~Rekindling Bonds~

~Face to Face~

Beni slowly floated out of the water, her head dripping excess water from the sides. The familiar visuals of the garden filled her eyes. Narrowing her gaze, she scanned the area and found it clear. A small sigh escaped her as she floated out of the fountain pool. Scanning the area seemed so ridiculous to the younger Eon, but she wanted to avoid bothering her Mama, especially considering she had failed to find Ash.

Not that she had tried very hard. A pang of hurt rushed through her mind at how pained her Mama looked. A shiver ran through her body, and she pushed the thought away. ' Perish the thought ,' she told herself, shaking her head and trying to focus on the possibility that Latios had found Ash instead.

'He always saves me when it counts, and this time will surely be the same.' She lightly chewed on her tongue, careful to avoid cutting the skin with her teeth. Besides, it was a good distraction.

Beni found that always being distracted was a good policy, as she loved finding new muses to explore all the time. She was always very careful in how she handled things like that. Knowing a city inside and out, Beni would gravitate toward anything that seemed new, but cautiously, of course. Today was the first time she'd directly interacted with a human beyond Ash Ketchum saving her a few months back.

Calling it "directly" would be an overstatement, and as her thoughts spun at the notion, her cheeks puffed out in annoyance. 'He didn't even look at me! I'm noticeable no matter what form I take! I look just like the Fire Princess!' Beni growled at the air, blushing in embarrassment when she realized she was alone. A small cough escaped her, and if she had legs, they would be shuffling.

'And she was way more dignified…'

Beni deflated at that thought and floated shakily past a few bug-type Pokémon that stared at her with big eyes. A Spinarak tilted its head before scuttling off into the underbrush. Sullen and sunken, she moped forward until a louder splash echoed out from behind her.

Turning, Beni wished she could silence the newcomer, only to find it was Latios—not with Ash Ketchum. In fact, she wasn't quite sure what was with him. The Eon knew exactly one thing: it was cute. Her saddened face morphed into a curious look.

'Oooooohh! Who is that, brother?!' Her eyes widened as he shot toward her like a flying tank.

Latios looked quite shocked to see her there. 'Shhhh! Keep it down! I don't need Mama looking this way!' He wanted to ensure his unknown companion stayed out of the limelight for now.

He also didn't want to disturb the mystery Pokémon's sleep. She would certainly be out for a while.

'Brother, you know we're speaking telepathically anyway, right?' Beni asked, noticing his pupils shrink slightly.

It took him a moment to reevaluate his thoughts. 'R- Right…' Shaking his head, he continued, 'S- Still, doesn't mean Mama can't hear telepathy!'

Beni bounced the idea back and forth before shrugging. 'Okay, you might have a point. It is almost night, though; she might be asleep.'

'When did you become so sensible?'

Beni grinned at him deviously looking over his wing. 'About the same time you started bringing girls home. Is she your girlfriend?' Latios began to actively sweat as Beni drew closer. 'But why would you bring home someone who wasn't awake?' Her eyes narrowed as the question lingered.

'I can assure you that this isn't what it looks like! She was beat up, and I'm helping her!' His wings beat rapidly, trying to convince his sister as she held his gaze seriously.

Then that serious facade broke once Beni let out a snort before giggling like a maniac, falling to the floor and rolling around as Latios grew pink in the face. 'Hee hee! That look on your face is priceless!' Her arms wiggled as she giggled.

Her brother frowned as he watched this display before grunting. 'Just try to keep it down.'

Latios floated past her, making sure to take care of the Pokémon in his telekinetic grasp. Tears fresh in her eyes from the laughter, Beni looked up to see her brother and then flipped over to follow him.

'Hey! Wait! I didn't mean it!'

She followed him, eager to help with whatever he might need.

~Deeper in the Garden~

Latias grumbled in her sleep. The lazy day had led her to sleep the rest of it away, but her restless twisting and turning showed she wasn't sleeping peacefully. Normally, she'd rest in a tree, but today she didn't have the energy to even bother flying that high.

