I was taking a short break from writing after I finished the first arc of my popular fanfic "Crimson Star Priestess" series sequel. So now I'm back with a new chapter of Ashley's series.
It's time for the final Johto movie; Heroes! Before anyone asks, I'm not an Ash/Latias shipper. I don't support human/Pokémon relationships, so don't try to convince me that Ash was ever in love with Latias.
Disclaimer: I do not own any Pokémon characters! I only own my OCs!
Chapter 48: Heroes – Part 1
We took a flying taxi the same day we had breakfast with Clair. The taxi went to Azalea Town where we had to travel south on foot for a day to reach a harbor where we took a ferry to Alto Mare. When we arrived to the island, we learned about a water chariot race which was part of the festival. Any Trainers could participate with water Pokémon, so Ash, Misty and I decided to join with Croconaw, Corsola and Queendra. I had to urgently call Professor Oak and switch Poseidon for Queendra so I could take part of the fun. The course was the canals throughout the whole city, but the path was marked so there was no way any of us could go off course.
We stood on floatation devices holding a leash that was strapped on our Pokémon in front of the start line among the other contestants including last year's champion Ross and his Wailmer. A huge crowd had gathered by the canal and the bridges. I spotted Brock on the first bridge in front of us looking after Pikachu and Togepi.
"Good luck, you guys! You're gonna need it!" Misty called out to me and my brother.
"Good luck you too, Misty! Croconaw and I are gonna win this!" Ash taunted back.
I didn't care much about winning. I just wanted to have some fun and experience something completely new. "Let's have fun, Queendra."
"Dhroooh!"
Speakers scattered around the start line came to life as the Master of Ceremonies tested the microphone. " Ladies and gentlemen! We are blessed with a beautiful day for Alto Mare's annual water chariot festival! Are you ready to race and cheer for our contestants in the Tour de Alto Mare?!"
The crowd erupted into cheers and applauds. My ears rang a little by the loud noise, but I endured it better than I used to. Perhaps my senses had matured for the last couple of months, which would be a big relief for me.
" Contestants, when you hear the Xatu, it will be your cue! Get ready!"
Everyone got quiet as three Natus standing on top of each other of a Xatu started chirping and expanded their wings. I eyed Xatu intensely until it cried out and opened its wings.
"Let's go!" many among the contestants including Ash cried out as the contest was on.
Queendra and the other Pokémon swam as fast as they could down the canal. People cheered for us as we passed the first bridge. I was ahead Misty and Ash because Queendra was faster than Croconaw and Corsola. Pokémon moves were absolutely forbidden, so Queendra was using her natural speed. I had other contestants in front of me that we were catching up. Ross his Wailmer were unexpectedly fast, but Queendra refused to give up. People from balconies waved their hands as we swam past them. I waved back to a few with a big smile on my face. I was fully enjoying the rush of adrenaline.
I noticed something pink in the corner of my eye. Misty and Corsola managed to catch up to us. Then Croconaw's energetic shrieks echoed in my ears which was a sign that he and Ash also caught up.
"Ash, Misty!" I called out. "Let's beat Ross and Wailmer!"
"That's the plan!" Ash shouted back. "Go faster, Croconaw!"
"Pika pika!"
I snapped my head when I heard Pikachu. How did he end up with Ash? He must have fallen off the bridge or something. I guessed they were fine because there was no referee or staff member chasing them.
"You can do it, Corsola! Show you're the fastest Corsola in the world!" Misty encouraged her partner.
"Corsoola!"
I didn't sense it because of the adrenaline rush, but the hair on my arms tickled for a bare moment. It was like there was something mysterious following us, or was it just my mind playing tricks on me?
Even Queendra slowed down a little and looked around like she had sensed something. Ross, Ash and Misty were now ahead and we had the other contestants behind us. "Queendra, ignore what you're sensing! We've got a contest to finish first!"
"Dhrooh!" Queendra snapped out of her trance and picked up the pace. As of right now, we were in fourth place with Ash, Misty and Ross fighting hard to be ahead in the now narrow canal.
Croconaw suddenly picked up the speed and turned the corner in a sharp turn which threw Ash and Pikachu toward a wall. I shrieked in fear, but then somehow Ash bounced off the wall and landed in the water with Pikachu.
