𝒳
Night had fallen on Alto Mare before long, casting the busy streets of the morning in a quiet, lonely darkness. Ash had heard the city wind down before, but this was something else entirely. The air was tense. Beyond the distant flow of the canals, all Ash could hear was his own quieted breath.
He, Pikachu, Latias, and Bianca had been staked out for a few hours now, taking turns watching the workshop for suspicious activity. So far the day had been uneventful, nothing more than a few patrons walking in and out, and a repairman swinging by to install a new door. It was a quiet day. They couldn't tell if they should be grateful for that, or dreading it.
In any case, it was Bianca's turn to man the post, so the rest of the party was resting idly by, waiting for what seemed inevitable.
Ash sat with his back to the wall of the roof, Pikachu curled up on his lap and Latias nested into his side. In his hand was a curious sight, the cellphone Clemont had made before he set off on this mini journey of his. It was meant to let the gang call regularly, but for now, it served a new purpose— Enabling Serena's latent interest in amateur photography.
Ash couldn't help but smile at all the photos she'd sent the group— nearly two dozen pictures of Fennekin in various states of training. Whatever those two were up to, Ash was itching to hear all about it.
A question pulled him from his phone.
"What are you smiling at?" It was Latias, rousing from the little ball she had curled herself into. With half a yawn, she laid her head on Ash's shoulder.
"Some pictures from a friend of mine, back in Kalos," he explained, tilting the screen to give her a better look. With a click, he brought up a picture of the girl in question. "Her name's Serena."
Just like with her partner, Serena had taken some impeccable pictures of herself. Her new outfit was a bright contrast against the forest in the background, while she herself gave the camera a wink and a winning smile. As always, Serena was the pitch-perfect image of elegance, with a hint of her passion burning in her eyes. Latias seemed to agree.
"Wow, she's, really pretty."
"Heh, yeah. She is." A small, sincere smile took Ash's face, as the two shared a quiet moment to look on at the picture. It was a nice break from all the tense waiting.
"Guys, I see something."
Just like that, the waiting was over. Ash shot up, joining Bianca's side as he peeked over the edge of the parapet. As soon as he did, he spotted the 'something' Bianca meant. A half dozen or so people, men of various builds and heights, climbed the fire escape to a window at the building's side. It was the very same window Ash and Pikachu had broken into days before.
In short order, the men crawled in, one-by-one, until they all disappeared. A moment later, the front door was opened, and a final man strolled in.
As soon as he was inside, Ash shot to his feet.
"Alright, go time!" Without a hint of hesitation, Ash hopped over the parapet, scaling down a maintenance ladder as Pikachu leapt onto his shoulder. "Come on Latias, back us up."
"Ash!? What are you doing?! I thought we were going to call and wait for Officer Jenny and my Grandfather before we went in!" Keeping her voice down as well as she could, Bianca shouted after Ash while he descended. All the while, Latias looked between the two, before she went to follow along.
"Good point, you call them, we'll wait inside." Ash shot Bianca a grin as he reached the ground, one that made her groan and him laugh. Just then, Latias joined his side. Her invisibility flickered before she pulled her cover on tight. "Great idea, Latias, stealth mode!"
"Uhhh, right, yeah. Stealth mode. That is what I am doing."
In short order, the trio of Ash, Pikachu, and Latias approached the building and ascended the fire escape, finding the still open window waiting for them. After a pause, they peered inside.
The workshop was a large, open room, split in two by a raised catwalk that hung over the ground floor. A row of tables sat in the center, surrounded by chairs and covered with dozens of metal tools meant for carving apricorns. Along the left and back walls stood large storage crates, which were filled to the very top with Poké Balls Ash barely recognized. He could spot a few Lure Balls and Fast Balls, but that was about it.
Finally, along the right wall, was the front door of the shop, surrounded on each side by a row of heavy machinery. Lathes and equipment for coring stubborn apricorns stood there, next to wheelie bins filled with even more Poké balls.
It was a fine looking workshop, only mired by the goons that were running amok in it.
With the light of the interior to illuminate them, Ash could finally get a good look at their criminal masterminds. There were at least seven of them by the looks of it, all the rabble-rousing sort with more muscle than they had sense. It almost looked like they were witnessing a petty robbery, if it wasn't for one detail that gave the game away.
They were all wearing the same outfit: Garish, ill-fitting suits.
"Definitely a uniform," Ash grumbled, keeping his eyes peeled. The goons seemed to be directionless, just grabbing random items before abandoning them for something else that caught their eye. There was no doubt that somethone had organized this lot into doing this, but they hadn't done a great job.
"Ash, look." At Latias's call, Ash noticed one of the men had climbed to the catwalk, and was now standing tall above the others. Bingo, the boss.
