Story of Latias (AltoShipping)

She had to make a choice. And fast.

Latios only had one chance to return to the city of Alto Mare. And that chance was coming very soon. Latias knew this. It was her only chance to leave with him.

But she just couldn't make up her mind. If she stayed behind in Alto Mare, she might never see Latios again.

Well, the decision should have been obvious. So why was there the trouble of her not being able to make up her mind?

She wanted to see him one last time.

It had been over a few years since he had come and gone through Alto Mare. And during that short period of time…she had fallen in love with him.

It was evident by the kiss on his cheek she left him before he left.

Ash Ketchum.

She had desperately hoped Ash would someday return to Alto Mare so that she could see him again. It felt like a faraway dream, but she had always wished that there was the off-chance that he would, for whatever reason, return.

But…something happened that would sadly shatter her dreams. In an unfortunate accident, one that required the safety of the city, she sacrificed her life, just as her brother Latios had all those years before.

It was time for her to move on into the Afterlife. At first, she wished to be guided by Latios, in which he was given one opportunity by Arceus of the Afterlife to return to Alto Mare and escort Latias.

But Latias couldn't let go of her dream to see Ash again. She was debating heavily on whether to go with Latios or risk staying in Alto Mare and wait for someone who may never even return.

Souls of dead Pokémon were given a certain amount of time to transfer over from the Pokémon World into the Afterlife. If they didn't transfer over during that timeslot…

Their soul would deteriorate, never given the chance to enter the Afterlife again.

If Latios showed up and she decided not to go with him, she still had some time afterward to find the Afterlife on her own. But the chances of her finding the Afterlife in that short amount of time were slim, meaning that if she chose not to follow Latios, her existence would be terminated completely.

Latios would be here tomorrow night. Was there any possible chance of Ash returning to Alto Mare? It seemed impossible. There was no reason for him to return to this place. Latias felt stupid for even thinking that he would show up, and figured the choice to go with Latios was undeniably her only option. Choosing to stay was absurd.

…

Latias cried. All she wanted was just one more chance to see that bright smile on his face, those bold, brown eyes. Just to see him. Period.

And maybe…she would have told him she loved him…

Sure, she's a Pokémon, but that didn't mean anything. Right?

She wasn't sure if telling him would have meant anything anyway. She wiped her tears and made her decision.

She would travel to the Afterlife with Latios tomorrow night and say goodbye to Alto Mare. And the Pokémon World.

Latios would be here in less than an hour.

Latias decided to take one last flight around Alto Mare. She had already said her good-byes to Bianca and Lorenzo, which was beyond heartbreaking. She was so attached to this city and its people that having to leave it behind was something Latias couldn't stand to thinking about. It would be painful, but the people of the city were grateful for her courage to protect them and knew that her sacrifice wouldn't be in vain. They would live on in her spirit, as they had with the death of Latios.

While winding through the buildings of the bustling city and approaching the pier, Latias saw something peculiar that caught her eye. Something she couldn't turn away from once her focus was directed on it.

Directed…onto him.

She couldn't believe it. For a moment, she didn't want to believe, in fear that if she got her hopes up too quickly, she would be thoroughly disappointed and crushed by the mirage.

But it wasn't a mirage, as she noticed upon closer inspection. Solidly standing there on the dock, in the same place she had said goodbye to him several years earlier.

Ash.

She nearly burst into tears before she even got close enough to him. He was really here, in the flesh! He had returned to Alto Mare!

"Latias!" she heard him call to her, letting her know that he was aware of her presence. His voice was just as she remembered it, even though she was sure puberty should have hit him by now. If anything, he looked almost exactly as he had back then; the only difference she could notice upon first glance was his clothes.

But none of that matter right now. He was here and she would savor her time with him.

"Hey, Latias! How's it going?" he said, patting her on the head when she was close enough to touch him. She should have been transparent at this point in time after her death, but she overlooked the details and focused on his soft hands caressing her ears.

But for a spilt second she wondered, Why is he here? She backed away in order to look at him, then decided to transform into a form in which she could speak to him. She had been practicing this form for years in order to look more like a human version of herself rather than taking the form of other people. She had perfected it, her long white hair with red streaks flowing in the wind, along with her crimson red dress.

"W-whoa!" Ash gasped. "That's so cool!"

"Ash…" she spoke slowly. "W-why are you here…?" She wouldn't have really bothered to ask this question if she would have had a lot of time to spend with him. But she didn't. Time was running out.

"I-I heard the news about you from Bianca…" Ash lowered his head, Latias noticing his now sullen expression. "I heard about your sacrifice to save the city."

"How did you hear that?" Latias questioned.

"Facebook is very convenient these days," Ash chuckled, holding up a small square piece of technology Latias didn't recognize. "I had always been meaning to backtrack and revisit places I had already been to on my journey, y'know, to meet up with old friends and such. I have a lot of times on my hands now, so I figured why not? But when Bianca told me about your death and that your soul would only linger around the city for a few days, I put Alto Mare at the top of my list. I-I wanted to see you before you…" Ash sounded as if he was choking back tears.

"Oh, Ash…" Latias threw his arms around him, tears flowing immensely. She couldn't believe that Ash had come back! Granted, it had been right before she had to leave for the Afterlife so she wouldn't be able to spend much time with him, but she didn't care. Just being able to see him was enough. To be able to hold him in her own human form.

To be able to…kiss him like she had wanted to before.

Without thinking, she leaned in for a true kiss on Ash's soft lips. She could feel him flinch in shock, but he didn't move. He didn't try to kiss back, either, but just let Latias have her moment.

After a few seconds, she pulled back.

"A-Ash," she fiddled with her fingers, still blushing about the kiss, "I love you!"

"Latias…I had a feeling it was you who kissed me on the dock before and not Bianca."

"Y-yes! And I have been waiting here forever for you to return! Oh, I'm so glad I was able to see you before I had to go," she couldn't help herself from pulling him into one more hug. Ash returned the hug and they held each other there on the dock for what felt like forever.

Latias realized that Ash didn't give much of a response to her confession of love, but she didn't really mind. Even if Ash loved her back, it would be painful knowing that she couldn't see him again; at least, until it was his time to join the Afterlife. But being able to tell him how she felt is what mattered most to her. And she was even able to steal a kiss! This was the happiest she had ever been.

Even now, as it was her time to go.

"Oh! It's Latios!" Ash exclaimed, and Latias spun around. Surely enough, Latios, who didn't look any different from the last time she saw him either, was floating by her side. There was a slight look of shock on his face and Latias couldn't tell if it was because Ash was here in Alto Mare or if it was because she was in a human form he didn't recognize. He then changed his expression to a soft one and nodded toward Latias.

"I guess it's time to go…" Ash said quietly.

"Y-yes…" Latias turned back to Ash. "But I am so glad I was able to see you again. You don't know how happy that makes me."

"I just wanted to make sure I saw my good friend Latias before she had to leave. I'm glad I got here in time," Ash smiled.

Latias took a step back and reverted into her regular form, now floating in sequence with Latios. She rubbed her nose into Ash's cheek once more, then turned to Latios.

Ready to go? Latios asked. Latias nodded with tears in her eyes.

They lifted off, beginning to rise high into the skies above Alto Mare. Latias glanced back one last time.

"Goodbye, Latios! Goodbye, Latias!" Ash was calling out to them, waving with both hands. "I'll miss you! And I hope to see you again someday!"

Latias smiled, knowing that he wanted another chance to see her again, and disappeared into the clouds on the path to the Afterlife.

She let the thought of her lips pressed to his linger in her mind.