"Ash!" I yelled out and steered Queendra to him. I knew I shouldn't really help him during a contest, but he was my brother. "Are you okay?"
"Y-Yeah!" Ash nodded and stared at the wall. "I could've sworn I flew into something soft…"
The splash from Trainers and their Pokémon reminded us the contest was still ongoing. "Let's think about that after we're done here, Ash!"
"Right!"
I took off first with Queendra while Ash climbed back up on his floatation device. Now we were far behind, but not last. Next thing I knew, Ash and Croconaw zoomed past us and the other contestants ahead. When they passed us, I noticed Croconaw was above the surface and not swimming in the water. Another thing I spotted for a brief second was a weird reflection in the water above him. Was there an invisible Pokémon assisting him?
"Queendra, go after Ash!" I shouted, wanting to investigate the situation. If Ash were to win because somebody was helping him, then that was cheating!
"Dhroooh!" Queendra accelerated and swam past the Trainers, splashing water on their Pokémon with her dorsal fin. There wasn't much left of the course as I heard loud cheers and applauds up ahead.
The narrow canal widened out as we made it to the main canal. Ash was now far ahead with Ross and Misty behind them. Queendra caught up to the duo that were surprised by Croconaw's sudden increase of speed.
"Ashley!" Misty shouted. "What happened to Ash and Croconaw?!"
"I don't know!" I yelled back.
I shivered when I sensed something fly right past me. It radiated a similar, if not even the same, mysterious energy I sensed moments ago. Queendra reacted to that energy and slowed slightly down for a mere second before she picked up the speed again. That second was enough for Misty and Ross to pass us.
Before I knew it, Ash and Croconaw rounded a corner and left the main path. I had no idea why he did that, but now that Queendra and I were close to the finish line, I didn't want to get disqualified like my brother. "Queendra, head toward the goal! Don't follow Ash!"
"Dhrooh!" Queendra hissed and went straight forward, swimming past the alleyway.
I glanced over my shoulder, seeing Ross and Misty were meters away from the finish line. "Final push, Queendra!"
Even when she increased her speed, she came in third place. From my perspective, it looked like both Wailmer and Corsola reached the finish line at the same time, so the judges had to look back at the video to see who came first.
" We have a winner!" the MC announced. " This year's Tour de Alto Mare champion is the newcomer Misty and her Corsola!"
The crowd wasn't as cheerful, but still many applauded and chanted my name, accepting Misty as the winner. I guessed many had hoped the local champion Ross was going to win the race.
"Congratulations, Misty", I smiled genuinely.
"Thank you, Ashley!" Misty smiled and cuddled with Corsola. "You were such a great swimmer, Corsola!"
"Corsoola!"
Ross and his Wailmer swam over to us, the Trainer holding a hand out. "Thanks for a great race, Ashley. I didn't expect somebody beating me this year."
"Thank you for the race too, Ross", I shook his hand.
"Dhrooh!" Queendra wasn't so sad about the result of the race.
"Waiiil!" Wailmer smiled, not bothered that it had lost.
"You and Misty gave me and Wailmer a good challenge", Ross chuckled. "Congratulations, Misty."
"Thank you, Ross", Misty nodded. "It was a great race."
The award ceremony took place as soon as the last contestant and their Pokémon crossed the finish line and Ash and Croconaw showed up by foot along with a staff member who had fetched them. Misty was given a beautiful glass medallion said to be embossed with the Pokémon guarding Alto Mare. I received a smaller glass medallion for coming in third place, so I was happy with that.
Ross was very kind and gave us a tour around the city with his own gondola. I had never sat in one before, so I was a little nervous fearing it would turn over. Alto Mare was truly a gorgeous city with ancient buildings. There were barely any modern buildings. The townsfolk had really kept Alto Mare's true charm which made the experience visiting here worth it.
"Wow!" Ash gasped in awe. "It's beautiful here!"
"It really is", Misty sat next to my brother and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Yeah, and so are the girls!" Brock said excitedly.
I giggled at him before I turned to Ross. "Thank you for giving us a tour, Ross. It's very kind of you."
"Please, don't mention it", Ross chuckled. "It's actually an honor to me to give the winner of the chariot race and her friends a tour."
