"Well since everyone is traveling to Delta City, I vote we should all go together." Brock said from the front of the table. Everyone (except Sange who was still hung-over) was sitting at a long table on the Pokémon's center balcony.

"That sounds fine by me, and I want to stick with my new friend here." Kiri said looking over at May, who smiled at her.

"You guys do seem all right…whatever Kite says is my decision." Dean said. Everyone looked towards Kite, who wasn't sitting at the table, but leaning on a wall behind everyone. He moved forward.

"The southlands don't get the title of 'harshest region of the world' just because of the storms on the sea." He sat down in an empty chair next to Dawn. "You guys need a guide in the first place; this isn't like any off the other regions you've traveled through."

He leaned forward and gave every person a deep look. His blue eyes speaking from past experience.

"The Pokémon here are incredibly powerful and dangerous. There are endless forests that appear to change every time you walk into it. Towering mountains that just seem to go up endlessly. Grasslands that are prone to massive tornados and windstorms. Deserts that play with your mind and make you think your in the safety of your home, when you are really baking on its scorched floor. Massive rivers that destroy anything and everything in their way…" Everyone except Dean was giving Kite their uttermost attention.

"But…" He said with a smile. "It is also the most beautiful and amazing place you will ever see."

"Really? How can you be sure? Dawn asked from beside him. Kite laughed.

"I've seen a lot in the world lass, but this country continues to surprise me." He turned to the group again.

"I'll travel with you." He said simply.

"That's great." Brock exclaimed and everyone let out a few laughs. Brock reached down and pulled a large poster out of his bag. He put it on the table, revealing a large map of the Southlands. Everyone stopped talking and looked at the map.

"Now!" Brock began and pointed at Port Savo, which was located on the North-West coast of the Continent. "We are located here. There is only one route out of town, and it travels south towards Woods Edge." He indicated a small town that was at the edge of the Silent Forest.

"Woods edge is only a small trading post." Dean said. Brock nodded.

"We can prepare for the trek through the silent woods from there."

"What are the silent woods?" May asked.

"I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the silent woods are what Kite described as 'forests that change every time you walk into it?'" Dawn asked.

"You are correct lass, but only in a certain part of the forest, and that's nowhere near where we are going hopefully."

"Hopefully?" Kiri asked him.

"Things usually don't go according to plan around Kite." Dean said with a laugh.

Kite ignored him. "We'll just stick to the path until we hit Palmer." He said while pointing at another town on the southern edge of the forest.

"Now once we reach Palmer, we have two choices." He indicated a route that headed south.

"This road takes us to the town of Corday. As soon as we take this route we enter the Grass sea."

"Is that like a grassland?" Ash asked, everyone stared at him and Sange came running in and smacked him in the back of the head.

"IDIOT!" He roared, but his stomach took another turn for the worse and he ran back outside.

"Anyways….it's a biological phenomenon…in any other grassland; you might find small trees or shrubs….but this is what scientists call 'perfect grassland'."

"A perfect grassland?" Dawn asked. Kite nodded.

"You won't find a single blade of grass taller than 5 inches within 400 miles." Kite said with a grin. Ash, May, Brock, Dawn and Kiri all looked at him like he was yanking their legs.

"I've been there….I've stood on top of the Grass bluff and stared out upon the endless hills of green." Kites eyes lost focus for a moment. May and Kiri noticed a strange, yet incredibly subtle look on his face. Kiri whispered to May.

"Did you see that?"

"Yeah…it almost looked like…"

"He was in love…." Kiri finished. They both turned back towards Kite who was pointing back at the map.

"Once we hit Corday, we turn east and make our way to the Middle Mountain Pass." He lifted up a finger. "BUT! The pass is closed during this time of season."

"For how long?" Kiri asked. Kite knew she and May wanted to compete in the Delta City open Pokémon Contest.

"Relax, only for two more months, I know the contest is in three." Kiri and May relaxed.

"So what about the other path from Palmer?" Brock asked.

Kite pointed to Palmer and then traced a route that followed the edge of the silent woods heading east until it hit a town on the ocean. Kite got a little bit more excited when he tapped the oceanfront town.

