Here's Chapter 6, which contains something, I hope, you have looked forward to. Also, watching XY and XYZ really keeps one motivated and gives possible ideas. Nothing else of importance really, so enjoy and leave a review if got something to say!

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.

'Ash, where are we going?' Latias asked, barely getting out of her chair after having finished breakfast as Ash had grabbed her hand and started dragging her along. Eventually she had managed to catch up to him, and now they were walking next to each other, hand in hand. Having recovered from her shock, she soon found herself interested in what Ash had in mind, giving his hand a squeeze. 'Ash?' She tried again, silence being the only response she was receiving. As Ash had dragged her out of the house, they had gotten a weird look from May, a surprised one from Brock, where as Bianca had winked at them. Which had all gone unnoticed by Ash, only focusing on taking her somewhere. 'What are we doing?'

"Where would the fun be if I told you?" Ash finally responded, smiling all the while he lead Latias to their destination. It was a spur of the moment thing, Bianca mentioning it to him during breakfast. Thanks to his talk with Brock the previous day he knew what he had to do in order to try and convey what he felt. "It's a surprise, alright?" He tried to not look at her, keeping his attention on the street as they walked. But he couldn't stop himself looking at her, taking in all of her features. His mind tried to compare her to Bianca, knowing that was how she looked when he first met her, besides the few years difference. Her hair was still styled the same way as it had before, though it had gotten longer by quite a bit and most of it was now flowing along her back. Besides that she was wearing a red headband, a sleeveless green t-shirt with straps and some, very short, blue shorts. He wouldn't complain though. She was pouting, seemingly on purpose looking in a completely different direction from him. "Will you be happy if I tell you? Bianca told me about that the festival today. I thought we could go."

She was pretty sure that her entire expression was lighting up at the moment. She couldn't really care though. She had been to the festival last year with Bianca, and she had enjoyed herself a lot. Now she was going with Ash, which would make the festival even better. 'You could have simply told me, you know,' Latias could feel some heat rise to her cheeks as Ash was looking, no staring, at her. Maybe she just imagined it, or did Ash's smile grow bigger as her blush intensified? Also, she was surprised that Ash hadn't asked the others if they wanted to come. She didn't want to get her hopes up, but did Ash maybe want to just spend some time with her? 'Hey Ash,' She started, Ash's attention returning to her after having looked at the different buildings surrounding them. Hesitation was the first thing she felt as she was about to ask her question. 'Why didn't the others come with us?'

A laugh escapes him as he removed his eyes from Latias for a moment. Should he tell her why? He remembered his conversation with Brock, saying that he should be more direct and straightforward. A good start would to be honest then. It could possibly, maybe, work in his favor if Latias felt the same. "Well, I simply wanted to spend some time alone with you," He replies, hoping it would actually work in his favor. He had even told Pikachu to stay with the others. It was very rarely that he and Pikachu separated, and thankfully his starter had understood what he had wanted as he told her to stay behind. As he looked at Latias again, he could spot another blush on her cheeks. "Don't you like spending time with me, alone?"

She definitely hadn't expected that question from Ash. 'Of course I do!' Latias quickly said, once again hearing Ash laugh. She wondered if it was just her, or was he actually trying to approach her in such a way? Saying that she was confused was an understatement. The first time she had met him she had been the one interested in him, and by all means he had been interested in her too. After she left she got interested in him in a different way, and now he was showing signs of the same sort of interested as she had. 'Why do you ask?'

"I simply want to spend some time with you and without having everyone else be there," Ash explained, not having let go of Latias' hand throughout their entire walk. One question had been on his mind though, for quite some time to be exact. He had asked the question himself after meeting Lily and Leo. If they had names, Latias should also have one, if there was any logic behind the names Pokemon had. "What's your name, Latias?"

Latias stopped walking completely, letting go of Ash's hand at the same time. She hadn't even thought that he would mention, even less that he would ask it. Only her brother actually knew of her name, and her parents, as she had never told anyone else of it. The urge to tell him was very big, trusting him completely. 'Do you really want to know it?' The question wasn't necessary in any way, she still wanted to ask it as a form of confirmation that he was serious and wanted to know it. Most humans didn't even know that Pokemon had names like they did, instead simply calling them by their species. 'My name is Luna.'