I giggled at the reminder that Misty was the winner. She let me inspect her medallion and compare it with my smaller version. "The medallions are beautiful. Were they crafted here in Alto Mare?"
"All winning medallions so far have been handcrafted in the best glass workshop in Alto Mare", Ross explained. "Do you like them, Ashley?"
"I do, very much", I smiled and held the larger one up. The glass reflected the light, giving it a rainbow shine. There was a green round jewel in the middle and two identical creatures seemed to guard it. "Are the creatures in the glass supposed to be the legendary dragon Pokémon that are said to be guarding Alto Mare?"
"That's right", Ross replied and pointed at two nearby statues. "Those statues on the pillars over there are said to be the guardians of Alto Mare. The one that's smaller is called Latias and the larger one is Latios. Legend says they are watching over our town and protects it from danger."
"I would love to meet them just once while we're here", I sighed dreamily.
Ash, Misty and Brock chuckled at my reaction. "Hey, Ross. Do you know where we can find them?" my brother wondered.
"Nobody knows where they live in Alto Mare", Ross replied, almost crushing my dreams. "We haven't seen them because things have been peaceful for a long time."
"Oh…", I sighed in defeat.
"But who knows; maybe they are watching over us while hiding in plain sight", Ross added.
I blinked when I remembered the weird sensations during the contest. Was it possible the invisible Pokémon back then were the eon Pokémon?
A growl interrupted the peaceful tour. "Sorry! That was my stomach", Ash laughed sheepishly.
"Great way to break the mood, Ash", Misty muttered irritably.
"Togi?"
"Well, it is lunchtime now, so we better grab something to eat", Brock suggested.
"I agree", I nodded. "I heard Alto Mare is also known for its pasta."
"There's a five-star seafood restaurant down this street", Ross informed us. "I can guarantee it because I've eaten there many times."
"Thank you, Ross", Misty said while I gave her medallion back so she could put it away in her duffle bag.
XXXXXXXXXX
Ross didn't lie about the restaurant. The pasta dishes with seafood were very delicious. Ash still felt a little hungry, so we went to an ice cream place on the same street. Misty grabbed her ice cream cone first saying the winner had to go first.
"Mm! It's so tasty!" she hummed in delight after she took a bite of her frozen dessert.
"Togi?"
Misty held her cone to Togepi. "Here, have a little bite, Togepi."
Togepi chirped happily and took a bite of the pistachio ice cream. "Priii!"
I was looking among the flavors and had a hard time choosing when Brock spoke up. "Hey, Ash. Where did Pikachu go?"
I snapped my head up, realizing Pikachu wasn't with us. "Huh?" Ash said and looked around. "That's weird. Where did he go?"
"Shall we go and look for him?" I asked, my mind straying away from ice cream. "He must still be nearby."
"Right", Ash nodded. "You two get your ice cream, Ashley and I will come back."
"Okay", Brock nodded before he placed his order.
"Be careful!" Misty called as we ran off.
Ash ran past an alleyway that led to a small square. I stopped right there when I saw a yellow dot by a faucet. "Ash! Pikachu is here!"
"What? Really?" Ash immediately turned around and ran back to me.
I walked up ahead while Pikachu was taking a small shower after a girl a few years older than me opened the faucet for him. "Pikachu", I called out.
"Pika?" Pikachu shook himself dry and smiled happily.
"There you are, Pikachu!" Ash sighed in relief. "Don't you want some ice cream?"
Before I knew it, the mysterious girl walked right up to Ash and started intensely at him. She silently walked around him and then did the same thing to me. I blushed by the deep stare, feeling very awkward by this. "E-Excuse me…"
The girl smiled and ran off without saying a word. Ash and I looked at each other very confused. "What was that about?" Ash wondered.
"I don't know", I replied, shrugging my shoulders, my cheeks cooling down.
Pikachu didn't care and washed his head with the cooling water. Ash smiled at his partner and let him wash his fur until it was enough. My brother turned off the faucet when I suddenly felt a chill in my body. Even Pikachu reacted and ran off in the same direction where the girl took off.
"Pikachu?!" Ash yelled and ran after him. "What's the matter?!"
"Something must be wrong!" I shouted as I chased after them. "I got a terrible feeling just now!"
"You think somebody's in danger?!" Ash asked.