In her dreams, the face of Ash Ketchum constantly appeared. Different scenes played out where he apologized for his lackadaisical approach and offered her a place on his team. There were even dreams of him confessing heartfelt things that made her want to forget the past ten years. Yet, they always ended with her seeing red.

Latias' earlier fit of rage had left her in a sorry state. Her claws ached from digging into the earth and had become raw, while her stomach itched from the grass below. These sensations combined to make getting a full night's sleep nearly impossible. Another movement later, and her claws scraped the ground. Her eyes shot open as the pain flared up.

She couldn't help the screech of pain that escaped her, followed by a wave of aching loneliness as Latias realized it was just another dream. The smack of her claws had drawn a bit of blood, which dripped onto the ground and seeped in. A disdainful look crossed her face as she retracted her claw back to her body.

'I know that I got over this before,' she thought.

But now that she could see him again, this wasn't the case anymore. If he had come back at any other time, surely she'd be happier—or at least, that's what she told herself. What Latias went through with Ash had been life-changing. A terrible experience uplifted only by his never-ending courage in the face of horrible odds. At that time, she'd lost her brother, but Ash had comforted her.

Sure, Lorenzo and Bianca did the same when he left her behind, but what more could she have expected? He was a traveler and admitted as much. The eon's heartbeat had never thumped so hard with the feeling of love, and never had she felt so tread upon when it came to an end so abruptly. A legend's last gift was a kiss that she hoped Ash would remember.

She had thought the same thing earlier, but now it played on loop. Over and over, she'd twist and turn. Latias clutched at her sides, wanting this pain to leave and yet it lingered. The Eon throbbed intensely and groaned, slumping to the side.

'And I can't stop thinking about it! Gah! Why did he come back?!'

~Outside~

Just outside Lorenzo's shop, Ash and Bianca were slow to make their way inside. Ash kept an iron grip on the cake box in his hands. At first, he'd been confident, but now that the moment was arriving faster than expected, his nerves were getting the better of him. Once inside, they made their way toward the back of the shop.

The only thing separating them from the garden was a single door.

Bianca stepped to the side and gripped the handle, feeling Ash fall in behind her. "You've got everything figured out, right?" She hoped the plan was still clear in his mind.

He nodded, though a bit shakily. "Y-You never get anywhere without going in headfirst."

"Right… I'll do my best to assist you," Bianca said, her voice tinged with a hint of concern. "But for the most part, you're on your own here. I'm just here to make sure she doesn't accidentally kill you."

Ash's eyes widened. "She wouldn't, right?!" he whispered, covering his mouth just as Bianca opened the door.

With a small smile, Bianca stepped into the garden, her shoes tapping lightly against the stone floor. "Only one way to find out," she replied, half-joking, though the seriousness lingered beneath her tone.

Ash cautiously tiptoed behind her. The garden hadn't changed much since the last time he'd been there—there was a bit more moss here and there, but the cobblestone path felt familiar underfoot. Still, something felt... different, as though a quiet energy hummed beneath the peaceful surface.

As they moved deeper into the garden, Ash's eyes caught the fountain at the center. It was still as beautiful as ever, the water shimmering in the soft sunlight filtering through the psychic haze above. And there, nestled gently in its place, the Soul Dew still glowed with an ethereal light.

They sidled past it, Ash feeling the weight of the cake box in his hands grow heavier with every step. He couldn't shake the feeling of anticipation building in the air, knowing that somewhere in the garden, Latias was waiting.

Bianca glanced back at him, giving him a reassuring nod. "Ready?"

Ash took a deep breath. "Yeah… let's do this."

For once, Ash really wished Pikachu was by his side, offering the comfort of his loyal companion. But Lorenzo had handed Pikachu a bottle of ketchup, and naturally, Pikachu couldn't resist the distraction. Ketchup always trumped everything else in his world. Ash chuckled to himself, thankful that his little buddy was being looked after. It wasn't uncommon for Pikachu to vanish when they visited new places, usually for about nineteen or twenty minutes. But in those moments, it always felt much longer, as if the absence of his energetic partner left a void.