'Luna.' Ash spoke the name in his head, already taking a liking to it. He probably would have liked any name Latias could have had, and this one was no exception. It was beautiful in his opinion, like the dragoness it belonged to. "Luna," He said softly, Latias, now Luna, looking up from the ground. For some reason he managed to get her to blush a lot, something he wasn't against though. Now was his chance though to try and get something done about his feelings for her. "I wish I had known earlier. It's a very beautiful name, I think."

'Y-you really think so?' Luna couldn't stop her heart from beating faster at Ash's words. Taking his hand again, they continued their trip to the festival which was held at the center of the city. The festival was not only a festival, but also served as a market at the same time. There would be a plethora of stalls, some simply selling different things, some serving food and some having games to play with prizes to win. Later on there would even a firework in the park next to the city square. She didn't want to call it a date, not wanting to get her hopes up. What else could she possibly call it if not a date? Maybe not in the romantic sense like she wanted, it was still better than whatever she had expected she would do today less than an hour ago. 'There's so much to do at the festival. What do you want to do first there?'

"I think I can already see some of the stalls," Ash said, pointing with his hand at one of the few that were visible from the street they were on. He wasn't sure yet if they would spend the entire day at the festival, with lunch only an hour away. They had gotten up rather late, and being the one who was sent to fetch Luna, it had taken a while to get breakfast finished and everything. Suddenly he remembered the Mega stone in his pocket and an idea came to mind. With there being a number of stalls he was sure he could find what he looked for. Else he could probably find a shop somewhere else in the city with the help of Bianca. He only needed to keep Luna distracted for a little while, if he found a stall that could possibly be selling what he looked for. "How about we go for one of the games first? They look like fun."

'Alright, let's go then!' With that Luna started dragging Ash along at a slightly faster pace. Last time she had been here she and Bianca had nearly visited every stall with a game, though they didn't win at most of them. It had still been a lot of fun, trying to beat each other at the games and trying to get one of the many prizes that were available. As they entered the square she marveled over all the people that were there. 'Let's try that one over there.'

Looking at the stall his companion was pointing at, he lead her towards it. The man standing inside had noticed them and waved them over. The game seemed simple enough, a number of cans stapled on top of each other to form a pyramid, with three of those lined up. Taking one of the balls, Ash handed the man the required money, trying to get a feel of how much power he needed behind his shot. The distance wasn't massive, but not too short either to make it too easy. "While I try and win you can choose what you want to get," He was confident that he could get the best result by not missing any of his shots. Impressing Luna and get whichever of the prizes she wanted was his main goal, which required him to not screw up. Throwing the first ball, he managed to knock all cans down. Now he had hit to the two pyramids further out, requiring a bit more strength, and aim. Picking up two balls, Ash decided to take a risk, throwing both balls rapidly, not waiting to take aim on the second pyramid. A gasp came from his right, Luna staring at where the pyramids had stood while the stall owner laughed. "I didn't expect that I would hit those last two shots that easily."

The man congratulated him and told Luna that she could choose a prize. She picked out the Pikachu plushie, which seemingly surprised Ash. She had originally planned on picking the Latios plushie, changing her mind though and going with the Pikachu plushie. She pointed at it, the man understanding what she wanted, handing her the plushie. Putting up a smile, she turned around and started walking away. 'Thanks for winning it for me,' That she felt happy was an understatement. Elated would better describe what she was feeling and the urge to hug Ash was very big. Going with the urge, Luna took the plushie in one hand as she wrapped them around Ash's torso, her hands connecting behind his back, her head resting on her chest. 'Do you want to spend some time in the part before we get lunch?' Looking up at Ash, she waited for a response. He was looking at something she couldn't see from her position so she continued to wait patiently. 'Only if you want to obviously!

