《A Champion’s Reunion》


 Special Friend in our Hearts

    The girl swung beneath the tree on an old wooden seat, secured by ropes that had seen better days.


    Despite this, they held firm, defiant of their age as they supported the girl that had become lost in her thoughts. Thoughts that sped through her mind like a wind in a storm, yet as gray and melancholy as the sea below. Thoughts she had not been able to shake for the past seven years, try as she might.


    Memories of her anchor, her rock, her brother. Memories of pranks shared, heated words exchanged, and the promise of a kinder tomorrow, no matter the severity of the arguments. Time and time again, she recalled the flippant promise made to him to exercise caution, only to later be found and accosted by two sinister thieves. Thieves temporarily thwarted by her savior, throwing himself into the fray and taking an attack that had been meant for her. Her savior, a boy she had befriended and played with, much to the chagrin of her brother...her rock.


    She glanced over to a spot not ten feet away, where her brother and her savior met for the first time...or to be more accurate, where the two clashed. Her brother had not been happy about the supposed intrusion, of course, and it was only exacerbated by the arrival of her "twin", who had ordered Latios to continue attacking, despite the naive barrier that had placed herself between the conflicting males. She had been glad beyond measure when her caretaker had shown up and calmed both his granddaughter and the mistrustful charge she called her brother. With hostilities eased, she had free reign to play with her new friend and his Pok¨¦mon, roping her brother into the activities as well.


    Hours of fun and trust built...until nightfall when the thieves invaded their home and stole away her brother, forcing her to flee into the arms of her savior, hoping against all odds he would do something,anything, to rescue her brother and their home from the assault.


    The following morning was a grim reminder of the cage she lived in, and the price that had been paid to keep it from sinking beneath the waves.


    A cage now empty of her brother, save for the singular orb that contained his life, leaving only her sister in all but blood, and an aging caretaker for company. And-


    "Oi, watch where you''re going! You keep flying into me!"


    "Maybe if you actually opened your eyes,you wouldn''t be flying intome!"


    Latias'' mouth curved slightly upwards as the voices permeated the air, rapidly getting closer before a breeze indicated the bickering pair had flown by. Took them long enough, she thought, curious as to why they had taken as long as they did. Gracefully getting up from her seat, Latias called out to them with a gentle, honeyed tone. "Welcome back, you two. You''ve been gone for some time. I hope there wasn''t any trouble."


    Quickly, the pair circled back around and hovered in front of her, gradually shedding their invisibility as they ducked their head. On her left was a Latias like herself that Bianca had jokingly dubbed "Ti-ti", something the young dragoness surprisingly didn''t mind. Latias wasn''t overly fond of it, but because her friend refused to call both of them "Tia", the name stuck. Meanwhile, the sibling that was to her right had been named "Sirius", also given by Bianca. When prompted, the girl had explained it was a reference to both the star and the fact that he "didn''t have a humorous bone in his body". Latias believed this was slightly ironic and hypocritical, but who was she to judge? The twins had accepted the names, albeit begrudgingly on Sirius'' part, as it helped differentiate the two from Latias and the brother that was no longer with her.


    Ti-ti looked pleased, although the way she bobbed side to side in the air indicated something had irritated her. This was made more obvious as the youngster quickly replied, "It was wild, you wouldn''t believe it. This genius here got himself targeted by some crazy trainer, and I was on my way back to tell you about it and see if your friend couldn''t figure something out to help him, you know? But as I was flying, I got hit in mid-airby a group of weirdos and crashed into a lake. That was crazy scary. Then thisother trainer guy apparently sees this, and comes to rescue me, although I didn''t know that at the time."


    Latias'' lips twitched in amusement as her younger kin rambled, pleased she had the fortune of running into a kind-hearted trainer, much like she herself had. The "crazy trainer" concerned her, however she felt at ease seeing the two free and relatively unharmed, minus the bruising.


    Ti-ti continued to blabber on as Sirius donned a flat expression. "Anyway, this guy recognizes what I am, oddly enough, and pulls me from the lake. I tried getting away, but those dinguses had hit me harder than I thought, so I just passed out. When I woke up, I realized that the trainer guy had bandaged me up and then fell asleep on me, the nerve of him, before I freaked out and woke him up as I pulled away. I really wish I hadn''t, because my wing was stillsuper sore, and he was a surprisingly good cuddle buddy, but I wasn''t takinganychances with that psycho trainer on the loose. After that, the weirdos had come back in this strange balloon and sucked me into it with a super strong sucker-"


    "That''s called a vacuum. You should know, since that''s what you become whenever you come across my stashes of berries."