In an instant, he drew a stark contrast with the goons at his feet. His suit was tailored and fitted, and every step he took carried a far more refined energy than the men he associated with. He had a stout, wide figure, with a bald head and a frown that spelled nothing but trouble. He stared at the others with a look that was oozing contempt.
"Pikapi, kachu pikaka."
"Yep, that's our guy. I say we bust in and catch 'em by surprise." Driving his fist into his palm, Ash looked to his two partners-in-busting-crime. "Between me, Pikachu, and you, Latias, we can overwhelm them like that!"
Ash spun a confident tale, but Latias didn't seem to be moved.
"I… can't. I need to, um, stay undercover." Though she kept her cover on tight, Ash could tell she had grown more anxious. "If they see me it would, attract unwanted attention, to Alto Mare."
"Good point, the last thing we wanna do is get even more bad guys knocking on your door." Conceding to her point, Ash went back to the drawing board. He rubbed his chin in thought, turning to watch the goons at work.
They were aimless. Even as their boss screamed and commanded them, they swarmed with little sense or direction. Maybe…
A lightbulb went on in Ash's head.
"Latias, how subtle can you be?" The question made her grin.
"Ash, I am a master of subtlety."
𝒵
Philippe considered himself a simple man. Or rather, he considered himself a man with simple wants— Tailored suits, fine meals, and competent staff. After all, for a gentleman like himself, it was the least he deserved.
If only these incompetents knew that.
"Blathering oafs! We have come here for one thing, and one thing only. Collect all the rare Poké balls you find and nothing else!" His voice cracked the air like a whip, sending his workers into a flurry. They instantly dropped whatever they were carrying— Including the ones who were actually doing their job. "Mais putain — je suis entouréde consanguins."
"Sorry boss. We're tryin' our best here!" One of the smarter henchmen, the one who seemed to lead the rest of the pack, stepped forward and apologized. He looked up at Philippe from his spot on the ground, while all Philippe could return was a glare of contempt. The uniform the grunt wore was ill-fitted for his wide frame.
"Fils de pute. Why don't you try taking some initiative, and get your men in line!" Philippe screamed, making the mook flinch and nod. In an instant, he slinked off, leaving Philippe to stew on his own. A headache was coming on. "Je te le jure, le moment donné, je t'écorcherai moi-même."
He spat onto the ground.
"Dégénéré." Glancing down at his wrist, Philippe checked his time piece. Ten minutes. They'd been at this operation for ten minutes and they were still not even halfway done. Did he have to do everything himself? What does a good man have to do to—!
Philippe took a deep breath, steadying his composure. No point in getting upset. In a short time, they'd be done here. The Poké balls would be collected, and they'd be on their way. The sooner that came, the sooner he could get back to—
"Hey, boss, was uh, was that window always open?"
Though Philippe was tempted to snap, he bit his tongue. True to that grunt's word, the window that the team had snuck in through was open. And since they had made sure to close it before getting to work, that could only mean—!
"Pikaka, Pi!"
"Alright you thieves! Drop the Poké balls!" Bursting out from behind a wheelie bin, a young man appeared, his spiky black hair barely contained by a bright red cap. His voice boomed through the workshop like a thunderclap, which was appropriate considering the Pokémon on his shoulder— A Pikachu. "Make this easy or you're gonna meet the bad end of a Thunderbolt!"
The sudden appearance of an interloper sent Philippe's men into a panic, and Philippe's temper boiling. His hands gripped the railing of the catwalk, denting the metal, until he could bite his tongue no longer.
"Nigauds incompétents! He is but a boy, you are men! Act like it!" Fear of Philippe seemed to trump fear of their intruder, as the goons steadied themselves and stepped forward. In a flash, four Pokémon were sent out to do battle— A Raticate, an Arbok, a Golem, and a Golbat.
Despite the lopsided match up, the boy didn't seem phased. Even as his Pokémon hopped off his shoulder and crackled at their opponents, he was as confident as ever.
He looked Philippe in the eyes, and smirked.
"So, you're the big man, huh?" Making a fist and raising it forward, the boy called out to Philippe, not even waiting for an answer before continuing. "Then I'm going to have the pleasure of personally kicking your ass!"
In an instant, all Philippe could see was red.
"Kill him!"
"Thunderbolt!"
A crack of lightning swept across the room, pummeling the goons' Pokémon and sending them reeling back. Only the Golem, unaffected by the blow, could press forward. It tightened itself into a ball and fired off into a Rollout.
"Pika!" With a jump, the Pikachu leapt straight over the barreling Pokémon, landing on a paw and firing another attack as he turned. The Golbat, knocked back by the Pikachu's first wave, was out of the count now, while the Arbok and Raticate cried out in shock. "Pika-chu!"
With a snicker, he flew forward.
Meanwhile, the kid faced off against the remaining goons, three of them in particular gunning to take him down. Try as they might, however, they couldn't lay a finger on him. He easily side stepped their lunges, blocked their wild swings and returned the favor. It didn't help that Philippe's men couldn't keep their feet underneath them. Every few moments, they were literally tripping over themselves.