Hearing the concern in her voice, Ash knew he had to something. He would have liked to keep hugging, or get hugged, but he knew that wasn't the best idea. "Sure, I'm fine with whatever you want to do," Ash told her as he smiled at her. Waiting for her to let go of him, he took her hand and they started walking in the direction of the park at a leisurely pace. The hug he had received had caught him off guard, at the same it was everything he wanted, or at least part of what he wanted. If they got to spend some time alone after they were done here he might be able to tell her what he wanted to say. He spotted a tree that would spare them from the heat. Leading her to it, they both plopped down underneath the tree, shoulders touching. Maybe he could at least hint at it now and maybe tell her, instead of waiting until later like he had originally planned. No, he couldn't do it just yet. He would wait until later in the day, when he felt ready and the moment was right. "I wish every day could be as nice as today."

Humming in response, Luna shifted slightly so she could rest her head on Ash's shoulder. She couldn't agree more with what Ash said, smiling as she felt her eyelids getting heavier. Falling asleep was not an option. 'That would be nice, wouldn't it?'

Hesitating slightly, Ash started stroking Luna's hair eventually, not noticing something very important. "Hey Luna," Waiting for a response, he continued stroking her hair, a smile growing as he continued. If the rest of the day went like this he was sure he could tell her by the end of it. Not getting a response, Ash looked down and saw that she had fallen asleep while they had been relaxing. At least they didn't need to be anywhere and no one was waiting for them. He had to admit that she looked rather cute like this, even though she nearly always looked cute. "You can keep resting. I'll keep watch over you while you rest, Luna."

Awakening slowly, Luna tried to remember where she was and what she had been doing before she had fallen asleep. She had gone to the festival, which celebrated the creation of the city, with Ash and he had won her a Pikachu plushie. Then they had gone to the park, sitting under the tree, still sitting under it, as she had fallen asleep. What she did know though was that she had fallen asleep on Ash's shoulder and not sitting in his lap with his arms wrapped around her. 'Ash?' Getting his attention, she found him looking down at her with a soft smile on his lips. She knew she had been asleep for a few hours, though she didn't know what time it was, besides that it was most likely afternoon and far past whatever time they would have gotten something to eat. Letting out a small groan, she asked the dreaded question. Sleeping like this was something she rarely did. 'What time is it?'

"It's around four," Ash said, glancing at his watch to confirm his words. Of his many experiences, this was one of the better and one of the worse. Sitting against a tree like that for multiple hours wasn't very pleasant. Having Luna sleep in his lap was more than pleasant in comparison. He had, somehow, managed to move her into his lap, in order to have her avoid the same problem he had, without waking her up. "Did you sleep well, princess?"

Four hours? That was a lot of sleeping she had done. That meant that Ash hadn't gotten anything to eat and had stayed at her side the entire, leaning against the tree. She really needed to find a way to make it up to him. 'Well, yes,' Since Ash had appeared blushing had become somewhat of the norm, much to her own chagrin. She was going to regret doing this, but it was something she felt she should do. With some effort she finally found a way to stay on Ash's lap while having their heads at the same height. Leaning backwards and turning her heard slightly, Luna found the right angle. Gathering her courage, she pushed herself upwards slightly, still being slightly shorter than Ash, and gave him a peck on the cheek. Unable to keep looking at Ash, she quickly scrambled away from him and stood up, trying to look at anything but him. Wanting to do this for quite some time, she hadn't really planned to do it just yet. What was done was done. 'I, er, thank you!'

Keeping his eyes on her, he couldn't deny how cute she was. And that his heart was probably about to burst out of his chest if it kept beating as fast as it did. "Let's get back to the festival," Holding out his hand, he waited for Luna to take it before they together walked back to the main square. The biggest question was what exactly they were. They weren't a couple, but they weren't simply friends in that sense either. He didn't plan on having it continue like this either though. Trying to find a stall that had something to eat, that they wanted, he kept glancing at Luna. When he had first met her he had still been young, so he really hadn't paid her any attention in that way. It was first when she kissed him that he actually noticed, and then it took some more years for him to understand it. By that time he had grown interested in girls, but none caught his attention like Luna had. As he looked across the square, he thought be saw a stall that could potentially be selling what he wanted. Now he just needed to find the right opportunity to get there, without Luna. "I'd like to think that I'm not the only one who's hungry right now, so how about we get something to eat?"