"I don't know! We need to find out!"
We ran out to a walkway next to a canal and spotted the same girl with brown hair getting cornered by an Ariados and an Espeon. Two women in a black motorboat drove up to the bridge and ordered their Pokémon to hurt the girl.
I was disgusted by their action. "What are they doing to an innocent girl?!"
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded.
"PikaCHUUU!" Pikachu blasted a Thunderbolt at Espeon who dodged it before the move could hit it.
The women in the boat were surprised to see us interrupting their evil deed. "What?" the woman with blonde hair gaped.
"What are you doing?!" I yelled at them as I ripped the String Shot off that Ariados used to hold the girl back from running.
"Oh, nothing", the blonde woman replied with a fake innocent voice. "We just wanted to give her some advice about fashion."
"Attacking somebody for bad fashion? That's wrong!" Ash growled as he and Pikachu covered me.
"Then would you like to give us some tips instead?" the woman with silver hair giggled.
"Your sister's taste of fashion is horrible too, boy, so I don't think you can help us", the blonde woman cackled.
I ripped off the last of the web and held the girl close to me to shield her. "I've got a tip! Leave her alone!"
"Oh my, I had no idea this girl was so important she needs bodyguards!" the blonde woman faked a loud gasp.
"What would they do if we attacked them, Annie?" the silver woman wondered, acting very fake.
"Espeon, show my dear sister Oakley what we would do", Annie spoke calmly.
"Espeoon!" Espeon struck my brother with a Psybeam. Pikachu and I shrieked in panic by that. Thankfully, that attack was quite weak, so that must have been a warning.
"That was a dirty move!" Ash growled, now really agitated. "Pikachu, get Espeon!"
"Pika!" Pikachu went straight into battle with Espeon.
However, we also had an Ariados to deal with. I kept the brunette in my arms as I grabbed a Poké Ball from my belt. "Mystic, use Extrasensory!"
"Togitiic!" Mystic chirped as he was released. He immediately released a psychic shockwave that threw the spider Pokémon into a wall.
"Ariados!" Oakley called out worriedly.
Pikachu used his Thunderbolt on Espeon that foolishly jumped onto the motorboat, so the electric move electrocuted not just the Pokémon but also the women and their watercraft.
"C'mon, let's go!" Ash yelled.
I took the girl's hand and pulled her along as we ran away from those dangerous women with Pikachu and Mystic. Ash covered our back while the bad guys and their Pokémon recovered from the assault. We ran into a labyrinth of alleyways to avoid Espeon and Ariados. I had no idea for how long we were running until the girl led us back to the same square we started before.
"T-That was close…", I gasped for fresh air.
"Y-Yeah…", Ash panted as he rested his hands on his legs.
"Pi-Pika…", Pikachu laid flat on the ground to rest his poor limbs.
Mystic floated next to me, not as exhausted as the rest of us. I wiped my mouth clean from drool and turned around to ask how the girl was doing. But she was no longer with us. "Wh-What? Where did she go?"
"Huh?" Ash looked up and noticed the girl was missing. "She's gone…"
"Pika?" Pikachu climbed up on my brother's shoulder.
"Mystic, did you see where she went?" I asked.
"Togi togi", Mystic shook his head.
That girl was so mysterious. One second she was around us, the next second completely gone. I didn't have time to think about it while we were running, but I noticed the girl's body temperature was slightly cooler than usual when I held her hand. She didn't look like a sick person, so was there another reason as of why her body was cold?
"Ash! Ashley!" Misty called out.
She and Brock were actually in the square sitting under the shades of a tree eating the last piece of their ice cream. Togepi sat comfortably on Misty's lap eating a tiny piece of waffle.
"Misty? Brock?" Ash was just as surprised and confused as I was.
"Where'd you guys go? We finished our ice cream a while ago", Brock said with a satisfied hum.
"Did you have such a hard time finding Pikachu?" Misty wondered while she wiped Togepi's mouth clean with a napkin.
"Prii!" Togepi chirped happily.
"W-Well…", Ash started and shared a glance with me. I lightly shook my head, not really wanting to tell our friends what we just dealt with. "Yeah, Pikachu went far away to clean himself."
