Misty checked the map, then looked at the island they were approaching.
Then checked the map again.
"Thanks!" she told the woman in charge of their boat. "I think, for once, we've ended up in the place we were aiming for today."
"That's my job," Maren smiled. "Welcome to Shamouti Island – right in the middle of the Orange Islands."
Misty looked at her map.
"Are you sure?" she asked. "It seems a bit off centre."
"Well, people say Saffron's in the middle of Kanto," Tracey supplied.
Maren chuckled. "It's a nice place, especially this time of year."
Within three minutes of arriving, the friends found out that there was a festival going on on Shamouti, and that it was due to start that very day.
And that, as the first Pokémon trainer to reply when one of the people involved asked whether any of the outsiders were Pokémon trainers, Ash had ended up with the symbolic role of the Chosen One.
"...is that really how it works?" Misty asked, looking at Maren. "Ash shows up, and because of random chance he's the Chosen One?"
"It's just the festival," Maren replied, but Misty was looking pensive.
"Actually, it would explain a few things," she said. "You would not believe what crazy things have happened so far. So if Ash was the Chosen One as well then it might actually help me understand what's happened."
On board the flying fortress of the Hikokyu, Lawrence III contemplated a crackling force-shield, and the Moltres inside it.
"One Treasure down, and two to go," he said. "And it was so easy… I can only imagine that that is the forces of destiny itself working for me. Zapdos will come next, and Articuno soon after, and that will flush out the king… and that is when things will get really interesting. The Beast of the Sea, mine to tame by the might of the Three Treasures."
He frowned slightly. "Admittedly, I do not know who the Guardian is, or why the world would need healing. But I am sure such things will reveal themselves in time… and the time is soon at hand."
Being the Chosen One, it turned out, meant a good spot in the festival.
"So the idea is that you'll need to head out and retrieve three treasures from the islands," Maren was explaining, as they ate dinner. "Fire Island, Ice Island and Lightning Island. The Legendary Birds usually show up there, just to see who the year's Chosen One is, but it's nothing major."
She winked. "If you need a lift, I can help out."
"Well… I think I'll probably have Suicune take me," Ash replied. "I'm pretty sure it's Suicune today… she's a lot quicker than your boat, though she can only really take one person."
"And more than one Pokémon, I hope," Pikachu said, then sniggered. "Actually, I was wondering if the local Legendary Birds would object, but Zapdos and I can probably handle most of the possible problems there."
"We're not here for a fight, Pikachu," Ash chided. "Though I guess it'd be a pretty cool battle if they wanted one."
Then one of the girls from the beach came up, dressed in robes, and everyone went silent as she recited the ritual invitation to go and fetch the three relics.
"I'll fly ahead and see what's going on, Ash," Zapdos volunteered. "Don't worry, I'm not going to provoke a fight, but I want to see if a fight is possible."
Pikachu shot a bzzap of electricity at her, reminding her that if she did get in a fight to draw Moltres back over to where they were and they'd take the Fire-type on together, and she snorted before spreading her wings and taking flight.
Ash was still getting ready, sorting out his Pokémon in case there did have to be a fight – Charizard, Dragonair and Shaymintwo were all available today – and Zapdos circled him once before setting out towards Fire Island.
It was a nice flight, far enough she could build up some speed without being too far, and the clouds overhead were high enough she wasn't flying in fog but low enough that she could climb up to reach them without much effort. Zapdos rolled slightly as she did so, the feathers of one wing stroking through the cloud bank, then circled Fire Island and dipped down into a big arena.
The shrine was immediately obvious, and Zapdos landed before inspecting it. There was a funny red orb, and she tapped it with her beak, then shrugged and decided that really collecting it was Ash's business.
Since there was no sign of Moltres, she took off again and soared skywards. It was kind of a faff to get out of the arena, because the currents weren't very good, but she was a Legendary Pokémon and so it was more of a grumble than anything – and she rose back up into the sky, catching a glimpse of Ash already en route as Suicune ran across the water.
Zapdos rose past the cloud layer, and then met a burst of Ice-type energy coming the other way.
Then some very annoying zappy rings.
Really, it was a very unpleasant end to what had been a nice day until then.
"Do you and Ho-Oh know much about this prophecy?" Ash asked, climbing the steps as Suicune paced alongside. "Let's see… it says there's harmony between Fire, Ice and Lightning, I guess that's Fire Island, Ice Island and Lightning Island, and it mentions titans?"
"I know the titans are the local Legendary Birds," Suicune supplied. "Not directly, but referring to the Legendary Birds as Titans is a common term in some types of prophecy… it's them or the Golems, but there aren't any local Golems."
"And it's not you because you're a Water-type, not an Ice-type," Pikachu said, to show he was following along. "And if they get in an argument it's bad."
"Correct," Suicune agreed.
"I guess the question then is who the water's great guardian is," Ash said, thinking. "And… well, the most important thing is going to be to get them all working together…"
He stopped, taking his backpack off to check inside. "I guess I've probably got enough dango, but I'll have to say sorry to Zapdos for giving her dango to some other Legendaries… still, I can send her back to Pallet afterwards so she can have some of Mom's. She'd probably be okay with that."
"Speaking of which, where is she?" Pikachu said, electing not to comment on the Dango plan. "I don't see her."
"She was over the island when we set off," Suicune answered. "I saw her moving towards Ice Island, so she might be there next."
"Right," Ash agreed, finishing the climb – there were only a few more steps anyway – and hurrying down to the shrine.