'Okay. I'm sorry for being the reason you missed lunch though,' She was sure he didn't want to hear her apologize, but in the end it was her fault. Hearing his stomach growl didn't really help her, so she simply decided that being quiet until they got something to eat was the best option. Letting Ash lead her to one of the many stalls, she simply took what he handed her to eat. Taking a bite, it turned out to be some sort of chicken. That wasn't to say that it wasn't good or anything. 'What exactly do you plan to do after this, after you leave?'

"I-" About to tell her what he had planned, his phone started vibrating in his pocket. Pulling it out, he looked at whoever was calling him, answering a second later. "Yes?" Having recognized the number as one from the Pokemon League, he had an idea what to expect. Right before breakfast he had called and requested for the chance to battle the Elite Four and the Champion. He obviously hoped for the affirmative, which though lead to another problem. It really wouldn't be worth anything if Luna couldn't come with him, both as his Pokemon and as something more."I'm looking forward to it. Can I bring along people to watch? You're making an exception? Well, I'll gladly take it. Until later then, Lance."

That had definitely caught her interest, though she hadn't really understood what the conversation had been about. 'And?' It was in no way her business, which didn't mean that she didn't want to know what had been said on the other end of the conversation. She had no reason to nose around in what Ash was doing, at all. 'What was that about, Ash?'

"That was a call from the Kanto and Johto Champion. I had requested to be given the chance to battle the Elite Four and the Champion," Ash started, trying to come up with a way to ask what he wanted at the same time. "I had actually called earlier today about it, having waited for an answer since then. And now I got my answer," Sighing, he looked down at ground while he chewed on the chicken he had ripped off, trying to come up with the best possible way to approach the topic. "Luna, what I want to ask you is if you want to come with me when I go back to Kanto and take them on. Both as my Pokemon and as a friend."

'What?' She hadn't expected that. Ash wanted her to go with him to Kanto. This was what she had wanted since she had met Ash, and now she was given the opportunity to do just that. Now she also had the means to go through with it as well, with other Latis there to keep watch over the Soul Dew. 'I would love to go with you!' Hugging him as they stood there, she didn't give him another kiss on the cheek. One was more than enough. But was she really ready to leave Alto Mare? She had never ventured outside the city, beyond the surrounding area, and this was her home. At the same time, going with Ash was her biggest dream, the chance to do just that right in front of her. 'When would we be leaving?'

"Tomorrow morning most likely. I'll have my first battle in two days. Seeing how the trip back would most likely take up around half of the day, I would have rest of the day as preparation before it starts. From there I would have one battle per day, if I win of course," Ash retold the information he had been given. If he won the first match, he would have the second match the following day. If he lost it was over and he wouldn't get another opportunity until the next conference ended. "Also, I'm sure they won't mind if Bianca comes with us as well."

Luna was nearly bouncing at the prospect of going with Ash, and it only got better now that Bianca also could come, if she wanted. But that would mean that this would be her last day in Alto Mare before they had to leave, so she had to spend as much time as possible enjoying herself. Spotting a stall that housed an interested looking game, she started to drag Ash towards it, who simply stopped protesting after a few seconds. She had probably seen a similar game last time, but she really didn't have the physical strength to beat it. Using her psychic abilities wasn't an option either, because if she cheated there would be no fun in winning. The game was rather simple. You had to use the hammer to catapult the ball all the way up to the gong. Obviously there were some indicators which would be identified as lower results and a less desirable price. 'Could we play this one?' Waiting for Ash to say something, she saw that there actually was a line of people also wanting to play the game. Not getting a reaction from him, she poked his side with her hand. 'Please?'

"Only if you give it a try first." Ash said simply, smiling as he watched her expression.

'Huh?' If last time was anything to go by, she was only setting herself up for failure if she tried it. And she would embarrass herself in front of Ash of all people by doing it. He wouldn't play the game unless she also gave it a shot. 'Do I have to?' He didn't budge at all as she looked at him. Well, if he really wanted to she would try her best. 'Alright, but only once.'