"This….is Leyalin…" He said in a tone that made it sound like the name itself explained everything. Apparently it didn't.

"what's….Leyalin?" Ash asked.

"It's his home." Came a voice from behind everyone. They turned and saw Sange walking back inside. He walked over and stood next to Kite.

"Are you feeling better?" Dawn asked him.

"Why do you care?" He asked the young girl.

"I don't want you throwing up on me…"

"In that case…"

Everyone jumped out of their chairs and backed off.

"….i think I'm going to…." He doubled up. Kite jumped over the table and crashed on the floor.

"…Have a spot of tea…" Everyone face-faulted and Sange sat down and began sipping from a bottle of green tea. Everyone got back in their chairs.

"So, What exactly is Leyalin, Kite?" Brock asked.

"Well, beside being the place my home is, it's referred to as the cliff side city."

"It's built on top of a cliff?" May asked.

Kite grinned, "Nope….70% of the city is underground, and the city is literally a cliff."

"Oh wow…." Kiri said.

"I have a house…or I guess you can say apartment….overlooking the ocean."

Everyone stared at him in awe. Kite grew a little uncomfortable.

"The view is nice, but the couch is a piece of shit." Sange said, still drinking his tea.

Kite ignored him and tapped a path following the ocean along the Aeryn Bay, and then the mountains farther south.

"If we take the path through Leyalin, we would then head south and then east while following the shoreline of the ocean. Once we hit the Mid Mountains, we turn south, go past the springs an-"

"Springs?" Kiri, May and Dawn said at the same time. Sange groaned.

"Ummm yeah….there's a hot springs In the mountains, I've been there once….sure it's on the side of a mountain….but you get a perfect view of the Ocean…"

"There's that look again Kiri." May whispered.

"I think he's in love…with the Southlands…"

"But both path's lead to the pass, both would require us to wait in one of the towns before the path opens." He leaned back. "I'll leave the choice of what direction we take up to you guys.

Ash immediately asked what path had the strongest Pokémon.

Dawn wondered what shops would be in Leyalin.

Brock was talking to Dean about what city had the most girls.

May and Kiri where talking about the hot springs.

Soon they all started to argue about what direction to take.

"What a wonderful group we've found ourselves in." Sange muttered to Kite.

"I think we should pass by Leyalin." Kite mumbled to his Pokémon. Sange looked at him oddly.

"I thought you wanted to see the grass sea again."

In truth, he had wanted to see the endless seas of grass and stand upon the hills and feel the wind caress his body. But he had something more important to do. Something that was personal.

"I do, but I want to see her." He said in a voice that was so soft that even Sange had a hard time hearing it. Sange nodded instantly before jumping on to the table.

"Ok! Ashy boy!" He said pointing at Ash.

"Hey!"

"Shaddap! The Pokémon in the mountains between Leyalin and the Springs are very freaking powerful! The grasslands don't have much Pokémon."

He pointed to Dawn.

"Leyalin has the Southlands National Mall. Corday….is…well….Corday."

He turned towards Dean and Brock.

"I know you don't care Dean, but I know this eyeless man does, but girls love the Hotsprings!"

He then spun around towards May and Kiri.

"Yes, The Hot Springs Freaking ROCK!" He planted both his feet on the table and lifted his finger towards the heavens.

"WE ARE GOING TO LEYALIN!"

Ash started to say they needed more time to think, but the eyes of Sange persuaded him not too.

Brock cleared his throat. "Well I guess Leyalin sounds like a good choice…" Everyone whole heartedly agreed and Sange jumped down off the table. He gave Kite a small wink. He nodded his thanks.

"So when do we leave?" Dean asked. Everyone looked towards Brock, possibly the most responsible of the group.

"Well I was thinking that we grab supplies today, then leave afternoon tomorrow." He said.

"Sounds good to me!" Ash said. Everyone started getting up from the table, getting ready to start packing.

"HOLD IT!" Kite yelled. Everyone stopped and turned towards him. Kite grinned and pointed at Ash.

"Before we leave on this journey, I want to see if you really are as good as they say." He pointed at the beach. "Me, you, Beach! 3v3!"

Ash grinned.

"You're on Kite!"