," He held up the award for her to admire. "We won the award!"

When I woke up the next morning to get ready for class, I made sure that I didn't have a repeat like the morning before. I set my alarm clock extra early and got prepared for the day before the sun came up. I left the house before dad did, which was pretty surprising, since he was usually the one who left before me. I started to walk up the street when I had an eerie feeling—like I was being watched. Since I wasn't "just human" anymore, it allowed me to hear and sense things that the average human couldn't. But just like everyone else, I had the same sense of sight. And unfortunately I didn't see anything. I continued walking, the eerie feeling lingering.

I had gotten on Mrs. Giordano's good side when I arrived early to her class this morning. That, reinforced with the "A" I got from my recipe yesterday, made her all too happy to see me. She lectured the class for an hour about seasonings and what and what not to use them in. I took notes for a while, and then dozed off until the bell tolled. She repeated her warning to me from the day before, but I replied with "I can get on anyone's good side" and walked over to Mr. Mancini's class. He seemed a bit shocked to see me, but hey, who blamed him?

"I thought you said you didn't draw," He said to me. I only smiled.

"That, I did," I said. "But I've recently had a change of heart."

Mr. Mancini was a man who looked like he had seen the world and then some, and he still did, because even as a teacher he occasionally took vacations to explore, and came back with dozens of drawings. He had just turned sixty, and I only know because Mrs. Giordano told me. He usually wore a gray and white sweater-vest and gray pants with some worn shoes and made an attempt at a comb over, but today he was wearing a new suit and shiny new dress shoes as if he was going somewhere. I would've asked, but then again I really didn't care.

"Have a seat Melinda, we're about to start," Mrs. Giordano had an excuse for calling me by my full first name. Mr. Mancini on the other hand, said that it was either a full name or AWOL.

"I've been planning a trip all year, and now it is time for me to depart," He said. "I won't be back until January, so a substitute will fill my place while I am gone. As for today, I need you to open your textbooks to page 64, take notes, and then I want you to go to your stations and draw the first thing that comes to mind. No stick figures will be allowed. Draw as if your visualization is behind a sheet of tracing paper."

Most of us took notes for the next thirty minutes, and then walked to our stations to try and draw whatever we could visualize. By the time class was over, I found that it was harder than I thought.

"Melinda, I will exempt you from any grade today," He said. "But it won't happen again. As an art teacher, I strive for perfection, and that is what I seek from young upcoming artists. Not many have managed to impress me in the past," He spun a picture around for me to see. "Actually, only one student managed to pass my class with an "A" plus."

"No way!" It was none other than Bianca, the girl from the ceremony last night. From the way she drew that picture of the restaurant, I couldn't see why she didn't amaze people.

"Anyhow," He spun the picture out of view again, shifting back to the subject at hand. "I tell this to all my students. Art is a gift, not a pushover. You made that choice at the start of the semester, and here you are again. So, if you want to pass my class, I suggest that you find a tutor who can help you learn how to draw."

I gulped. "Y—Yes sir."

"Find a tutor," I said as I walked down a very narrow street that afternoon. "I don't know anyone who knows how to draw...unless..." I walked past an alleyway, and my bracelet started to glow. "I wonder..." I slipped into the alleyway, and ran my hand against the wall until I found a trick door. I walked through, and immediately appeared in the garden of the Lati's.

"Latias," I called. "It's me, Molly. Are you here?"

'Molly!' She immediately consumed me in a bone crushing hug. "I haven't seen you in months!"

"I've been kind of busy," I mumbled. She put me down. "I want to ask you something. What do you know about art?"

'What do I know about art?' She repeated, surprised. 'Molly, I've lived here for decades, there's nothing I don't know. Why do you ask?'

"Well, I need a tutor for drawing, and I was wondering if you—"

'I'd love to!' She said happily. 'But...drawing? I thought you didn't draw.'

"I don't but...it was either that or science, and anything having to do with science just freaks me out."

'Okay then,' She picked my bag up and looked through it for a sheet of paper and a pencil. 'Be right back,' She disappeared, leaving me alone in the garden. Well, not all alone, there was the soul dew. I walked up to the fountain it stood on and looked at it.

"Hi Latios," I whispered. "Sorry I haven't been around lately, but I've been helping dad with the anniversary party, and we just got an award."

It blinked in appreciation. Latias reappeared, drawing on the sheet of paper. When she was done, she gave it to me to look at.

"What the—?!" Much like the photograph Bianca gave to dad, this one was almost a picture rendering of one of the canals in Alto Mare. There was a gondola making its way through, people, probably tourists on board, and I could see all of their faces very clearly. A small bridge arched over the canal, and there were people chatting and walking across it. My jaw dropped. "Latias...how did you do this?!"

'I have photographic memory,' She said, grinning.

"Oh, you've definitely got to teach me how to do this!"