    "-and the nice trainer jumped in with me. He landed on my back though, which was pretty annoying. The weirdos started filling the bubble thing with super cold air, and it felt the absolute worst. I thought I was a goner, until the nice trainer put himself against the glass bubble, and told his Pikachu to electrocute him through the glass! I have no idea how he knew that''d work, but it did, and the bubble thing broke. We fell for a bit, and the trainer reached out to me with both arms. I finally realized he wasn''t evil like the crazy trainer and the weirdos with the balloon, and I flew both of us down to the ground. He defeated the weirdos with his Pok¨¦mon and sent them off flying. After that, I was gonna leave, but I decided to stick around this guy for a while, cuz I guess he seemed pretty capable, ya know? Maybe he could help CItrus over here-"


    "Don''t mutilate my name."


    "-defeat the crazy guy and his super mean mount."


    Latias blinked a few times as she processed the influx of information. She was intrigued at the mention of the Pikachu, given her own savior''s partner was also a Pikachu. Maybe trainers with Pikachus as their partners were all super kind and helpful. Or maybe-


    "Go on and tell her what you did, I''msure she''ll get a kick out of it,"Sirius said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. Latias blinked and looked towards Ti-ti as she shoved her sibling, before pressing on."I followed him around, like I said! I even swooped in and caught him and his Pikachu when they jumped off a cliff."


    There was a moment of silence as she frowned, wondering why this trainer would jump off a cliff. Did he need help of some kind? Was his life bad enough that he felt he needed to resort to-?


    "Of course, I don''t think hemeantto jump off a cliff. They had gotten separated, you see, and they jumped to each other, all happy-like. Unfortunately, their jumping point of choice happened to be a ravine, and neitherof them noticed. Not gonna lie, I was pretty worried this guy was stupid or something, and couldn''t help us because he was so stupid."


    Both Latias and Sirius snorted at that, with the older of the two thinking to herself she''d probably feel the same way. Cocking her head slightly, she asked,"And so what did you do after that?"


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    "Oh, well I put the two of them back up with his friends, of course."


    "His Pok¨¦mon, you mean?"


    Ti-ti looked slightly annoyed as she replied, "What? No, his friends. The human ones. Wait, did I forget to mention those two? My bad."


    Her brother rolled his eyes again, shaking his head as his sister cheerfully jabbered on. "Anyway, I''m still following them around and watching them. I gotta say, Tia, I was impressed with this guy. Everywhere he went, anytime a Pok¨¦mon was in trouble, he stopped and helped them, even if it took a lotta effort. The most impressive one was probably this thing with a Wailmer-"


    "I''m sorry to interrupt, Ti-ti, I really am, but can we please cut to the chase? What happened with the trainer and him?" Latias gently interjected as she glanced up at the sky; the sun was just starting to dip down past noon, and she promised she would hang out with Bianca. While she mostly enjoyed the ramblings of the younger Latias, she didn''t have time for a tale that lasted the whole day.


    The dragoness pouted and sniffed, replying in a mildly hurt tone,"I was getting there, geez.If you must know, O Great One, the trainer and his friends got separated by the weirdos from earlier, until only the Pikachu was left. It was a pretty clever plan, I''ll admit, but they never counted onmebeing there," she said with a puffed-up chest. "Just as they were about to snatch him up, I alerted the nice trainer, and he came along and helped defend the Pikachu. Kinda sucked for them, though, cuz all the Pokemon they had sent out to distract his friends came back, and surrounded both of them. That''s when I decided enough was enough, and long story short, I revealed myself before casting them far away!"Ti-ti cheered, throwing her clawed arms into the air. Latias smiled at this, while Sirius merely shook his head."And what was your dear, wounded brother doing while you were off messing around with your trainer friend? Oh, right. He was trying to evade the crazy guy and his Pok¨¦mon."


    Ti-ti looked down and muttered,"You said to go get help, didn''t you?"


    Sirius heaved a breath while Latias looked sympathetically at them both."Well, this trainer helped you, didn''t he? That''s why you''re here, instead of being captured."She gently asked, hoping the male would understand what she was getting at. Sirius looked away for a moment, glancing at his downtrodden sister before carefully responding,"I just.... I remembered what you said, about what happened that night. How you placed your faith in a human, and he was unable to save your brother. I didn''t want...I didn''t want that to happen again."