Still, as much as he missed Pikachu's presence, Ash knew this was something he had to face on his own. He glanced around the garden and then back at Bianca, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "Bianca, shouldn't she have noticed us by now?"

Bianca shook her head, a trace of concern creeping into her expression. "Latias has been less receptive lately. I doubt she'd have sensed us coming."

Just as the words left her mouth, the wind picked up slightly, and a force rushed toward them, swift and unseen. Ash instinctively stepped back, tightening his grip on the cake box. The air seemed to shift, and the force stopped sharply in front of them.

Suddenly, the figure revealed itself, shimmering into view. It wasn't Latias, but another presence, similar in form. Ash blinked in surprise, trying to make sense of the situation. "Latias? Wait... No, you're not her."

The figure hovered closer, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. 'You're right, I'm Beni!' she introduced herself with a swing of her left arm, her excitement palpable. 'You're definitely the guy from earlier! Ooooh! What's in your hand?!'

With surprising speed, she swooped in, her gaze locked onto the cake box Ash was holding. She hovered inches from him, her eagerness making Ash step back instinctively.

"H-Hey! This isn't for you," Ash stammered, shifting the box out of her reach. He held it tightly, trying to keep the nosy dragon from poking around.

Beni's eyes widened with playful mischief, her wings flapping in quick bursts as she attempted to peek around him. 'Come on, let me see! It looks tasty!'

"Nope! This is for someone else," Ash insisted, his voice firm but laced with nervous energy.

Bianca giggled softly, stepping forward. "Beni, give him a break. That's for Latias."

Beni pouted, hovering just a little farther away but still clearly interested. 'Latias, huh? Lucky her.' She sighed melodramatically before floating higher. 'Fine, I'll leave you alone... for now. She's further in, near the swing. Just look for the torn up ground. Hard to miss.' She sighed once more before shooting back up into the trees above.

Ash frowned, making sure that no harm had come to the cake. "Guardians in training?" He asked, closing the box.

Bianca smiled. "Yeah, something like that… They came along after Latios… Well, you know…" She didn't really wanna go back over that memory.

Ash nodded. "Yeah, I remember…" What a sore spot to bring up. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to–" Bianca cut him off, though.

"It's fine." There was nothing more to add to that, so they continued further into the garden in silence.

It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, just a little heavier atmosphere thanks to the unspoken memories. Ash wanted to find the right words to say or something, but nothing sounded right. Taking a look back at the cake and hearing Lorenzo's words echo in his mind, the young man focused on why he was here in the first place.

Ten years. Ten years since he'd last set foot in the garden, since he'd last seen or interacted with Latias. And as much as he regretted admitting it, nearly ten years since he'd really thought about her much. Biting the inside of his lip, he sighed quietly to himself before shaking his head and continuing on his way, nudging past Bianca gently.

'How was I supposed to know that all of this would happen?' He wasn't even sure how to fully approach her besides the pep talk from earlier on.

Even as he walked on, Ash found his feet moving on their own, traveling a path he only vaguely remembered. It was the one he'd traveled just a few times before, a younger version of himself chasing after the guardian that stole his hat. Before long, he found himself at the tree with the aforementioned swing hanging from it. Off to the side, as 'Beni' had said, was a patch of ground that had clearly been attacked. Claw marks and dried blood marred the grassy terrain.

Latias lay several feet away, clearly lost in her own mind. Even as Ash got closer, almost close enough to touch, she showed no sign of acknowledging his presence. He pursed his lips and swallowed hard. Handing the box off to Bianca, Ash knelt down beside the distressed guardian, reaching a hand out to touch her.

Right before he could make contact, though, psychic energy surrounded him. Without even turning to see them, Latias seized control of his body entirely, before speaking into the two humans' minds.

'And just who do you think you are, gallivanting through this garden as though you own it?!'

Bianca's eyes widened, setting the box down quickly before reaching out to lay a soothing hand on her friend's bristled feathers. "Tia, it's okay. It's Ash. You remember him."

