Latias tackled Ash to the ground in a tight embrace as she transformed back into her normal state. Tears began rolling down her eyes as everyone else watched in silence. Ash, regaining his composure, noticed her tears and began comforting her. "Hey now, there's no need to be sad!" he said patting her head. "I missed you so much!" she cried telepathically which made Ash and co. jump in surprise. "D-did you just talk!?" Brock exclaimed looking at the two in wonder. "Telepathy." Lorenzo said calmly. "Like Mewtwo." Misty whispered. This quiet comment got Misty a strange look from both Lorenzo and Bianca. "Who's Mewtwo?" Bianca asked. Misty, flustered by the mistake she made, attempted to play it off. While Brock tried to assist her, Ash looked down at Latias and smiled. "I'm happy you can talk. There are so many things I want to tell you, but I suppose that will have to wait."
Ash stood up as best he could with Latias still holding onto him. He watched as Misty and Brock tried convincing Lorenzo and Bianca that she hadn't said anything. "It's kind of noisy here. Let's go to the garden." Ash whispered. Latias nodded and let go of him. They were both already at the garden before anyone noticed they were gone.
"It's been 4 years and this place hasn't changed at all has it?" Ash asked walking along the path. "You're wrong. It's changed a lot." Latias replied with a hint of pain as she looked in the general direction of the Soul Dew. Ash looked at his feet in guilt. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you two. If only I had realized the danger those two imposed." He said trying to hold back his tears. Latias grabbed Ash and hugged him. "It wasn't your fault. Nobody could have known what was going to happen that night. Not even my brother could have." she said trying to comfort Ash. Ash nodded and walked over to the swing he first met Latias. "Do you remember when we first met?" Ash asked sitting down. Latias giggled. "How could I forget? As soon as you saw me you fell off the swing." Ash chuckled at the memory. "I certainly wasn't expecting that at the time. It isn't every day that a legendary Pokémon wants to play with you." "That's because you were different from everybody else. I sensed you were special, but I never expected what I feel now." she said. Ash went silent and watched a group of Wooper by the pool side play. "And how do you feel now?" he asked quietly. Latias blushed. "I-I think I love you, but it could never work out could it?" she said tearfully. "I don't care." Ash said. "I don't care what people think, because I love you as well!" Ash exclaimed embracing her. Latias was overwhelmed and began crying out of sheer joy.
They spent the rest of the day talking about what happened over the 6 years they were apart. Ash spoke of his adventurous days in the different regions as well as the many people he met. Latias, in turn, told him about her struggles in learning telepathy. "I noticed you weren't as surprised as I expected you to be when I first spoke." Latias said. "Is it possible you've met a Pokémon that knew telepathy?" "You have a good eye haven't you? Yeah, I've met a couple in my travels." "What were they like?" Latias asked. Ash smiled a warm smile. "It's hard to describe, but I enjoyed being with them. The knowledge that we could speak and understand each other was amazing. I didn't see them as Pokémon. I saw them as people." Latias, content with his answer asked him one last thing. "Do you see me as a person?" Ash closed his eyes ready to sleep and said, "I think we both know the answer to that."