He picked up the reddish orb from the Fire Island shrine, and gasped as it lit up inside. "Huh, that's cool! I wonder how they made it do that?"
"I kind of want to pick up the next one!" Pikachu volunteered. "Maybe it's so you don't mix them up?"
As Suicune carried Ash and Pikachu across the sea, Lawrence III walked down the stairs to the main hall of the Hikokyu.
"At last, the treasures are united," he declared. "And, in just a moment, I will be able to tame the Beast of the Sea."
"Za-Za-p-doooo-apdos!" Zapdos cawed, wings flaring out and stabbing into the shield around her as she shouted dire threats about what her trainer would do to him, and Lawrence III looked at her before shaking his head.
"It doesn't matter that you're angry," he said. "I'm just fulfilling the prophecy."
His gaze swept his prizes. "Now that I have Zapdos, and Zapdos, and… Zap...dos?"
Lawrence III did a double-take, then stepped back to look at the three cages.
Zapdos. Zapdos. Zapdos.
How had that happened?
Then one of the Zapdos – not the one who'd been shouting at him before, the one which was where he was sure he'd put the Articuno – winked at him, before sweeping its wing out to the side.
An incredible blaze of blue light blasted out from Zapdos' wing, hitting the shield holding it in place and making it visibly bulge outwards, then with a deafening bang the shield gave way and both capture rings dissolved into flakes of rust. Not content with that, the Zapdos threw something that made light itself bend around a thin black point, which sucked both other sets of capture rings into it and compacted them to the size of a marble, then said something in a high-pitched voice.
All three Zapdos exited through the window, with the shouty one through looking back at Lawrence III for just long enough to make sure he was watching before deliberately punching a fresh hole in the window.
Lawrence III stared.
"...what?" he asked, plaintively.
Then one of the Zapdos flew back in, and inspected his ancient Mew card.
"Wow," it said, in a clearly comprehensible squeaky voice. "Not my best side!"
It picked up the card and flew out again.
"...what?" Lawrence III repeated, since now he had further questions.
A waterspout erupted from the sea, air and water whirling around and around, and faint and echoing song drifted through the air.
Faintly, a silhouette travelled up the waterspout, and then Lugia turned and swept his wings out. A flare of psychic energy dispelled the Twister.
Chosen One, he announced. There is a great… danger…?
He stopped for a long moment, hanging in the air, and stared at the sight.
Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres were all on the grassy slopes below Shamouti shrine.
And they were not fighting.
At least, they weren't fighting in any serious way. There was some bickering going on about dango sticks, but the Chosen One was rummaging in his backpack for more dango and each of the Three Titans of Shamouti had at least two empty dango skewers around their feet.
Another Zapdos was sidling up behind the Chosen One, her beak flicking out as she tried to pilfer a piece of dango off the latest skewer, and the Chosen One warded her off with a laugh before giving it to Moltres.
Chosen One, the treasures need to be united, Lugia tried, but then there was a whoosh of smoke as a Zorua tried turning into a Lugia.
It didn't do a very good job.
"Hold on, hold on, stay there so I can get a good look," the Zorua requested, transforming back. "How about this?"
Stop it, Lugia requested, but he knew that the Dark-type probably couldn't even hear him. And please stop it as well, Mew.
But I'm bored, Mew protested, poking him in the side of the head. Sorting out pretending to be Articuno when I'd already been caught as Moltres was tricky, but I just went to Pallet and got Zorua to take over being Moltres and then I broke us out and now I'm bored again.
Poke.
Lugia took a deep breath, and sighed it out.
Chosen One, he rallied. I am gratified to see that you have understood the true message of the prophecy. But the Treasures must still be unified, and the Beast of the Sea tamed, and-
"Ash Ash Ash it's you!" a high-pitched voice announced, and a white-winged blur sped past Lugia to barrel into Ash. "I thought it was you! It's been ages since I've seen you, how are you doing?"
Oh, sod this, Lugia decided, as his son finally destroyed the last shreds of his dignity. Is there any of that dango left?
Now, remember, Lugia said, the next morning. Be careful, and don't over exert yourself.
He gave his son a stern look. Listen to Ash when it's about battles. And don't listen to Ash when it's about what counts as normal… or which way something is.
Silver nodded absently, most of his attention on a shiny new Dive Ball.
This is so great! The young Lugia enthused. Having a trainer is going to be a blast, and – oh, that reminds me, Aeroblast is so cool, Ash, I'm going to have to demonstrate!
"You bet!" Ash agreed. "And I can think of some great moves you can learn, too – Steel Wing is a good one, but you need something for dealing with Dark types too…"
"Smug announcement," Porygon said. "I have just picked up the bargain of the century."
"What bargain?" Meowth asked. "With what money, come ta that?"
"Bargain?" James said. "What's he talking about, Meowth?
"Non-committal answer: wouldn't you like to know," Porygon responded. "Ambiguous addition: I picked up an ancient Mew card at auction for a very reasonable price. Meaningful pause."
The pause in question went on for several seconds.
"An' what, dat's it?" Meowth said.
"Eventual clarification," Porygon said. "An entire airship was thrown in on top."
It processed for a few seconds.
"Hasty addition. I do not intend to get it anywhere near any situation that might make it blast off."
Meowth translated.
"...honestly, that's fair," Jessie admitted.
AN:
If you wanted an epic take on the second movie, you should probably read my other fic for it instead.