    A cold pit formed in Latias'' chest as her expression turned stony, Ti-ti''s eyes widening as she turned to look at her brother in horror."Sirius, you can''t just....you can''t just say things like that, that''s mean!"


    "I''m sorry, but it''s the truth! I didn''t want myself oryouto die because of misplaced faith! We both know-"


    "What happened in this city,"Latias began with gritted teeth, "was nothing short of devastating. My brother''s life was taken by the action of selfish and cruel humans, that is true. But the lives of everyone in this city, including mine, were only spared because of the actions of selfless and kind humans. He...theydid the best they could, and I owe much to them. I do not begrudge their inability to save my brother''s life the only ones to blame for that have been imprisoned. I trusted them to do what they could, and that''s what they did. Your sister is no different. In fact, I''d argue she exercised more caution with your own savior than I did with mine. It was her faith in this trainer that led to your safety, wasn''t it?"


    Sirius looked downcast and nodded, while Ti-ti stared at Latias with tears in her eyes. The Latios muttered in a regretful tone,"Sorry, Ti. I just....I have no excuse."


    Latias shook her head as she replied, "That''s not entirely true, SIrius. While I stand by what I said, I will not question who you choose to trust, or not. Just remember that your sister cares for you, and with equal care, found someone and made sure her faith wasn''t misguided."


    The Latios chewed this over as Latias looked towards the younger dragoness."Now, how about you finish up with that story? The short version, please."


    Ti-ti did a loop as she eagerly continued. "Right, so, after his tall friend cooked some food, the nice trainer fed me. It was suuuper yummy-"


    "You- he did what?" Sirius choked out, looking aghast. His sister looked over to him and replied cheerfully,"He fed me. He took the weird pellets out, and gave them to me one by one."


    Sirius glared at her, although Latias could tell he was more concerned than angry when he responded, "He could have fed you something weird, like poison or something. What if he had been working with the hunter?"


    "If you had seen the things he was willing to do for all the Pokemon he''s met, you wouldn''t be saying that," Ti-ti scoffed, before she smugly stated,"And I certainly wouldn''t have cuddled up next to him when we slept that night, either!"


    Latias fought the urge to giggle as the Latios dropped his arms down, looking like his world had ended. Before he could gather regain his ability to speak, Latias gently prompted Ti-ti,"And after that?"


    Ti-ti looked over and yawned suddenly, replying in a semi-calmer voice,"Well, Sirius woke me up and told me where he was at, so the trainer and his friends packed up their things and we took off. Probably could have made it to him faster, but I had to make sure to keep pace with the tall guy''s Pokemon since it was carrying them. Well, except for the Pikachu, who jumped on top of me. Said he''s done it before with another of my kind, and it really showed. Didn''t fall off once."


    Latias blinked, feeling a tingle in the back of her mind as her eyes slightly widened. A Pikachu that had met and interacted with another Latias before? One who was owned by a caring and kind trainer-


    "Anyway, we get to the cave where Sirius was healing up, and as soon as he sees them, he goes all mean,"Ti-ti rambled, not noticing Latias'' increased interest. Sirius was not so impressed and snapped back, "It''s not dumb to not want to be caught, you know."


    "Yeah, except you completely ignored the fact that I was telling you to attack, cuz I knew this guy wasn''t a big jerk like the crazy trainer was. And yet, you still attacked him, and got a Pikachu tail to the head as a result."


    Latias giggled this time, remembering way back when her own brother had attacked her own savior and knocked around his Pikachu. To be fair, it wasn''t as though Pikachu could actuallyseeLatios,she reasoned. She watched as Sirius rubbed the top of his head and look away, muttering,"If I had been at full strength, that Pikachu would have never even touched a feather on me."


    "Yeah, keep telling yourself that. Anyway, after Sirius stopped attacking for like three seconds, the nice trainer told him he was trying to help, and introduced himself. As though either of us could communicate back properly,"Ti-ti giggled.


    Feeling her mind tingle again, Latias subconsciously leaned closer and asked,"What did this nice trainer call himself, if you don''t mind me asking?"


    Ti-ti looked at her curiously as she replied, "Uh, pretty sure it was ''Ash'', or something-"


    The younger dragoness yelped as Latias surged forward and got right up into her face, although the elder barely registered this as shock and excitement surged through her."Did you just say ''Ash''?"Ti-ti nodded, her eyes wide, while Latias made a split second decision. "Show me,"she urged. Nodding quickly, Ti-ti quickly obeyed, both Latias'' eyes flashed for a brief second as the memories transferred to the eldest Eon. When it was over, Latias immediately teared up and let go of the alarmed Eon. Ti-ti looked at her in concern, asking in a small voice as Sirius glanced over them with confusion-filled eyes, "Um...what was that about?"