"What the hell!?" Philippe couldn't believe it. His men were being routed by a teenager with an attitude complex!
An arc of electricity crossed Philippe's gaze as he realized the boy's Pikachu was still evading his henchmen's Pokémon. No, scratch that. It'd completely destroyed them! The Raticate and Arbok laid in a twitching, paralyzed slump, swirls in their eyes indicating their swift defeat. That just left the Golem, a Pokémon the Pikachu was practically playing games with.
"Pikaka, ka! Piiiiii!" He laughed and sneered, bouncing off the walls and easily dodging his much slower and less maneuverable opponent.
Philippe's seething only continued to burn.
"Putain— What are you fools doing!? You have more Pokémon than that! Send them out!"
"O-okay! You got it boss!"
In a flash, two more Pokémon appeared— A Pinsir and a Tauros. The former hissed and gnashed its mandibles, while the latter immediately charged.
"Pika?" Turning, the Pikachu saw its new opponent and did something astounding. It grinned. "Chuuuuu— Pikaka!"
With a powerful backflip, the Pikachu leapt straight over the charging Tauros, landing on its head and latching on. The raging bull had but a moment to panic before the Pikachu sent it barreling into its ally Golem with a tug of its horns.
Kicking off and leaping away, the Pikachu went to deal with the Pinsir next.
What was happening!? Even with poorly trained grunts, this was a mere rat out matching half a dozen stronger Pokémon! And by the looks of it, his trainer was doing even better!?
The boy ducked and dived, dodging a henchmen's fists with barely a concern. When another came up from behind, the boy merely smiled and side-stepped him. With that, his two opponent's slammed headfirst into each other, collapsing into a heap.
"Why you snot-nosed—! Oof!" A third grunt stumbled to his feet and charged, before the boy dispatched him with a runaway wheelie bin filled with Poké balls. In an instant, the goon was laid flat, the bin settling underneath the catwalk Philippe stood on.
"Come on! Is that all you got!?" The boy challenged the remaining grunts with arms raised wide, scaring them into a back step as he approached. "Or are you all too much of a wuss to fight a kid!"
The comment seemed to finally tick one of them into action.
"I'll show you who's a wuss!" A taller, heavy-set henchman charged, abandoning his Tauros to chase after the boy. He got no closer to half-way, however, before he tripped and fell, giving the boy ample time to respond. "H-huh!?"
"You sure showed me!" Rushing to the man's side, the boy grabbed onto the back of the man's jacket and heaved, sending him flying across the floor to beneath the workshop tables. When the large man tried sitting up, he banged his head against its underside. "Now, who's next!"
"Chuuuu— Pi-ka!" It seemed Golem was the answer, as the Pikachu launched him into the ceiling with a stunning Iron Tail. It was knocked out without a doubt, leaving only two more opponents to face the rat— A panting, paralyzed Pinsir and a grunting, enraged Tauros. "Pikakaka! Kachu, pika!"
It beckoned its opponent's onwards, just like its trainer, before taking the battle on its own terms. It flickered from view with Quick Attack, appearing and then disappearing from in front of its foes for just a second. In the next, it appeared at their left, and then their right.
The Tauros gave a blood-curdling bull's cry, bucking its head around as it tried to lock onto its target. Each time the Pikachu appeared, it would taunt and wave its tail at the Tauros, sending its anger burning higher and higher until it was blinded by rage.
"Pikakaka!" Finally, the Pikachu seemed to pick a spot and stay with it, launching the Tauros into a mad, wild charge. It had its target locked in— It was simply a misfortune that its ally Pinsir lied before its target. "Kakaka!"
With a jovial laugh, the Pikachu leapt out of the way, allowing Tauros to do its job for it. With a vicious Head Smash, Pinsir was laid flat, knocked out. The Tauros could only stare in confusion for a moment more.
"Piiii-kaaaaa-chuuuuu!" With that cry, a bolt of lightning struck Tauros head-on, knocking it back and knocking it out all in one fell swoop. The Pikachu had won. Standing tall on the battlefield despite its size, it heralded its victory. "Pika!"
Rage billowed out in every breath Philippe took, nearly cracking the calm exterior he so dutifully kept up. His men were being made a fool of. He was being made a fool of! This would not stand!
Whipping back, he glared daggers at his remaining henchmen.
"You lot! I know you have more in you— Why aren't you sending them out!?"
"We've been trying to, boss, but—!"
"—Our pockets—!"
"—Are turning up empty!" The set of three men panicked as they revealed, indeed, that the remaining Pokémon they had on hand had gone missing.
Philippe could feel his anger burning through his skull.
He pulled away from the railing, reaching into his pocket. This had gone on too long. His men had failed him. His mission was going up in smoke. He needed to recover, now.