'First thing tomorrow,' She said. 'Today I have to take your dad to see Arceus.'

"Let's go see him," We started walking back towards the entrance. "Did you know that we spotted her with Giratina the other night at the restaurant?"

'What were they doing there?'

"I think they were on a date."

Her jaw dropped. 'No way! Tell me all about it!'

Instead of teleporting, we walked to the restaurant. When Latias changed back to her human form, it hit me: she looked exactly like Bianca from the other night. "Latias?"

'Yeah?'

I started to think. The Lati's could shape shift into any human form they desired, so maybe it was by chance that Latias managed to shape shift into a body that was already in use by someone else? It was chancy, but it looked like that was the most logical answer.

"Never mind."

Dad was in his office, writing checks for the employees. He usually did this on the 20th of every month, but a large incident having to deal with Arceus interrupted the cycle and he had to hold it off until now. He seemed reluctant when I asked him to tell me how it went, so eventually I stopped asking. A few days ago, he told me that if the anniversary party went well, which it did, all of the employees would get a raise on their next check. I wonder what "winning an award" gave them...

He looked up. "Oh hey Molly, and...uh...Latias, is that you?"

'Of course it is.'

"Oh, good." Latias looked at me confused, but I only shrugged back. "Okay, I'm ready. Molly, could you give these out to everyone?"

He handed me a stack of envelopes, and then held Latias's hand and they both disappeared. Just thinking about the raise had me thinking that these envelopes had gotten heavier.

When we arrived at Mt. Coronet, it was somewhere deep within the mountain. Lanterns lit the pathway hewn from the rock, and at the end of the hallway, I could see a door.

'This pathway leads to Arceus's den,' Latias said. 'Stand on that pressure panel and the door will open.'

"Wait, you're not coming with me?"

'Calvin, I have other things to do,' I shook my head in disbelief. 'I've got to get ready to be Molly's tutor for tomorrow.'

"Tutor?"

'You know, for drawing,' I started to put something together in my head. Latias shaped her human form after an artist I met two days ago and again last night, and she could draw photos out of an environment. There had to have been a connection somehow, but it was childish to investigate over. There were matters much more important to deal with.

'Well, see you later,' She waved me goodbye and teleported back home. I walked down the hallway and looked up to the door. A pressure panel meant for Arceus's weight lay encrusted in the floor. Regretting not bringing the sword along, I jumped up and down on it, but it didn't budge. I looked around for something heavy enough. Nothing but me and the air I was breathing. Knocking didn't hurt.

"Arceus, it's me, Calvin!" I fisted my hand and hit the door. It was hollow. The doors slowly slid open until it was wide enough for me to pass through. Arceus was lying down on the other side of the room.

'Calvin, what are you doing here?' She asked.

"You asked me to come, remember?"

'Oh,' She sighed. 'I hope I'm not disturbing you.'

"I wished you could've asked me that before you went on that rampage last month."

'Calvin, how many times do I have to apologize to you?'

"Well, "laying judgment" doesn't qualify as apology-acceptable."

'I told you already,' She got up, and walked towards me. 'My mind was made up. There was no turning back.'

We both stared at each other for a while.

"So why were you and Giratina at the restaurant the other night?" I asked.

'Oh...' She walked back and lay down. 'Well he was angered just as you are now, but you know him. Always trying to make a deal...'

'He blackmailed you?'

Her face turned red. 'No he didn't! I wanted to go out with him.'

I started to laugh. Even though I was mad, it was still hilarious at her first choice of a date. "What?!"

'He works my last nerve constantly, naïve as always, but he was sincere when he asked me out,' I was on the floor with laughter now. 'I said yes, and so we both got prepared and...there we were.'

"Well, now it's over," I said, getting up. "Now we can all move on with our lives—"

'It's not...officially over.'

I looked at her. "Arceus, you can't be...are you really considering—"

'—going out on another date, yes,' I couldn't believe what I had just heard.

"Okay, I'm going back home."

'Well wait. I didn't tell you why I called.'

"Make it quick, I'm feeling nauseous."

'Late yesterday, I received a call from Rayquaza,' Over the years, telepathy became the new cellular phone for the legendaries. 'He wasn't making any sense at all, said that he was following a dead end lead and was captured by a human. He said to warn Latias before anything else happens, but then his voice faded out before I could find out why.'

"Captured by a human? Just one? That couldn't have been possible..."

'We could be dealing with someone like Mateo,' She said. 'Someone using a similar method of obtaining his power just like he did with mine.'

"I don't want to have to relive that again," I said. "It almost cost her and Molly's lives."

'Then do whatever it takes to ensure Latias's safety,' She tapped her hoof on the ground, opening a portal. On the other side, it looked like the inside of my office. 'And Calvin...are we...are we okay?'

I walked to the portal, and then stopped. "I don't know yet," I said, and walked through.