    Latias didn''t reply as she processed the information."I...I can''t believe it. That''s.... It really is him."


    Before either of the siblings could question her, she made a split-second decision, wiping her eyes as she asked, "Where did you leave him?"


    They looked at each other before turning back to her, Sirius cautiously saying,"I''m not too sure, we didn''t really check-"


    She lost her patience and snapped,"Then at least tell me what direction and how far, I can figure out the rest!"The siblings quickly nodded, and Latios'' eyes glowed for a brief moment before the elder Eon nodded."Good, thank you. I''m very sorry for snapping, but I...had to make sure. I haveto know if that''s him." In a flash, her guise fell of of her as she tore out of the Garden, leaving the siblings alone.


    They looked at each other for a moment, before Ti-ti broke the silence and asked,"What''s gotten her to go weird like that?"


    Sirius muttered a reply, "I have no idea, but I think it was a mistake."


    His sister shot him a surprised look."Why''d you say that? Maybe that''s an old friend or something."


    The Latios looked unimpressed as he turned to face the pool, gesturing towards it."Because it means we''re stuck here, guardingthat."


    Ti-ti looked in the pool''s direction and then groaned."Great, I should have kept my fat mouth shut. I really blew it this time."


    Sirius merely snorted, resigning himself to his fate as he drifted up into a tree and settled down on it. Hopefully, it was nothing and Tia would be back soon.

 Tracking down the heart

    While Latias couldn''t quite break the sound barrier, she certainly did her best as she made a beeline to her best friend''s location. She thanked her lucky stars she had learned how to single Bianca out from the sheer volume of people in the city, because time was not a commodity for her right now. Even as she was on her way to Bianca, Ash was likely getting further and further from where the twins had left him.


    Spotting her friend, she soared down and stopped next to her, creating a small gust of air that rustled her clothes. Fortunately, it wasn''t nearly strong enough to tip over or otherwise ruin the painting her friend had been working on.


    Sparing a glance to the side, Bianca murmured in a low voice, "Something wrong? Normally, you''d at least wait until-"


    "I know where he is," Latias interrupted, speaking directly into her mind in an excited tone. Her friend frowned for a moment, bringing a pastel away from her easel as she stared at where she knew Latias was hovering. She sounded baffled as she asked, "''He''? Who''s ''he''?"


    Latias bobbed in place impatiently as she replied, "Ash! I know where Ash is! The twins found him, and they told me!"


    Eyes flying open in shock, Bianca paused for a moment, before turning her whole body to face her. "I¡­can''t say that I expected that. Are you sure they saw him?" She asked in a cautious tone. Latias replied eagerly as she quivered, "Yes! They showed me their memories. He looks older, of course, but there''s no mistaking it; it''s definitely him."


    Bianca nodded as she took a deep breath, pursing her lips as she turned back to her sketch and stared at it. "I suppose that you are going to go find him," her friend inquired as she carefully began to cover her artwork. Latias nodded before remembering Bianca couldn''t see her. "Yes, I am. I just wanted to stop and tell you before you come looking. I''m sorry that-"


    "I wouldn''t really worry about that," Bianca interrupted, folding her easel and gently placing it inside of her bag. "As much as I''d love to spend some time with you out in the city, I''d also love to get away from it for once."


    Latias froze, head cocking to the side. "You¡­what? What do you mean, ''get away from it''?"


    Her friend snorted quietly as she finished putting away her items. "I''m coming with you, obviously. I almost never got a chance to leave Alto Mare because of schooling and helping to look after you. Now that we''re both adults, and the twins are here to help guard your¡­Garden, well, I think this is a perfect excuse to get away. Wouldn''t you agree?"


    Suppressing a wince at the near mention of her brother, Latias nonetheless agreed. Still¡­. "I don''t want to leave you behind, but it would be faster if I flew alone," she said weakly, already feeling guilty for having suggested it. Bianca merely snorted again as she threw her bag over her shoulder, before replying in an annoyed tone, "Maybe, and I''m sorry about that. But again, I''d rather not let this opportunity slip us by. Not to mention this will be the first time both of us have been out of the city together, and you for your entire life. Besides," she added, "I have some words to share with your boyfriend about not paying us a visit."