"Great, and don't worry if you shouldn't do well. This is just for fun," Waiting for their turn to play, it only took a few minutes until it was their turn. Giving the hammer to Luna first, he took a step to the side as he carefully watched her. She seemed somewhat nervous, though she didn't have a reason to. Keeping his eyes on her, he barely could contain his excitement at the prospect of her coming with him back to Kanto. He had hoped that she would be come with, but he knew that the chances weren't that big. Focusing on Luna again, he nearly laughed as he saw her attempt to strike. For a Pokemon of her size he had expected a bit more strength, he did know that she was very proficient in her psychic powers. The owner of the stall even gave her another chance, not that it really changed anything. Her second attempt could nearly be considered worse. "Here, let me try instead."

Pouting she handed him the hammer as he paid the owner for another go. She hadn't even gotten to close to the worst prize, the owner going as far to even pity her by giving her another try. He didn't even ask her to pay for it. 'Ugh, I wished I was at least somewhat stronger,' Hearing the gong ring, she knew Ash had won. If he had heard what she had said was a completely different question, she hoping that he hadn't. 'What did you win?'

"Something we can share with the others," Ash definitely knew she was listening to what he was saying. Showing her what he had gotten, her eyes widened a little before she smiled. He had been surprised, but it was welcome non the less. Also, it was appropriate considering they would be leaving tomorrow. One last time together in Alto Mare for quite some time. "Should we tell them right away or spend some more time alone?"

'Well, how about we walk back slowly?' Luna replied, giggling softly. They had spent more than enough time at the festival, the majority was her sleeping though, and by walking back slowly they still had some time alone for themselves. While she loved Bianca and had nothing against Ash's friends, spending time with him was preferable. What should have been a slow walk turned out to be ten minute walk as they approached the house. Walking up the stairs, she let Ash knocked on the door. 'Should we tell them immediately?'

"There you are!" Bianca, unaware, didn't even give Ash a chance to respond to Luna's question. Hands on her hips, she tried her best to look annoyed with them. She was sure she didn't really succeed seeing how they were still smiling and didn't look worried at all. Not being the only one that was at least a little worried, they had started guessing when those two would come back. "We wondered what you were doing this entire time. The thought looking for you had also been there. We expected you to be back a few hours ago."

'That might have been my fault,' Luna admitted sheepily, hugging her Pikachu plushie a little tighter, having carried it around the entire time. If she hadn't fallen asleep, they would have probably been back around the time the others had expected them. Maybe their little surprise would cheer them up. 'I feel asleep under a tree while we were in the park.'

"You did what?" Bianca hadn't expected to hear that from Latias of all people. It was rare that she relaxed at all like that, and for her to fall asleep? That required her to be very relaxed from the start. Maybe it just was her imagination, but it felt like Latias was practically glowing as she stood next to Ash. "Whatever. So long you enjoyed yourself it's fine."

"We actually got something for all of us while we were there," Ash added, showing Bianca what they had gotten. Letting her take it, he watched her look at it before he turned to Luna and smiled. Less than a week ago he hadn't even thought that he would be here, but now he was here. "So, what do you say? It's a free dinner for the six of us, and I think it would be nice to go there. If I haven't heard wrong, that should be one of the better restaurants."

'I hope I wasn't wrong,' Luna chimed in, trying to get some sort of confirmation from Bianca that she had been right. Whatever was going through Bianca's head she didn't know, neither if it was good or bad. The smile didn't help her either in trying to figure out what Bianca was thinking. She wanted to believe that the smile meant something good. 'Was I right?'

"Yes, you were Latias," Bianca said, handing the voucher back to Ash, who put it in his jacket. She turned around, finally letting them inside the house where the others were sitting at table together with her grandfather, Brock and May talking while Reshiram entertained Pikachu and Glaceon. "I'm sure the others will be happy to hear about this, you two."

'B-Bianca, is this really necessary?' Luna couldn't believe it. After having told the others about the voucher they decided to stay a little longer before they would prepare themselves. Sure, it wasn't a big event, Bianca had still said that something needed to change. Which was why she was trying different clothes in her friend's room. 'I can't wear this! What would the others think?!'