Misty and Brock didn't look convinced, but they decided not to push more answers out from us. "Well then, shall we check the museum?" Brock suggested.
"There's a museum?" I asked. I hadn't had time looking at the town's pamphlet, so I was unfamiliar of what other worth seeing there was in Alto Mare.
Brock pulled out a folded pamphlet from the pocket of his pants. "I grabbed this at the Pokémon Center while you guys ran to sign up for the race. They have a museum not so far from here."
"Brock, you're the man!" Ash smiled widely.
"Maybe we can learn about Latias and Latios", I said, getting excited to learn more about the dragon Pokémon.
XXXXXXXXXX
The museum was actually bigger than I expected and looked more like a palace. The interior was rustic yet elegant at the same time. We spotted a few fossils visible through the floor. I immediately recognized them. "Those are Aerodactyl and Kabutops fossils!"
"They're both larger than yours, Ashley", Misty said.
"Togiprii!"
Ash grimaced at the Aerodactyl fossil. "Thank Arceus they are extinct!"
An elderly man with a staff badge laughed amusingly at my brother's comment. "You can rest easy, boy. They will never become alive. These fossils are part of Alto Mare's past. They once terrorized our hometown generations ago."
"Generations ago? Like during fossil Pokémon's primetime sixty-four million years ago?" Brock asked.
"No, these Pokémon were a few remaining living fossil Pokémon a little over hundred years ago", the staff member explained. "My name is Lorenzo. I'm the museum's curator."
"Nice to meet you, sir", Ash smiled.
"How did the people of Alto Mare subjugate these Pokémon, Mr. Lorenzo?" Brock wondered.
"It was thanks to our guardians Latias and Latios and a machine our people built to stop them. Let me show you." Lorenzo led us to the largest room of the museum where there was a huge machine. It both had the ancient and futuristic feeling to it.
"This almost looks like a monster itself", I couldn't help but say out loud.
Lorenzo chuckled. "I can't blame you there, lass. This is called the DMA, also known as the Defense Mechanism of Alto Mare."
Brock gasped in awe at the glass stain windows that clearly showed more of Alto Mare's background story. "It's so beautiful! I know I will find a girl in this town!"
Misty sighed tiredly. "Here we go again…"
Togepi giggled in amusement.
"A long time ago, an evil Trainer ordered Aerodactyl and Kabutops to attack our city", Lorenzo explained.
"An evil Trainer…?" Ash mumbled in disbelief.
"Pika…"
Even I got goosebumps thinking that a Trainer could do something so vile and attack a town just for fun.
"Everyone lived in fear until Latias and Latios came and brought water to the town drowning the evil Pokémon and turning our streets into canals", Lorenzo continued the tale. "That's how the city became named Alto Mare, which means high sea."
"It almost feels a little poetic", Misty giggled.
Lorenzo chuckled at the compliment. "At the same time, our people decided to construct the DMA. They wanted to make sure that nobody would ever disrupt the peace ever again. Fortunately, they never had to use the DMA, so I hope it stays like this forever and only remains a sacred monument."
I noticed Ash looked at something instead of listening to the story. I followed his eyes and almost let out a gasp. The same girl we saved before was standing one floor above working on a painting. How did she end up here?
I squinted when I realized she was wearing a hat this time. When we rescued her, she didn't have one nor did she carry a canvas and easel. Ash moved a little closer to get a better look at her, but he accidently leaned against the DMA.
"Don't touch that!" Lorenzo immediately called out.
"I'm sorry, sir! It was an accident!" Ash apologized.
"Ash, what's wrong with you?" Misty growled, embarrassed.
The girl had already packed her stuff and walked away. Ash gave me a glance, telling me we should catch up to the girl and ask her if she was okay after the whole ordeal.
"Thanks for the tour, sir! It was really interesting!" Ash said. "See you guys later!"
"We'll meet up at the Pokémon Center!" I shouted.
My brother and I ran out of the museum, leaving Misty and Brock behind for the second time today. The area was a little crowded by townsfolk and tourists, but we quickly spotted the brunette. She casually walked farther away from the museum like she wasn't shaken up by the incident a while ago.
We ran as fast as we could to catch up to her. We almost ran into other people in the middle of the rush. We finally reached her after she walked down a short bridge above a canal.