    Spluttering, Latias tried to stammer out a reply, which Bianca ignored and pulled out her phone, dialing a number and placing it against her ear. After a moment, it seemed to pick up, and her friend quickly spoke, "Hey, granddad. I''m gonna be gone for a short while. Some¡­business popped up that I need to take care. Shouldn''t take all day, but I wanted to let you know just in case." There was a pause as the voice on the other end replied, and after a moment, Bianca responded, "Yeah, it''s gonna be outside of the city. Tia is taking me, and the other two are watching the¡­." She trailed off and glanced at Latias'' spot in the air, to which the sent a quick "yes" into her mind. Bianca continued, "Yeah, the twins are watching it."


    There was another pause as Lorenzo seemed to consider it, and Latias danced in the air again impatiently. Finally, there was response, and Bianca nodded. "Yes, granddad, I''m sure. I know it''s sudden, but it concerns a certain someone that may or may not need his teeth kicked in," Bianca ignored the gasp of horror that escaped Latias and continued, "and I know Tia won''t do it herself. If anything happens, I''ll give you a call, I promise." Lorenzo seemed to consider it a moment, until Latias'' sensitive ears picked up a grudging agreement. Her friend nodded right after said, "Alright, granddad. Thanks. Love you too, see ya later." She hung up and stretched, nodding as she muttered, "Well, that went way better than I thought. Let''s go track down your boy, Tia." Latias mentally cheered as she threw a psychic barrier around Bianca that was just barely visible, before diving into the water, barely leaving a ripple. Bianca was slightly less subtle, as she glanced around casually before taking a step forward and landing in the water with her. She used Psychic to pull her friend to her, and once she felt her arms wrap around her neck, she took off through the canal and headed out to the open sea.


    She made sure to occasionally breach the surface to let oxygen into Bianca''s bubble as she tore through the water, barely taking the time to look at the sights around her. At any other time, she might have been fascinated by the view. But now? She simply couldn''t be bothered. How could she, when she was about to reunite with her savior? Her-


    Latias'' stomach fluttered and despite the cool water rushing through her feathers, her face felt hot. Why is it so warm? She did her best to ignore the rather pesky sensations as she tore out of the water completely, now far enough away from the city to be spotted. She heard Bianca mutter, "Thank goodness, that was far more nerve-wracking than doing that in the canals. I had forgotten how deep the sea actually is. Now, where to?"


    Remembering the directions Sirius had given her, she slightly adjusted course and increased her speed, no longer slowed down by the water. Bianca cursed under her breath and tightened her grip, although not hard enough to restrict Latias'' airflow, for which she was grateful. Hoping she¡­they¡­weren''t too late, Latias pressed on, still fighting the warm feeling in her face.


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    It had barely been an hour since leaving Alto Mare when the island the twins had directed her to had come into view, and Latias squirmed nervously. Could she honestly expect him to have stayed there the whole time? It was only earlier that day when the twins left him there, but he could have gone anywhere since then. Judging from the memory given to her, it wasn''t a particularly exciting island. Rather, it appeared to be incredibly bland, a leftover from what was likely a peninsula in the distant past. Not a very exciting place to linger for more than a few minutes at most.


    Above her, Bianca tapped her chest with a finger, and Latias opened her thoughts to her friend. "What is it?" She inquired, and Bianca replied in a contemplative tone, "I hope you have a plan, Latias. I don''t have eyesight like yours, but it doesn''t look like that Island is very big, and I don''t think he''s still there."


    The irony of having the same thoughts was not lost on Latias as she responded in a despondent tone, "I know, Bianca. I¡­I hope he is still there. But it doesn''t matter. If he isn''t there, then I''ll look all over for him. Even if I cross into another region, I will find him."


    "I figured you''d say something like that. Let''s not get ahead of ourselves, though. We''ll double-check the island, and then we''ll look for our missing trainer." Bianca suggested, to which Latias agreed. It would be rather embarrassing to skip the island entirely, only to find that Ash had been there the whole time. As unlikely as that is.


    Upon reaching the rock formation, however, she almost regretted checking there first; the plateau was empty. Disappointment swelled up inside, and she felt Bianca pat her shoulder. "It''s fine," she said reassuringly. "We can rest here for a couple minutes, then we''ll go inland."