"When dark times come, strong men must right the way!" he declared, pulling at his intruder's attention with the call. "Retournons un peu de beauté sur scène! Hatterene!"
With a cry carrying his anger, Philippe's trusty aid took the field, appearing at the center of the chaos and drawing all eyes towards it. The boy and his Pokémon stood at attention as she called.
"Haaaaaa!"
"Now, my dear! Wipe away these intruders in one fell swoop!" Philippe raised an arm into the air, heralding the move. "Pouvoir Lunaire!"
"Iron Tail, now!"
A flash of movement and light filled the room, as Hatterene fired and the Pikachu went to deflect. Its Iron Tail crashed down on Hatterene's Moonblast, sending it ricocheting off the floor and straight through the ceiling above.
"Pikaka. Pikachu-pi!" The Pikachu faced Philippe's Hatterene, chittering something incomprehensible to its ally as it did. With a nod that seemed understanding, the boy called in response.
"You've got this, buddy, I trust ya!" he said, throwing back a henchman he was grappling with. The man seemed to trip over nothing and crashed into another goon coming in from behind him.
Philippe scoffed.
"If you think your pathetic rat can beat a beauty as perfect as my Hatterene, you are sorely mistaken, boy!" His voice was filled with venom, even as he steadied himself with a hand behind his back. The boy didn't seem to heed his words, however. He just grinned and focused.
"I'll tell you what, on any other day of the week, I would've loved to sit back and see what a new Pokémon like Hatterene is capable of!" he declared, dodging a jab from a goon and returning one of his own. "But for someone as rotten as you are, I'll make an exception! Pikachu, give it to her! Full force Iron Tail!"
With a flicker of movement, the Pikachu was gone in an instant. In the next, its attack was mere inches from Hatterene's head.
"Protect!" At the very last second, Hatterene's defense sputtered to life, buckling against the thundering force of her opponent. It forced her to turn and leap back, to stare in horror at how close she was to the Super Effective blow.
"Again, buddy! Up and at 'em!" At the boy's command, the Pikachu leapt off the shield like a springboard—
"Protect!"
—And crashed down on their opponent once more. This time, the defense didn't hold, and Hatterene was sent flying across the workshop.
"Hatterene!" For the first time, anger drained away from Phillippe's system, replaced now with a panic he quickly suppressed. He had to divide his enemies, now. "You lot! You don't have Pokémon anymore— So make yourselves useful! After him! Allez!"
"Whoa!" In an instant, the boy was swarmed by the four remaining men, sending him on the move. Reaching the nearest wheelie bin, the intruder pulled it over— "Watch your step!"
—And sent a flood of Poké balls racing across the ground. Three of the goons slipped immediately, and the fourth was quickly knocked back as the boy tossed the bin at him. That wouldn't stop them, however. They pressed forward, chasing after the boy as he raced to the work benches.
Meanwhile, his rat was doing just as well. As much as it pained Philippe to believe it, that Pikachu was matching anything his Hatterene could do tit-for-tat. The speed by which it blitzed across the field— The force behind its attacks— It took about every ounce of his Pokémon's efforts just to keep it occupied.
What was happening? Who were these two?!
"Oop! Sorry! Too Slow!" The boy ducked and dodged, easily evading two of his men as he leapt back. That was, until he backed up into a third man— A tall, heavy-set grunt the boy had thrown under the table earlier. The boy gave the man an awkward smile. "H-hey—!"
"Gotchu!" Latching on, the grunt wrenched the boy into the air, pinning his arms to his sides as he did so. It almost seemed like the struggle had come to an end— If the boy didn't have a lot more struggle left in him. "Oof!"
With a vicious swing, the boy slammed the back of his foot into the grunt's gut, sending him reeling back in pain. Then, a moment later, something seemed to hit the back of the henchmen's knees. In quick succession, the grunt collapsed to the ground, and the boy dived away.
"Whoa! That was close!" Taking a few steps back, the boy kept his eyes locked on the three grunts in front of him. All three were itching to jump him the moment he blinked. He needed backup, and reaching into his pocket, he seemed to find it. "Come on out—!"
"Oh no you don't! Keep your hands up!" Grabbing a hammer off the workbenches, one of the grunts charged. They startled the boy into a backstep and made him reveal his play— A Poké ball in his hand. "Drop it you stupid kid, or else you're gonna need a lot more than a Nurse Joy to patch you up!"
The boy glared at the man who was holding him at hammer-point, watched as he and his allies began to laugh at his expense. His lips were locked onto a firm frown, until he looked up, at the hammer in the grunt's hand.
"Drop it?" Gripping the Poké ball tighter, the boy waited for the grunt to confirm his order. Then, he grinned. "Well alright! You asked for it!"
With a flick of his wrist, the boy dropped the ball to the ground— Right onto the button to prime it.