"Hey, you!" Ash yelled. "The girl with the easel!"
The brunette stopped by the railing and turned to us with a confused expression. "Yes?"
"Why did you disappear on us like that before?" Ash asked.
The girl grimaced, clearly showing discomfort. "I don't know you."
"Do you perhaps have a twin sister?" I asked.
"No, I don't!" the girl responded irritably and walked quickly away.
Ash and I still weren't convinced so we chased after her. Clearly, she was a local because we lost sight of her. "Where did she go?" Ash wondered as he looked around in the alleyway.
"Pika?"
"Did she forget what happened after we rescued her?" I wondered. "Like she got amnesia after that?"
"Is that even possible?" Ash questioned.
"Pika pika!" Pikachu called out.
That girl was suddenly on the bridge right next to us. We lost her like a minute ago, and all her painting equipment was gone just like her hat. Her eyes shone with warmth and curiosity compared to the cold glare she gave us when we confronted her.
"It's you!" Ash gasped. "Are you messing with us?"
The brunette didn't give us a verbal answer. Instead, she waved her arm like we should follow her as she ran off. We chased after her down the narrow alleyways. This time, she waited for us by every corner to make sure we wouldn't lose sight of each other.
It felt like we were going on an adventure while playing a Meowth-and-Rattata game. We found ourselves by a pretty alleyway clad in green and pretty mosaic flooring. The area felt so tranquil and mysterious at the same time. A couple of Pidgeys were playing in a birdbath and ignored us when we didn't disturb them.
The girl stood in front of a dead end before she turned around and vanished in the shadows. Ash and I walked up to the wall and tried to find a door, but there was none. "How…did she do that?" Ash wondered.
Pikachu tilted his head and ran straight forward. As soon as he ran into the wall, it moved like it was made up by psychic powers. I swallowed and reached my hand out to see for myself. My arm disappeared, but I could still move it. I jumped through the barrier and soon found myself in a lush garden.
"Wow…", I mumbled in awe and inhaled deeply, smelling the pollen.
Ash stood next to me after he stepped through the barrier. "What is this place?"
"A secret garden?" I questioned. "Like that book mom read to us when we were young?"
"Maybe…", Ash nodded.
There were a couple of Pokémon playing around in this peaceful place. The girl waited for us up ahead before she ran off. We ran after her and saw she was now sitting on a swing. Did she lead us all the way here to play? She could have said so.
"What does she want?" Ash asked.
"We better go and ask her", I said.
Just as we took a step, the air was filled with noise created by all kinds of wind chimes that were scattered around in the garden. I suddenly felt nervous and it was understandable.
Because the next thing we knew, water splashed up from a pool and an invisible creature zoomed right past us like a jet plane. "What was that?!" Ash gasped after he caught me when I lost my balance.
"One of the guardians?!" I shrieked out.
"You mean Latias and Latios? But we're not here looking for them!"
The creature flew right past us again and tackled Pikachu, sending him a few feet away. "Pikachu!" Ash yelled and rushed to his partner.
I ran after him and shielded him when the invisible Pokémon came toward us for the third time. "Please, stop! We're not here to harm you!"
I closed my eyes when the Pokémon was about to slam me until the girl jumped out of nowhere and shielded me. The invisible Pokémon braked right in front of her and moved back, removing the invisibility to reveal its true self. It was a blue and white dragon Pokémon, but I still didn't know if it was Latias or Latios.
"Lraaa!" the eon Pokémon screeched, glaring angrily.
The girl shook her head like she knew what the Pokémon was saying. The eon Pokémon continued growling, glaring mainly at me and my brother.
"It is one of the guardians!" Ash exclaimed while he cradled Pikachu.
"I told you so", I said with a calm voice, lowering my arms.
"But why is it so mad at us?" Ash wondered.
"Hey!"
Ash and I dropped our jaws when the girl we saw in the museum walked toward us with a very angry look. I shifted between her and the other girl. They looked exactly the same from body to clothes, except the girl who had guided us to the garden didn't wear a hat.
"What are you two doing here?" the girl with the hat asked as she stood next to the dragon Pokémon. "Are you here for Latias and Latios?"
"No, not at all!" Ash panicked. "We were following this girl and she brought us here!"