"Hey, if you can wear that short skirt you wore today I see no reason for you to complain. And attracting Ash's eyes isn't a bad thing, is it?" The pout on Latias' face told her everything. A slight push and she would be wearing it. And she was sure that neither she nor Ash had noticed, but as they stood in the door they had been holding hands, her friend cradling a plushie. "So, what did you do today at the festival? I saw that Pikachu plushie you were holding earlier. If Ash won you that, it's really cute. Also, did anything happen between you while were there? You seem a lot happier than you were this morning."

'Well, uh, maybe,' Knowing there was point in discussing it with Bianca, Luna took the shirt that showed off her midriff, still being a similar color to what she usually wore. Ash would eventually tell them about what he had in mind, though she was sure that Brock, and Pikachu, already knew. Talking about her feelings for Ash weren't really a new thing, which for the most part consisted of Bianca teasing her. Now that it wasn't just a dream anymore, it was a little different. 'I just feel like everything fell in place perfectly today at the festival.'

"Uh-huh, I'm glad to hear that," Looking through her clothes, Bianca tried to find something fitting to the shirt she had just given Latias. Finding a dress that only covered the legs, she handed it to Latias while trying to find something else that matched with the rest. Finding a nice jeans jacket, she nearly threw it at her friend. Thankfully her clothes had already been picked out, allowing her to focus most of her time on Latias' clothing for the evening. It had taken some convincing to get her to sit down and let her clothes be picked out for her. In the end it would be totally worth it though. "I'm sure the others are also making themselves presentable for this. And wouldn't standing out among them be a nice thing?"

Not saying anything for some time, Luna simply sat there and followed Bianca with her eyes.

'Have you ever thought about leaving Alto Mare, if only temporarily?' She could have simply waited until Ash brought it up, but she wanted to know if Bianca would even entertain the idea of coming with them, with her, to Kanto. If she would have to choose between going withAsh and leaving Bianca behind or not going with Ash and staying with Bianca, which of those would she choose? 'I'm sure I'm not the only one of us who has thought about it.'

"I suppose I would like to visit somewhere else for some time. I love Alto Mare, but something different wouldn't be so bad," Bianca answered truthfully, the idea having been more prominent when she was younger. She had always liked to maybe explore the different regions, though Johto, or at least the mainland of it, and Kanto having topped the list. Maybe she should take some initiative for once and go to one of the regions. Refocusing on the task at hand, she had to admit that Latias looked stunning. Makeup wasn't even needed to have all of Ash's attention on her. She wasn't looking too shabby herself, but that was only so she wouldn't stand out in a negative way. "I think we're done here. Let's go and meet the others."

Hurrying up to not trail to far behind Bianca, Luna quickly checked that her clothes didn't look too bad. She could have simply imagined them, but there would have been no fun in that Bianca said. Walking down the stairs, they entered the kitchen where Lorenzo and May were sitting. May was wearing a simple pink dress, nothing too fancy, that fit perfectly on her.

'You look wonderful, May!' She couldn't stop herself from pointing that out, earning a smile in response at her comment. While everyone else was sitting, Reshiram eventually joined them in very similar clothes to what she had worn before, but instead looked more like a dress. Not being able to see herself really stopped her from comparing herself to them. She shouldn't really worry, seeing how Ash's opinion mattered the most. 'You too, Reshiram.'

"Are you guys ready to go?" Ash asked as he walked down the stairs, Brock following him. May had said she would be waiting in the kitchen, which meant that the others also should be there. "Are you guys ready to go? I'm quite hung-" He didn't finish the sentence as he entered the kitchen and saw Luna sitting there, together with Bianca and Reshiram. If she wasn't beautiful he didn't know what other word could possibly describe her. Trying to piece a sentence together, it took him a few tries and a lot of effort to get it right. "Let's go."

With that they all headed for the door, the restaurant only a few minutes away. And, the weather was still nice so it was more enjoyable than it was a chore. Staying a little behind, Brock decided to strike up a conversation with May, about a certain topic. "What do you think about them?" Seeing the confusion on her face, he tilted his head slightly in their direction so she would understand. They had gotten a lot closer since they had gotten here, which was a good thing, but he knew that they still weren't together if the talk between him and Ash yesterday was anything to go by. "I'm sure Ash will eventually confess to her, I hope."