'And is that supposed to make me feel more at ease? Do you forget what happened the last time he was here?!'

Ash couldn't help but wince at that comment. He supposed it was somewhat deserved, given the situation. That didn't stop him from speaking up, though. "We all did the best we could to–"

'But that's just it, isn't it?! Sometimes, 'everyone's best' just ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH, is it?!' Latias spun on the two of them, at which point the humans saw the truly sad state the guardian was in.

Her eyes were bloodshot with dark spots around the edge of her eyelid. Her claws were chipped and bloodied, smearing dried blood all along her flanks. Latias' feathers had bristled out, matting along the edges of her claws. While Bianca had known her friend had been suffering, she somehow hadn't realized that the guardian she called her dearest friend had clearly not been eating as she should. Patches of her feathers were faded and her skin sagged loosely over her frame.

He clearly hadn't prepared for any of this. Even though he wished to be able to turn away, the psychic grip she had on him forced him to look. His heart clenched painfully in his chest as he looked her over. Ash felt incredibly stupid to have brought something as silly as a cake as a means to soften the blow of an apology.

"Latias, I… " The words died in his throat before he closed his mouth pathetically. He was at a loss for the first time in a long time. This wasn't a battle where he could turn it all around with a clever maneuver nor was it something solved with a simple apology.

"I… I don't know what to say." The words rang hollow, just enough to be heard, but whispered all the same.

If Latias' fur could bristle anymore, they would've left her naked. Her claws trembled, but the pain was forgotten. 'Y- You! GET OUT! Leave my garden and never return!' It was the second time she'd snapped at someone that day alone, but this one felt more real. Like this internal rage had been tackling its cage until it finally broke through.

So, imagine her surprise when he didn't make any move. Her breath was labored, the tears that spilled down her cheeks as both trainer and painter looked on with worry. Finally, Ash's mind made itself up.

Ash bit at the inside of his cheek for a moment before heaving out a sigh. "Okay. Fine. I'll leave." Turning to leave, he paused before he continued. "I came back for you. But okay. If you don't want me around, I'll go." Bianca reached out to his arm, but he brushed her away, taking a few steps away toward the entrance of the garden before he stopped again. "Don't think you're getting rid of me that easily, Latias. I don't want you to hurt yourself like this." He didn't dare look back.

Bianca lowered her hand, turning back to Latias. "I had no idea you were struggling so much…"

The dragoness grunted, turning away from her. "If you would have been here for me, you'd have known. But no, you left just like he did." With that, she turned invisible and flew off.

The resulting gust of wind blew Bianca's beret off and shifted her skirt slightly with kicked up dust greeting the air. Shielding her eyes, the painter called out for her friend. "Latias!" But as she figured, nobody answered back.

Brushing away the tears that threatened to spill from seeing her dear friend in such a state. Bianca turned to leave in the same direction as Ash did. Picking up her hat, she took one last look out over the expansive garden.

'I hope she'll be ok…'

High in the trees, Latios and Beni had watched the entire exchange, concern etched on their faces. They were rather impressed with the raven haired man's display of level-headedness, even in the wake of their mama's wrath.

Beni looked to her brother. "So… He's still alive. That's a win, right?"

Latios groaned at his sister's naivete. "That means literally nothing." Beni gave him a sad look and he sighed. "But it's a start."

Beni nodded, a small smile forming on her face. "Great! By the way…" She turned to look back at the ground as a particular box stood out, "I see caaake." She drawled as Latios frowned.

"You're not serious. You told me that they had brought it as a gift for Mama." Latios retorted, but Beni nodded.

"True! Which is why I'll be doing the honors of delivering it." Her tongue swiped over her maw like she was locking in. "Besides, it seems like that Ash guy isn't very good at delivery."

Latios had to agree for once. "I guess we could do the honors. Mama might even have a bite." She had turned down most of the prey he hunted for the last while. Even this unhealthy food would make him relieved to see her try it.