"Why you little!" The goon swung, ready to bash the kid's skull in— Only for the hammer to slip and shoot right out of his hand. It flew straight over the intruder's head. "Huh!?"
"Hah!" Diving back, the boy laughed, right as the Poké ball he dropped clattered onto the floor and opened. A plume of cinders and smoke took the field, before he stood straight to welcome his Pokémon. "Come on out— Charizard!"
A great orange beast arrived on the scene with a proud bellow, stunning the grunts still at its arrival. In an instant, all eyes were on it. Even Hatterene and the Pikachu paused their brawl to stare and holler respectively. The only one who wasn't enraptured by the sudden appearance of the fire-breathing dragon was Philippe himself.
His eyes stared in the direction he saw that hammer fly off in.
As the Charizard began to easily blow back Philippe's men, he had only one thing to say.
"Just what the hell is going—!?" Suddenly, everything went dark, as Philippe felt his coat being pulled up over his head and eyes. "Merde?! What the—!"
"Watch the language." Philippe froze as a voice rang out. A girl!?
Before he had a moment to process the fact he'd been snuck upon, Philippe was shoved straight over the railing of the catwalk. He stumbled, and landed headfirst in a bin of Poké balls below.
𝒳
"Aaaand that's the last of 'em!" Ash breathed a sigh of relief, watching the battle conclude as the final goon collapsed. Things had gotten a bit dicey by the end there, but thanks to a few extra hands, they'd just about scraped out the win.
Pikachu stood triumphantly over Hatterene, a smug grin on his lips and a proud inflection in his voice. Across from him, Charizard bellowed and snorted, throwing that final unconscious goon onto the pile with the rest. The two were talking about something, Ash soon realized. They had made this little operation into a competition, right under his nose.
Chuckling, Ash shook his head, before turning his gaze to the open air. Those two weren't the only ones helping. Though she had kept hidden, Latias had helped too— Tripping up grunts, hiding their Poké balls, and saving his butt on a few occasions. He had a lot to say to her, once they were safe enough for her to speak again. For now though…
"Thank you, L—"
"Jeeze, and here I thought I'd never get a thanks. It's nice being appreciated."
"Hah! How could I forget?" Whipping around, Ash found Bianca descending the ladder of the catwalk. In all the chaos of the brawl, she'd managed to sneak in through the front door (courtesy of the goons leaving it unlocked) and send the boss toppling. "Glory hog— That guy was mine!"
His jeer came with a grin and a chuckle, which Bianca returned in kind.
"Glory hog? From Mr. Rush-Into-Danger-At-The-Drop-Of-A-Hat? Hah!" She approached with a laugh, before taking a spot at Ash's side. "Besides, it looks to me like you've gotten enough glory."
"And this from Ms. Stay-Behind-And-Call-The-Police?" Laughing, Ash nudged Bianca's side with his elbow. "Face it. You liked my plan!"
"Yeah, yeah, sure." Rolling her eyes, Bianca turned and gave the shop a once over. She barely had a chance to take in her surroundings in all the chaos after all. Soon though, her gaze fell on a sight that was pulling at Ash's attention as well. "We should get going, all that being said. Officer Jenny is coming."
"Yeah, I gotcha. We're almost done here anyways." Furrowing his brow, Ash stepped forward, approaching the object of their common interest: The boss, buried head first in the wheelie bin of Poké balls. "Just one last rotten thief to— Ack!"
All at once, the man struck. His arm shot out from the bin, latching onto Ash's neck and squeezing it tight. In an instant, he was at the man's mercy, a thumb pressed to his jugular and an iron grip wrapped around the back of his neck.
"Pikapi!?"
"Ash!?"
Panic took the room immediately, as Bianca leapt back and Pikachu and Charizard charged forth, only to be cowed by six measly words.
"Stop, or I will kill him." It was the boss, slowly pulling himself from the bin and standing tall on his feet. Despite how disheveled he looked after his tumble, his face remained cool and steely. Through his hacked, pained breaths, Ash could only find a single emotion in his eyes— Absolute hatred. "C'est les dégénérés comme vous, qui salissent le monde! And yet you don't have the courtesy to leave good men like me alone."
"Good!? Fat lotta good you—!" Ash was silenced by another tight squeeze. The man's grip felt like stone, even as Ash pulled at it with all his might. His hands would not give.
"No. No more quips. No more heroic declarations," he said, turning and facing Pikachu and Charizard. Pikachu was crackling, a vicious growl underlying his voice as he glared at Ash's captor. Charizard too could barely hold himself back, teeth and claws bared and raring to go.
The man stared down the both of them and didn't blink.
"You two will collect the Poké balls. And you, will call that Officer Jenny again. Direct her to a new location." Turning, the man startled Bianca with just a look, sending her into a back step. "You will all do this, or it's the boy's life."
"Pikaka, pi! Pikachu-pi pikaka!" Pikachu snapped at the man, the fur at the back of his neck standing straight up from the pure static. Crackles of sparks flew off his body, only to disperse at the man's feet.