"Latias and Ash?" May asked, glancing at the pair ahead of them, happily talking to each other as they continued their walk to the restaurant. She had once herself tried to get Ash's attention, to no avail though. And she knew that others had tried as well. Was the only reason they hadn't succeeded because he was already interested in Latias? Also, relationships between humans and Pokemon were uncommon and not everyone was supportive of them. Thankfully the law forbidding them had been removed in all regions, and there was nothing stopping someone from having one nowadays. "I suppose they would be a cute couple, if Ash would confess. And I always thought he was extremely dense," About to continue the conversation, Bianca announced they had arrived at the restaurant. Entering the restaurant, the voucher allowed them entrance and would grant them a free dinner to their liking. A waiter lead them to a round table for six, handing each of them a menu before he took his leave. Looking through it, May decided against returning to the earlier conversation she had with Brock. "Have you guys already decided on what you want?"

Everyone nodded, so Ash called the waiter. Writing down each of their orders, he waited until the waiter had left. Now was probably the best time to say what he wanted. Getting the attention of his friends, he tried to gather what he would say. "I'm going back to Kanto," Maybe he should have worded that differently, seeing how everyone except Luna was staring at him. "I got a call earlier today that confirmed that I have been given the opportunity to take on the Kanto and Johto Elite Four. The first battle will be in a few days, and I planned on returning tomorrow," Letting the words sink in, he smiled he caught Luna's eyes. Staying quiet for a few more seconds he eventually spoke up. "Latias will accompany me back, and I'm sure you will as well Brock. I know you're also coming Reshi, but what about you two?"

Did he expect them to say no? Looking at Bianca, May nodded as she looked at Ash. "Of course I'm coming with you. I won't leave you at your biggest challenge yet."

"And I won't simply let Latias wander off on her own to a new region. Plus, I've always wanted to visit Kanto," Bianca added, unable to miss how happy Ash seemed to be at the prospect of all of them coming with him. "Maybe I can find some interesting things to draw."

Ash didn't really know what to say. May had her own career to think off, and she still wanted to come with him to Kanto. Bianca had no reason at all to come with him, but she still did.

"Thank you guys. I will make sure that I won't disappoint you," With that he lifted his drink, the waiter having brought them while he had spoken. "I'll make sure of it."

Leaning against the big tree in the garden, Ash thought back to the dinner. After his announcement, the dinner had been great. Obviously most the discussion revolved around Kanto, what there was to see there, about his upcoming battles, how they would get there, when they would leave and so on. "Did you enjoy yourself today?" He asked, Luna once again resting on him, this time only leaning against his shoulder. He personally had enjoyed himself a lot today, spending time with Luna. Not getting an answer, he started humming slowly, a melody his mother had taught tim. "Are you still with me?"

'Hmm, did you say something?" Luna asked, stretching her wings a little as she looked up at Ash. Now that they were in the garden, she had no reason to stay in her human form, especially after Ash had said he preferred her this way. About to ask him again, she saw something in the corner of her view. "Zelgius," She hissed as the golden Latios approached them. Not using telepathy, she knew Ash wouldn't understand what was being said, though he probably would understand the gist of it seeing how he had been there last time. Sadly, Reshiram wasn't here to scare away him a second time. "What do you want?"

"You seem to be in a worse mood than usual when I'm around. Is it because of him?" Zelgius didn't even bother to not act annoyed with the human that was next to his queen. He was spending more time with than any of them, besides maybe Leo and Lily. What did that human have that he didn't? "What makes him so special? Do you prefer him over us?"

Narrowing her eyes, Luna thought about hurting the golden Latios in some way. Ash would most likely disagree with her, and probably even go as far as stop her if she attempted anything. "I would be careful with what you say, Zelgius," She saw how his eyes widened at her tone. She rarely used it, but it had thankfully always worked on him so far. Oh, how she would enjoy this. "He's the savior of Alto Mare after all, so I would show some respect."