Beni cheered silently as she zoomed down. "One cake coming up." The eon tittered, lifting it up with her careful claws.

Rejoining her brother, she closed her eyes with glee. "I hope Mama loves it…"

Latios nodded, a tiny glimmer of grim in his expression. "I do too."

~Back at Lorenzo's Place~

The older man had busied himself by cleaning his kitchen. Several pots and pans were stacked on one side neatly. Older iron pans were barely cleaned, trying to keep them seasoned as he had for the last sixty years according to his mother's advice.

While this was taking place, Pikachu had busied himself by quite literally hugging up on a ketchup bottle. Ash had handed it to him, intending to distract his little buddy. It worked, but who was Ash kidding? It always would.

Pikachu hugged it so hard, one might think the cap would burst any moment. This had amused Lorenzo to no end. He knew Pokémon had their quirks, but it was just so surreal to him.

"I suppose you always do that?" He questioned the mouse.

Pikachu, absorbed in his own world, promptly ignored him. Still nuzzling away at his ultimate treat. Yes, he was truly content.

Shaking his head, Lorenzo put up some more pots and pans until only his old cast irons were left. They were the easy part. Just gotta hang them up on the hooks he installed so many years ago. He remembered how those years had treated him and perhaps even how blessed he was to still be alive to accompany nearly three generations of guardians.

'It only seemed like yesterday when I received these.'

As he put them up, he heard a resounding knock, followed by the sound of someone chastising another, before the tumbler unlatched and a pair of steps could be heard. One familiar while the other was more foreign, but he already knew who it was.

"Bianca? Ash?" He called as Pikachu left the ketchup, bouncing off the table.

"Pipipi!" He shouted as Bianca caught him.

Snuggling into her plush chest, the little rat let out a, "Cha!" A very happy squeak until he saw their faces. He clammed up in her arms, as his smile turned to a frown.

"Pika?" He questioned, seeing the stains of tears still on her face.

Ash looked away, the shadow casted by his hat covered his eyes. The mouse's ears lowered and he could tell that something had gone wrong. Lorenzo stepped into the living room, a rather inquisitive look upon his face.

"I take it that things didn't go well?"

Ash didn't seem able to respond, but Bianca spoke up. "It really didn't. I guess I didn't fully grasp how badly she was hurt." Of course trying to get Ash to come here was a bad idea. The only thing that made her feel better was that he wasn't just giving up completely.

Ash clenched his hands, wishing that perhaps this was just another league match. Those would be easy right now. Just another challenge and like most, he'd find a way. Even if it took longer. Ash had plenty of time to get everything out in the open.

Lorenzo stepped up to him and reached a hand out, only to stop mid-action. "Oh, you're much taller than I give you credit for…" He coughed slightly, before changing his approach.

"You seem to be at a crossroads, m'boy. Do you want to talk about it?" Lorenzo may not have known the man, but Ash did do them a massive favor by helping ensure the city would survive. It was the least he could do for him.

Ash looked at the old man wearily before he nodded. "I just wanted to help." Brushing a hand through his scalp, he exhaled, looking a little weaker than normal, "But she made herself clear. She wants nothing to do with me. So, what do I do?" He'd had plenty of pointers from their last conversation, but it just didn't work.

Lorenzo looked to Bianca with a more serious demeanor who got the message, holding onto Pikachu, she quickly left up the stairs. He then nodded to Ash before heading back toward the kitchen. "So, did she lash out?" He asked when out of the corner of his eye, he saw the young man enter the kitchen.

Ash nodded. "Yeah… I'm unsure how to handle her to be honest." A flash of her appearance went through his head and he frowned deeply, "It's worse than what you implied." His fingers drummed on the counter side anxiously.

The older man looked to the side. "Ah, I hadn't been able to see her in a while."

Ash was a little surprised by that. "Really? But you…" He quieted up when Lorenzo coughed.

Recovering quickly from the fit, he turned to Ash. "She's been hiding a lot lately. I'd hoped that Bianca was correct and that bringing you here would get her to come out." Lorenzo looked defeated, his shoulders sagging as he continued, "But it seems that she's not going to be very receptive to you…" Trailing off, he sighed.