"Ah, ah, ah. I wouldn't go hitting me with any stray Thunderbolts, little rat," he warned, showing off just how tight his grip on Ash's neck was. "The convulsions from the electricity just might make my hand tighten, until you hear a snap."
"Pika…" At the man's warning, Pikachu was cowed. His head fell, as a look of unabashed shame took his face.
Ash hated this. He wanted to cry out, to tell Pikachu to hit them anyway, that he'd be fine. Yet, he couldn't get a word out through his closed throat. The whole room was spinning as he tried to think of something, anything to do.
"And— And after that, then what? You'll let him go, right?" Trying her best to keep a steady head, Bianca attempted to negotiate with Ash's captor, only to receive a tut-tut in return.
"Well, I can't have you all attacking me the moment I let him go," he said, sending a wave of dread racing through the whole room. "So I think I'll just have to take this little… dégénére with me. Give him some payback for all the trouble he's caused."
The man let out a nasty, foreboding laugh, one that echoed alone in the silent workshop. It was a punchline, for an audience of one.
A ragged cry rang out in response.
"Don't you dare!"
"Huh!?" The man's gaze shot upwards, as he found himself staring at a duplicate of Bianca, standing up on the railing above him. Before he even had a chance to process what was happening, she leapt.
"Let him go!" Latias crashed down on the man, drop-kicking him in the head and freeing Ash in one fell swoop. Once they hit the ground, the job was done. The man was knocked out.
Latias's chest heaved as she stood up, not out of exhaustion, but seemingly instead, adrenaline. Doing that, revealing herself, it took a lot from her, Ash could tell. She looked down at the man at her feet, and gave him a kick, out of frustration.
Before Ash could say a word, Latias turned and looked at him, and smiled. Offering a hand to help pick him up, she simply said.
"Are you okay?"
𝒵
"Now, that's the last of them."
Latias let out a sigh of relief, as Ash dumped the man's unconscious body onto the pile with the others. With the boss down, the deed was done. She could relax. Taking a deep breath, she let the cover of her illusion slip away, and her true self shine through.
Ash turned to face her just as she finished.
"Are you sure about this, Latias? Officer Jenny will be here, eventually." Bianca put a hand on Latias's shoulder, an old comfort for when her nerves got to her. Not tonight though, right then and there, Latias felt calm.
"Come on, Bianca, let her live a little! Especially after she's been keeping the cover on so tight," Ash declared, pausing as he came to a stop at his Charizard's side. He offered the dragon Pokémon his thanks and a pat before recalling him to his Poké ball.
"Yeah, Bianca, let me live a— Pffffft." A laugh got caught in her throat before it burst into a giggle. Bianca couldn't help but snort at that.
"Couldn't finish the thought, huh?"
"Nope." With that, Latias slipped off towards Ash and began to orbit around him. "You did amazing against those thieves. You were so cool!"
"Heh, I really did, huh? All in a day's work for— Ow!" Quick to accept her praise, Ash immediately went into a bit of ego stroking, before Pikachu set him straight with a light smack of his tail. Minding his manners, Ash tried again. "All in a day's work, for you, Latias. You really saved my butt a few times there!"
"Nyeheheh, I guess I did." Latias, without the moral compass of Pikachu, was more than happy to take on the vanity streak. She folded her arms and put on an overly-prideful grin— One that made Ash laugh.
"Of course! You were my he—!" A ring cut Ash off mid-word, surprising Latias and him in kind. Reaching into his pockets, he dug out a phone and paused to give it a look. What he saw seemed to surprise him and Pikachu, as his expression became a bit more serious. "Sorry, I should take this."
"Oh! Of course, right. Take your time!" Slinking off, Latias left the two behind, as she rejoined Bianca's side. Coming to a gentle stop, she let out a happy sigh. Quiet stood between her and her sister, before Bianca spoke up.
"He really does make you happy, huh?" It was a surprising question, one that pulled at Latias's attention even as her gaze remained locked on Ash. He was speaking up in his call.
'I can totally do that, but, what's going on?.'
"He does. Everything just feels, easier, when he's around," she confessed, playing with her fingers as she tried to put her thoughts together. "Like, I can do just about anything again!"
Latias hummed a thought, dwelling on her own words as she heard a snippet from Ash's call.
'No need to worry? But that's when I worry the most.'
Shaking her head, Bianca turned away from Ash, and looked to Latias once more.
"What happens, when he has to go again?" She posed the question without a hint of accusation or misintent, only legitimate concern. To that worry, Latias stewed over an answer, before she spoke up once again.
"I'll be, okay. Just knowing he cares enough to visit has already been such a help. I think I can hold onto that, whenever he needs to leave." Shaking her head, Latias put on a bright fresh face, one that expressed her excitement far more than her anxiousness. "But that's a thought for later! He's here now, and I'm going to enjoy all the time we have left!"