    Latias nodded as she slowed to a stop over the island, before lowering herself down and allowing Bianca to slide off and land on the island. Her friend staggered for a moment before wincing as she stood up straight. "My legs are a little stiff," Bianca remarked as she stretched her limbs. Latias glanced over apologetically before looking around the island. It looked no different than the memory provided, albeit without a certain trainer and his Pikachu. Looking down, Latias leaned her head closer to the ground and inhaled sharply, taking in the smells. There was an overpowering amount of sea breeze, to be sure, but there was something else beneath the salt that caught her attention. She moved around the area, little by little, taking in the smells, before spotting multiple footprints in the dirt. She floated there and took a deep whiff, and instantly picked up the strong and familiar scent of a human and his Pok¨¦mon. It was a smell she could scarcely forget, even after all this time.


    "That''s him. He was definitely here," she exclaimed, looking back at Bianca. Her friend had just finished her stretches and was walking over. "Glad to hear it. Now, where did he trot off to?" Bianca remarked as came to a stop and crossed her arms, staring at the footprints. "Well," Latias began, narrowing her eyes in concentration. "I can''t exactly tell from here, but if we get over to the mainland¡­I should be able to track him easier. At least, I hope so. It doesn''t look like he used any flying Pok¨¦mon."


    Indeed, the footsteps seemed to lead straight off the cliff, which mildly concerned Latias. However, the presence of other footprints caught her attention. Could these have been made by his friends, then? Why''d they jump with him? Looking over the edge, Latias could see it wasn''t terribly far down to the water''s surface. But that was ignoring the distance between the island and mainland. Not impossible to swim between the two, but she didn''t think it was likely; there was at least a half mile of water, and the dangers of currents was ever-present.


    Bianca came up to her side and looked down the cliff''s edge as well before declaring, "Either Ash is insane, or he used a Pok¨¦mon to cross over. I also want to know who made these other footprints. Probably friends of his, if they''re brave enough to join him."


    Latias slapped a paw over her face, feeling ridiculous. Why didn''t i¡­.? Yes, of course. He could have easily had water type Pok¨¦mon help him and his friends. Maybe they called jumped and crossed, one at a time. It''s possible at least one of them had a Pok¨¦mon that could swim. Plus, didn''t Ash have a Totodile when we first met?


    Her stomach filled with warmth at the memory before she cleared her thoughts and spoke to Bianca. "Alright, we''ll go with your theory of Pok¨¦mon. Jump on my back, and we''ll check out the opposite side. With any luck, I''ll pick up the scent again."


    Bianca nodded as Latias dipped down, allowing her friend to climb on top once more. She muttered as she adjusted herself, "We better find him before the hour is up, or I''m keeping the teeth ill be kicking out."


    Turning her head back to glance at her friend, Latias took off and headed for the mainland. I know she can get grouchy, but this is the second time today she''s threatened bodily harm to Ash.


    As she crossed the channel, she nervously piped up, "You aren''t actually going to harm him, are you?"


    Drumming her fingers against Latias'' feathers, Bianca replied in a dispassionate tone, "You know, I haven''t quite decided yet." There was a pause as Latias tried to decipher whether or not she was joking, and tried to think of a response as she decreased their altitude. Before she could, however, Bianca continued, this time sounding slightly less apathetic. "For you, I think I''ll leave him mostly unharmed."


    There was another pause as Latias brought them down to the shore, letting her friend dismount once more. She opened her mouth, before thinking the better of it and closing it again. Last thing she wanted to do was push her luck. And if it comes down to it, I can always put up a barrier, she thought as she inhaled once more, wincing as her nostrils were flooded with various scents. It was almost too much.


    Almost.


    Intertwined with the oaks and elm trees were the traces of her target, along with those of his friends''. Furthermore, it was still moderately fresh. It seemed they walked at a leisure pace, which meant it wouldn''t take long at all to catch up. Although¡­. Latias blinked as she took in the smells once more; they certainly seemed familiar, although not quite enough to figure out the individuals they belonged to. She mentally shrugged before concentrating once more. After a few moments, she managed to pinpoint the direction they traveled. Finally. She quivered in excitement, eyes shining as she lifted her head and stared into the forest. So close¡­.


    "Did you figure it out yet?" Bianca''s question made her jump slightly, before she turned and nodded a reply. "Yes, and it doesn''t seem like they''re that far, either. Maybe half an hour at most," she added eagerly. Her friend nodded and crouched, before standing up straight, sighing. "Then let''s get going, shall we?"


    "You don''t seem really¡­excited," Latias commented as Bianca climbed on top once more, and wrapped her arms around her neck as they took off. Her friend replied in a tired voice, "I keep mounting and dismounting a feathery plane, on top of staying mounted for extended periods of time. We''ve only done this for a few minutes at a time in Alto Mare; it''s more exhausting than you think."