By the looks of it he had taken it too far this time. "Forgive me, I didn't know," Another thought appeared as he watched both of so close to each other. "Is he possibly your mate?"

She couldn't stop herself from blushing at his question. "Not yet, but hopefully sooner than later," With that she ended the conversation, waiting until he started to leave. He was nearly outside of her sight as she remembered something. "I won't be here for an unknown time, so I leave everything in your care. I take you can handle it?" Another nod and Zelgius was gone. Relaxing, she turned around and looked at Ash, who in turn was looking at her. She had always known it, but as she was staring at him the fact that he was handsome became more and more apparent. It had been many years since she first met him. He had been a kid back then, where as now he was a grown man. 'Are you excited for tomorrow?'

"Well, yeah. I always like returning home after I haven't been there," Ash said truthfully. He loved travelling above all, though nothing was as good as returning home. Even better was that Bianca had managed to get them tickets for a flight back to Kanto. He didn't even know that Alto Mare had an airport. Sure, there was enough land for it, but he'd never think they would need one. It saved them a lot of time. Instead of nearly needing the entire day to get back it would only take them around three hours. Now he had his chance. Maybe not a straight out confession, it was still a start. "Is it okay if I admit that I like you, a lot?"

Luna really hoped that she hadn't imagined that, because if she did she would most likely start to cry. 'Do you mean that?' That soft, and completely genuine smile on his lips told her everything. Even if it wasn't 'I love you', she was overjoyed to hear those words from him. This is what she wanted for a very long time. 'I suppose I like you too then, a lot,' What struck her the most was how he insecure he looked as she had spoken. Starting to float, she pulled him with her. Tilting her head upwards, she moved her head in slowly as she gave him a quick peck on the lips. 'How about we take it slow, and when you're ready you can say it? I got no problems with it, so long you're comfortable enough. This is about us, after all.'

"I would like that," Ash replied, blushing heavily after the peck he was given by Luna. Before she could react, he gave her a peck on the lips as well. He had been confident as he admitted that he liked her, after that all of his confidence had drained away. Now that they were 'together', how does one proceed from there? "Can I stay with you tonight?"

'Of course you can,' Luna answered, surprised by the question. Slowly lowering herself, she beckoned Ash to join as she put one of the wings around him. She wondered if she should tell the others when they met again. Bianca would probably figure it out herself anyway. What was she most looking forward to was going with Ash to Kanto, and cheering him on as he tried to achieve his dream. Snuggling her head against his chest. Luna couldn't help but smile. Ash had pretty much confessed to her. 'What exactly are we now?'

"I suppose we are couple," Ash didn't really know if that was what she wanted to know. They were a couple, even if he wanted to take it a bit slower. If Luna really wanted to take it faster, he would gladly comply, though so long she said nothing he would prefer a slower pace. Closing his eyes, he enjoyed the closeness to Luna as much as possible, smiling as she nuzzled his cheek. "I'm glad you're coming with me tomorrow, especially now."

'Good, let's sleep now,' Resting her cheek against his, she gave him a last nudge, resting her head against his chest as they were lying there, together. With only one day left before Ash would possibly face the toughest battles of his life, she would make sure to support him in every way she could. 'Do you think this could become something we do regularly?'

"We'll see. We can talk about this tomorrow," With that, and another kiss to her forehead, he laid his head and tried to find sleep. He would have to call Liza tomorrow in advance so she could send Charizard over. Everyone was already at the ranch, so there was no reason to worry. Sadly he hadn't managed to get done what he wanted during the time they spent the festival. Finding a bracelet for the Mega stone had high priority, and thankfully he could most likely find one at home. After that it didn't take until sleep came to him.

It wasn't a confession like I had originally planned, but close enough. Don't worry though, that will come as well. I've also finally finished planning out the remainder of the part 1. Yes, part 1. I'd like to think there will be another 7 chapters before part 1 ends and we get to part 2. XYZ really gives me some great ideas for part 2, having already hinted at it very lightly in the last chapter. As usual, reviews are appreciated. Until next time!

Note: I'll refer to Latias as Luna unless the focus is someone that isn't Ash or her.