"I don't buy that", the talkative girl growled. "Latios, get them!"
"Lraaa!"
"Hold on!" Lorenzo called out. People were popping out nowhere right now it was almost getting a little overwhelming. "Bianca, Latios, these twins surely mean no harm."
"You're the curator from the museum, sir!" Ash exclaimed.
"Pika", Pikachu mumbled while he rubbed a bruise on his forehead.
"But, grandpa, they were-", the girl Bianca began, only to get shushed by Lorenzo.
"Latias, do you want to play with your new friends?" Lorenzo asked the mute girl who nodded eagerly.
"Latias?" Ash and I shared a confused glance. Bianca's twin looked very human to me.
The mute girl pulled Ash to the swing and pushed him down on it before she climbed up behind him and began swinging. "I'm sorry, but I thought Latias is supposed to be a Pokémon?"
And it was indeed a Pokémon that used its psychic power to disguise itself as a human. The girl transformed into a red and white dragon that was smaller than Latios. Ash shrieked in surprise and jumped off the swing, only to land on his face.
"Lraa?" Latias helped him sit up on the ground and looked to make sure he was okay.
"Thanks, I'm okay", Ash smiled after he wiped the dirt off his face.
Latias got very happy and flew around him in circles. It was fascinating to see how a legendary Pokémon quickly came to like my brother. There was something about him that attracted Pokémon when you least expect it.
"She sure has taken a liking to your brother", Lorenzo told me.
"She sure has", I giggled before I turned to Latios. "I'm sorry my brother and I intruded here, Latios. We didn't mean to scare you thinking we were here for you."
"Lraa", Latios nodded, accepting my apology. He leaned down to Pikachu and licked his bruises as a way to apologize for harming him. Pikachu giggled and climbed up on Latios to play with him.
The eon Pokémon and Pikachu played together before Latias got a little mischievous and tried picking up Ash to give him a ride. However, he was too heavy for her so she dropped him. Latios came to the rescue and caught my brother, giving him a ride around the garden.
Even I got the honors to ride Latios when Ash climbed up and was tackled by Latias. She was strangely very affectionate at him. Ash and I learned Latias can take the shape of a human and she disguised herself a lot like Bianca because they grew up together.
We got to witness another of their powers; Sight Sharing. Latios dove into a pool that led out to the canals of Alto Mare and we could see what he saw thanks to Latias. That way, if any of them were in trouble, the other could see where they were and come to the rescue. It was fascinating to see this majestic view. This also proved that Latios trusted me and my brother.
Latios soon returned to the garden and played along with Latias and Pikachu while Bianca and Lorenzo showed us around. "How long have you known Latias and Latios?" Ash asked while we were led up to the main square. It contained some kind of decorative pool and the floor was paved with strange pictures and ancient scripture.
"Grandpa has known them since they were babies", Bianca replied.
"I've known them ever since their father brought water to the town", Lorenzo revealed.
"Really? But didn't you say the eon Pokémon drowned the fossil Pokémon generations ago?" I asked, remembering what he said back at the museum.
"And it wasn't a lie", Lorenzo chuckled. "I was too young to remember the terror Aerodactyl and Kabutops brought to Alto Mare, but I remember meeting their father after he subdued them and left us with our now beautiful water city."
"Apparently, he used up all of his power and vanished into thin air after bringing the water", Bianca spoke softly.
"But he left behind a crystal orb containing his spirit known as the Soul Dew", Lorenzo led us to the pool. At the very bottom was a blue crystal orb that looked very much alive with its magical glow.
"So Latias and Latios…became orphans after their father left?" Ash mumbled sadly.
"Yes, and it was my family who took them in and nourished them", Lorenzo nodded. "Since then, it became our duty to look after them and keep their garden a secret from the public."
I spotted a drawing that looked strangely familiar. "Isn't this the DMA?"
"That diagram shows how the Soul Dew is used to power it", Lorenzo explained.
I held back a grimace. "But isn't that dangerous? What if the Soul Dew ends up in bad hands?"
Lorenzo looked down with a deep sigh. "If that were to happen… I don't even want to think about it. That's why I hope the DMA will never be used."
Bianca patted his back to comfort him. I could imagine what kind of consequences there would be if somebody were to abuse a Legendary Pokémon's power. I had seen it with my very own eyes back when we encountered Celebi that got under Vicious' control months ago. I never wanted to experience ever again.