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "Sorry," Latias apologized, flying up above the forest canopy. "But you are the one that asked to come with me," she pointed out, casting a worried look at the sky as the sun crept ever closer to the horizon. "Yeah, yeah, I know," Bianca muttered as she gently scratched her fingers though Latias'' feathers. "I was just a little too excited to get away, ya know? As beautiful as our home is, there''s only so many things to draw. I might take a leaf out of Ash''s book and start traveling everywhere."


    Latias started in surprise, having not expecting that. "Really? You want to leave Alto Mare? But¡­What about-"


    "I know, Tia. It''s just an idea. Besides, I don''t think I could do that without you with me. Who else would entertain me while I''m out and about?" Her friend teased, sounding amused.


    She snorted and replied, "Gee, thanks. Glad to know I''m at least useful for something. Also, you could travel with multiple people, like Ash does."


    Latias felt one of Bianca''s hands retreat from her body before a gentle flick was applied to the back of her head, her friend remarking in a smug voice, "Unlike your man, I don''t need multiple people keeping me in line everywhere I go. I''m a big girl."


    "More like a big head," she shot back, trying her best to ignore the heat that was scorching her cheeks. Bianca, sensing a weakness, pressed on. "Of course, I could tolerate traveling with Ash himself, so long as you promise not to make kissy faces at him the entire time."


    "STOOOP!" Latias squealed, clapping her paws to her cheeks as the heat coursed through them. "I should have thrown you into the ocean, you big-head!"


    Bianca sounded like she was on the verge of laughter as she replied, "Oh that''s a shame. Maybe I could have gone looking for your common sense, seeing as you lose it every time you think about him!"


    Turning back to give her friend an unplanned swim was looking more and more tempting until they suddenly cleared the forest, seeing a wide expanse of small hills with paths weaving over and between them. Latias had slightly slowed and was looking around curiously when a sudden breeze brought a strong scent of Ash, sending a shiver throughout her body. He''s close, so very close! Forgetting about Bianca''s last jab, she flew up and started looking wildly around, taking deep breaths through her nose in hopes of pinpointing him. Her friend leaned forward and shouted next to her ear, making her wince slightly. "You smell him? Is he close?"


    "Yes!" Latias cried out, amber eyes glinting in the sunlight. "Good," Bianca exclaimed before yawning. "Now get low to the ground again and disguise yourself; I think I see some houses over there, and I don''t want anyone to see you."


    She lifted her gaze a little and what she saw confirmed what her friend had claimed; there were indeed houses, and her enhanced sight could see vague shadows in the windows. Latias begrudgingly lowered down to just above a path, although she didn''t bother putting an illusion around herself. Instead, she lowered her head and moved along at a swift pace, keeping Bianca on her back with a gentle psychic push and ignoring the mutterings spouting from her friend.


    To her relief and increasing excitement, Ash''s scent was getting stronger and stronger, along with those of his friends. It had been maybe a couple of minutes when they reached a fork in the road, splitting into three other paths. She frowned in concentration as she leaned down and took in the scent of each path. Her frown grew deeper as she took in the smells; it seemed they had split up. Fortunately, this didn''t do a thing to decrease her nose''s effectiveness, and she quickly identified the correct path. She shot forward once more, feeling a twinge of guilt as Bianca cursed above her. Still, she would not stop, and she would not slow down. The strong scent was filling her nostrils, and she followed it eagerly.


    He''s close, he''s close, HE''S CLOSE!


    Sure enough, she flew over a hill and saw a figure walking away, barely half a mile in front of her. As if the scent wasn''t enough, she could also see a small yellow shape with him she knew to be his trust partner, and she shot forward with renewed vigor. Her heart swelled as the distance between them rapidly shrunk, and shortly after, cried out his name as her composure slipped away.


    "ASH!"


    Both him and Pikachu jumped in shock, and she vaguely heard Bianca shout, "Wait, wait, wait!" She would not stop, however, and just as Ash turned around to see who had called for him, she threw her arms around him just as she made impact with the boy. Unfortunately, in her excitement, she had failed to take into consideration Bianca''s own momentum, which had sent all three crashing into the ground with a loud thud. Still, this did not dissuade her from nuzzling the trainer beneath them with heightened vigor even as he wheezed.


    "Hah¡­I¡­can''t¡­breathe¡­" She heard him mutter and immediately rolled off him. This also brought Bianca down onto the ground next to her, landing with a loud "Ow, dammit!" She wouldn''t have been surprised if Bianca was glowering at her, but that could wait.