Latias's declaration was firm and proud. Unfortunately, the universe seemed intent on making her swallow that pride. Ash turned, scratching the back of his head as he looked down at his phone.
"So, uh, as it turns out, I don't have much time left."
"H-huh?" All at once, Latias felt the floor dropping out from under her. Pure, unabashed confusion took her voice. "What do you mean? You're leaving already?"
"Yeah, my friend Dawn just called me, told me I had to come see her in Sinnoh, ASAP. She wouldn't say why but, it sounded important." Ash looked worriedly at his phone for a moment, before stowing it away. "I'm really sorry, but I think I gotta cut my visit short."
"Pika…"
A hundred thoughts fired through Latias's mind, a dozen possible reactions playing out and restarting all at once. Unable to decide on what to say, she seemed to just say everything.
"I, um, well, you, that's—" After bashfully chewing her words for a moment, Latias forced her mouth shut. Calm, re-center, try again. "That's okay, Ash. I understand."
Her response was forced and not-at-all like her, and despite Latias's best efforts, Ash could tell in an instant. Worry flashed in his eyes, as he opened his mouth to say something—
"Timeout." —Before he was immediately cut off by Bianca. Latias's best friend, her confidant, her sister, stepped forward and took her hand, before looking to Ash. "Could you, give us a minute? Sister-to-sister talk, ya know."
"Bianca, what're you—?"
"I, uh, sure?" The worry didn't leave Ash's eyes, it was just joined with confusion now. He watched on as Bianca dragged Latias to the other side of the workshop. This was their conversation now.
Latias and Bianca came to a stop in a small, intimate corner of the workshop, the latter pausing to let out an exasperated sigh while Latias just watched.
"Bianca, what's—"
"You need to go. Latias, you need to go." Cutting her off at the word, Bianca's head shot up, startling Latias and confusing her all at once. Latias blinked in silence before responding.
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
"I mean you need too—" Bianca groaned, dragging her palm across her face before she latched onto Latias's shoulders. "Look. I've been meaning to say this, for a long time now. I've just never found the words, or the courage. But I'd be a terrible friend if I wasn't honest with you right now, like I haven't been in the past."
Bianca took a deep breath, to punctuate her next few words.
"You need to leave Alto Mare."
"What?! Bianca you—" Instant confusion and shock took Latias, before Bianca shushed her and pointed to the side. Ash was only just out of earshot. "Bianca, I can't do that— Why would I do that?!"
"You are dying here, Latias. The same routine, every day, keeping yourself hidden away, never stretching out like you used to do. You need to get out of here, you need to try something new." Bianca took a deep breath, like what she was about to say was harder than anything that came before. "You need to go, with Ash."
Latias's heart shot into a runaway beat, as she instantly went on the defensive.
"I… I can't just go with him, Bianca. It's not like he's offering the ride!" She bit her tongue, trying to keep her voice down. It felt like at any moment she'd break into a scream that was just as excited as it was terrified. "I don't even think he'd want me to go with him."
"Are you kidding? He held onto your gift all these years— As soon as he got in, he wanted to see you, Latias." Bianca's palms slid down from Latias's shoulders, until they met with her hands and interlocked. "The only reason he wouldn't want you to follow is, because he thinks you'd prefer to stay in Alto Mare."
Reason #1 destroyed, time to go to reason #2.
"But what about Alto Mare? I have to stay here, to keep it safe. To keep you and Grandpa safe," Latias argued, hoping her excuse would stand against Bianca's next argument. When Bianca laughed, Latias knew it wouldn't.
"Alto Mare will be fine, Latias. We'll be fine. For once, you need to worry about yourself." There was a difficulty in getting her words through. Yet, Latias could tell she meant every letter of it. "And besides, nothing ever happens in Alto Mare."
Bianca's smile slipped for a moment, as a loose Poké ball rolled past her feet.
"...Tonight, notwithstanding, of course."
Latias's mind raced with the possibilities, Bianca's plan seeming less and less insane with each pass she gave it. Could that actually work? Could she actually… go?
A conversation from many months ago replayed in Latias's mind.
Sometimes I wish I spent my time with him better.
"Okay… Okay, I'll do it. I'll ask, if I can go with him." Even just saying that felt like a dream and a nightmare all in one. Something she had wanted for so long laid just a few meters away, and all she had to do was reach for it. "This whole idea is crazy. But… if it works…"
Latias turned, and faced towards Ash.
"Thank you Bianca."
"Go get 'em, sis."
With that, Latias was off, drifting back to Ash and Pikachu and leaving Bianca to herself.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Bianca felt a weight finally slip off her shoulders. As much as it pained her to say it, she was happy it was finally out there. She was happy that Latias was finally getting what she deserved.