The raven haired man shook his head. "Yeah." He said simply.

Ash felt tired. It had been a long day for him. This conversation wasn't really going anywhere either.

"You look tired." It wasn't a question, and the bluntness of the statement caught Ash off guard.

"Really? I thought I was hiding that better." Great. Now he could really feel it. He tensed up, stretching his arms as a wave of sleepiness washed over his body. The yawn that came after was really telling.

Lorenzo chuckled lightly. "Just head up the stairs, I'm sure Bianca hasn't gone to sleep yet. She can show you the guest bedroom."

Bianca, in fact, hadn't gone to sleep and was listening from the stairs, petting Pikachu all the while. He had gone from little squeaks to nearly purring like a cat. Which, while a bit out there, she still thought it was quite cute.

Ash walked out of the kitchen, rubbing his eyes. "Oh? Bianca?" he questioned seeing her looking over the living room.

Lorenzo walked up from behind the young man, his face looking a little mischievous despite his usual serious nature. "I guess you really wanted to listen in?"

He wasn't wrong and she was curious after all. "Yeah, Grandpa. I wasn't sure if Ash would be safe alone with you." It was a light joke, but all the same.

The older man shook his head. "I was thinking the same for you. You know, she hasn't met anyo-" He was cut off by Bianca speaking up.

"H- Hey! Grandpa! That's not true!"

It was true. He grinned, but Bianca was already slightly red in the face. So, he dropped it for now. He did enjoy teasing her about certain things.

Ash smiled, looking between them. "You both are pretty funny."

Bianca tried to casually take control of the conversation. "Besides, that's not what he's here for. Come on, I'll show you to the guest bedroom."

With that, Ash followed her up the stairs. Bianca glanced back at him as she stepped onto the second floor. "I'm sorry." She said all of a sudden, her face sullen.

Ash stopped on the last step, his gaze meeting hers. "Uh, for what?"

"Wasting your time with this trip. I'm sure you've got plenty of things you need to do instead of trying to console Latias." Surely that much was true. World Monarch's had loads of responsibilities beyond this.

Ash brushed it off, stepping in place behind her. "No. I've had plenty of time since my long journey ended. There is no place I'd rather be." He had plenty of conviction in those words.

Bumbling around was his specialty. He'd saved quite a few Pokemon on his last little trip around Kanto. All the surprises and changes in that region had been rather startling to say the least. But he had experienced it and moved forward. This was just another moment like the others, but this time it was in service of a dear friend. Someone he still had fond memories of, even with the short time they spent together. Yeah, there really wasn't a better place to be.

Bianca gave him a half smile. "You always were a bit too stubborn."

Ash had to agree, didn't mean he liked it. "Hey! It's not like I don't think. Besides, you should know what I've been through." He called her enough, likely just as much as his other friends.

Bianca nodded as she moved toward a closed door at the end of the hallway. She cracked the door open, stepping off to the side as she turned to her guest. "Here you go. It's nothing special, but it's probably comfier than the beds at the Pokemon Center."

Ash let out a short chuckle at that. "Yeah, the beds there are… Well, they're cheap, honestly. Some places are a little better than others but most of them are pretty beat up…"

He'd seen the worst Pokemon Centers and probably some of the best ones. He didn't remember having a bad time at the one here in Altomare, but then again… He'd almost died at least three times that night. So, maybe his memories were a little scrambled.

"Thanks, Bianca."

Closing her tired eyes, she smiled. "Now, I think I'll be heading to sleep. Do you want to stay with me, Pikachu?" She scratched under his chin and he was butter in her arms.

"Chaaaaa…" Looked like he wasn't going to be convinced.

Ash smiled, walking past her. "Night."

Bianca returned the gesture. "Night." He then closed the door behind and fell onto the bed. He was out like a light in minutes.

~ End of Chapter ~

Legacy of Time: Please take the time to review and I hope you enjoyed it!