"It's very important that nobody removes the Soul Dew from this pool", Bianca said. "So you must promise us to never tell anyone about this garden."
"And that includes your friends, even if you trust them", Lorenzo added.
"We promise to keep this place and the Soul Dew a secret", Ash promised.
"Pika pika!"
"I would rather die than tell somebody about this beautiful garden", I said and put my hand on my heart.
Lorenzo nodded and looked up at the hidden sky. "It's getting late. We'll show you the way out."
"Thank you", Ash nodded.
"Lraa?" Latias chirped softly as she nuzzled him.
Ash chuckled and caressed her head. "I'm sorry, Latias, but my sister and I need to go back to the Pokémon Center. Our friends must be worried about us."
Latias looked sad by the fact we had to leave. "Can we come back tomorrow and play with Latias and Latios?" I asked.
"Of course", Lorenzo smiled. "I'm sure they would love having company of new people other than me and my granddaughter."
We said goodbye to the eon Pokémon before the grandfather and the granddaughter led us into a corridor until we entered a workshop filled with gondolas currently under construction. "Where are we?" Ash wondered.
"This is my workshop", Lorenzo replied.
"My grandfather makes gondolas as you can see", Bianca smiled.
"So you've got two jobs, sir?" I wondered.
"My job at the museum is more like a hobby to me", Lorenzo chuckled and led us out of the workshop that rested in front of a canal. The garden was so thick with trees that it was impossible to see what time it was. Now we could see it was around dinner time. And my stomach told me so.
"Bianca, you think you can bring Ash and Ashley to the Pokémon Center?" Lorenzo wondered.
"Of course", Bianca replied.
We got into a motorboat that Bianca steered carefully through the calm canal. My mind was tired, but I still remembered something very important. "Bianca, were you the girl who got attacked by those two women?"
"What women?" Bianca arched a brow.
That confirmed my suspicions. "There were two women who attacked you hours ago", Ash said before he realized the truth. "Unless…the one they attacked was Latias!"
"Somebody attacked Latias while she was disguised as me?" Bianca looked very concerned.
"Yeah, and they were very persistent", I added. "They sent their Pokémon after us, but we got away."
"Could it be…they are after Latias and Latios?" Ash said.
"How did they even know it was Latias…?" Bianca mumbled.
"You and Lorenzo better stay cautious of strangers", I warned her as my stomach started hurting. "I have a bad feeling…they will come back."
"I'll let grandpa know as soon as I'm home", Bianca nodded while her glance turned slightly hazy as she fell into a trance. "What do they want with Latias and Latios…?"
XXXXXXXXXX
Ashley's party:
Cedric the Pupitar (male)
Mystic the Togetic (male)
Hikaru the Ampharos (male)
Victor the Houndoom (male)
Sora the Dratini (female)
Queendra the Kingdra (female)
XXXXXXXXXX
Ashley's Pokémon at the Lab:
Trica the Furret (female)
Wanda the Gyarados (female)
Aria the Lapras (female)
Axel the Scyther (male)
Lily the Espeon (female)
Kobra the Arbok (male)
Poseidon the shiny Gyarados (male)
XXXXXXXXXX
Ashley's roaming Pokémon:
Crystal the Suicune (genderless)
XXXXXXXXXX
Ash's party:
Pikachu (male)
Bayleef (female)
Cyndaquil (male)
Dunsparce (male)
Croconaw (male)
Phanpy (male)
XXXXXXXXXX
Ash's Pokémon at the Lab:
Tauros (male)
Ivysaur (male)
Kingler (male)
Poliwrath (male)
Wartortle (male)
Shiny Noctowl (male)
Heracross (male)
Snorlax (male)
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Ash's roaming Pokémon:
Entei (genderless)
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Misty's party:
Staryu (genderless)
Psyduck (male)
Togepi (female)
Politoed (male)
Lanturn (female)
Corsola (female)
XXXXXXXXXX
Misty's Pokémon in the Cerulean Gym:
Goldeen (female)
XXXXXXXXXX
Brock's party:
Geodude (male)
Onix (male)
Crobat (male)
Forretress (male)
Magcargo (male)