Bianca watched as Latias grabbed Ash's attention, nervously twiddling with her fingers for a moment before speaking. As soon as she did speak though— Pikachu perked up. Latias couldn't get a word in before he hopped off Ash's shoulder and ran off, shouting something back at Ash before he left the two to themselves.
"And what are you up to, exactly?" Snorting, Bianca welcomed Pikachu to her side, as he jumped onto her shoulder and took a seat.
"Pikapi, kachu. Kapika, chuuu." She didn't get a word of it, but his intent just about shined through.
The two looked on as Latias started again, beating around the bush while she drifted in an orbit around Ash. Soon though, she centered herself, and laid it all out.
Ash was awestruck for a moment, her request catching him completely by surprise. Yet, as quickly as shock came to Ash, his joy came next. Just as Bianca thought, he shouted 'of course!' and immediately went off— talking about how amazing this was, listing off all the things they'd be able to do together. Right in lockstep, Latias joined in, flying circles around him and listing off ideas of her own.
High-flung adventures, distant locals, antics the two could only dream of— All of that and more was on the table in an instant. Bianca couldn't believe it, but it was like she was seeing double.
Soon, the excitement tempered, as Ash forced himself to pause and think straight. He turned and asked Latias something, something she hesitated at for a moment, before nodding and agreeing. With that, Ash began digging through his pockets.
"Pikaka, pikachu." Pikachu shuddered, seemingly getting what was happening before Bianca did. Then, it struck her. Ash was looking for a Poké ball.
Like a lightbulb going on in her mind, Latias perked up, before she shot off to one of the wheelie bins. She dug through it, pulled out a ball at random, and then returned to Ash's side. With a warm smile, she offered it forward to Ash, who reached for it with a grin.
That ball— Bianca quickly realized what kind it was. In an instant, all the warmth in her eyes drained away as she let out an exasperated sigh.
"Latias…" Latias had just handed Ash a Love Ball, and from the looks of it, she had no idea what it implied.
"Pikapi…" And from Pikachu's response, it seemed Ash didn't realize it either. Bianca held back a laugh.
How were these two real?
𝒵
"Stay safe out there, amore mio, and remember— Home is always here for you."
After taking a night and a morning to rest off the chaos from yesterday, it was time for Ash and Pikachu to hit the road. A few day's journey laid between them and Sinnoh, and Dawn's urgent request was still sitting heavy in Ash's mind.
The road ahead would have its time, however. Now was the time for goodbyes. Ash and Latias stood at the door to Bianca's home.
"I will, grandfather. Thank you so much, for everything." Latias, disguised as Bianca, embraced Lorenzo, pressing her face into his shoulder and savoring every moment she had left. "Ash has your number now, so I'll call as much as I can! I'll even try writing you letters! …When, I figure out how to do that."
Lorenzo let out a hearty laugh as they separated. There was a knowing glint in his eye, one Latias could just about parse through all his pride. What he was proud about, she wasn't quite sure.
"Really, I should be warning this boy you're running off with!" With a jump and humorous inflection, Lorenzo called out Ash. "I better not hear of you dragging her into any danger, is that understood?"
"Please, grandfather. This is Ash. He practically begs for danger." Bianca stepped forward, a small smirk on her lips as she locked eyes with the boy. "I can tell, you've got some trouble already cooking, don't you?"
"Mmmm, maybe." The light tease came with a chuckle and a cocky smirk, one Bianca couldn't help but return. She exchanged a nod with Ash, before turning to Latias, one last time. The two shared a look and Latias smiled.
Bianca's voice cracked.
"Heh, look at that. Now you're the one who's leaving home, without me." Not another word needed to be said. Not another word could be said. The two pulled each other into a tight embrace, Bianca squeezing her sister with all the force she could muster. After a moment, it broke through the cover of Latias's disguise, revealing her in all her glory.
"I promise, I'll be back."
"Of course, you will." Bianca sniffled, holding Latias closer. "Big baby like you? You can't stay away from home for long. You'll be back before you know it."
Giggling, Latias pressed her forehead to Bianca's.
"Yeah. I will. But, for now—" Latias floated back, her arms slipping from Bianca's until the two separated. With a flash, she pulled her disguise back on, and with a grin, she held onto his shoulder. "This is where I go."
Without breaking a sweat, Ash stepped forward, a proud smile on his face as he gripped the rim of his cap.
"It's been amazing seeing you guys again, and I promise, we'll be back someday soon!" he declared, looking to Latias as she reached for the door. Bright daylight shined in from behind him, as he gave his final words. "Until then— Gotta jet!"
And with that, we conclude the first two arcs of Finding Something New! With Serena's first gym badge in hand and Latias joining the remainder of Ash's journey, it's off to the races for our two heroes!
For now, FSN will be taking a short hiatus over the holidays, returning on January 6 for the start of the Cyllage City arc! Until then, look out next week for the next Clemont side story, Limits, premiering next week!