    What could not wait was hugging Ash once more, and she did just that as both arms were wrapped tightly around him, bringing him into a sitting position. She rubbed the side of her face against him and cooed, hearing him laugh out a question, "I thought you left with Latios! Did you want to say goodbye again, Latias?"


    She pulled back some and stared into his face, feeling confused and mildly hurt; did he think her and Ti-ti were the same individual? Could he not tell them apart? Before she could correct him, Bianca slowly got to her feet, brushed off her clothes, and glared at both of them. Ash had apparently finally noticed her and blinked, before opening his mouth.


    He didn''t get a chance to say anything, however, as Bianca immediately brought her foot down on his shoulder and shoved him back down to the ground, making him wheeze once more.


    "Stop!" Latias cried to no avail, as Bianca pressed her shoe down and glared at him, leaning down as she snapped, "You know, you have some nerve not showing up for seven years, Ash Ketchum. Didn''t you say you''d pay us a visit? Clearly you had forgotten, because you have the audacity to ¨C"


    "Wait, Bianca?" Ash said, looking up at her in astonishment. Her friend''s weight on his body didn''t seem to phase him as much as actually seeing her, although he did wince as Bianca''s glare hardened and pressed her weight down farther.


    "Yes," she snapped as she crossed her arms. "As I was saying, seven. YEARS. Seven years, and you couldn''t even show up once? Do you realize how much Latias has missed you? Granddad and I are the only ones who stick around, with those twins wandering off every so often, doing who-knows-what! Granddad can''t move like he used to, so it''s mostly just me visiting her, considering she''s alone most of the time. You haven''t forgotten why, have you?"


    Both Latias and Ash winced, the dragoness feeling a lance pierce her as she was reminded of her brother once more. She watched as Ash looked away with a guilty expression, murmuring in a sad tone, "No, I didn''t forget."


    Bianca stared down at him for a few moments before scoffing and taking her foot off his shoulder and turning away. "You''re lucky it was Latias that decided to track you down, instead of me by myself. I expect an apology to her, by the way," she finished before looking down at Pikachu with a gentler expression. "Hello, Pikachu. I see you''re looking healthier than ever. At least your trainer cares about you."


    Ash winced at that before expecting a helping paw from Latias, wiping away dust from his clothes as he stood up. "Thank you," he began awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. He looked ashamed as he said, "And I''m sorry for not visiting you, Latias. I¡­really don''t have an excuse for it."


    "He really doesn''t. We''ve visited Johto a couple times after we left, we could have stopped by at least once," Pikachu muttered as Bianca rubbed his ears, crouched next to him.


    Latias leveled a curious stare at Ash as she questioned, "Is that true? Have you been to Johto lately?"


    He opened his mouth to reply, only to look at her in surprise. "Wait, you can talk."


    Bianca stopped petting Pikachu for a moment to snap over her shoulder, "Don''t change the subject."


    "Right, sorry," Ash apologized again, before continuing. "I have been to Johto a few times recently, although that was mostly for research purposes. I wasn''t even thinking about anything else, but¡­I know that''s a pretty bad excuse. For the past year, I''ve been training for the World Championship so I could fight Leon, and when that was over¡­I decided to travel a little bit more. Misty joined me pretty early on, and then so did Brock-" He cut himself off as he brightened up. "You guys remember Misty and Brock, right? They were with me at Alto Mare."


    "Oh, so that''s why those other smells were familiar," Latias remarked as memories of the redhead and the tall boy coursed briefly through her head. Bianca snorted behind her, "Yes, I remember them. The tomboy and the womanizer, right? How have they been?"


    Ash chuckled as his eyes gleamed, "They''re both doing great. Brock is practically a Pok¨¦mon doctor at this point, and Misty runs the Cerulean Gym, and man, has she made improvements to it! It''s so big now, compared to when I first saw it."


    Latias'' eyes softened as she watched him talk about his friends in such an enthusiastic manner; clearly, he was quite fond of them. "That''s very wonderful of them," she murmured. "I wish we could have caught up to them earlier. It would have been lovely to talk with them again."


    Bianca muttered an agreement as she stood up and turned towards Ash again, looking far less hostile. "So after those two joined, what then?" She prompted, looking curious.


    "Well, we traveled through a couple of regions, and helped out a couple of Pok¨¦mon along the way! Before Misty and Brock joined up, I came across another Latias that was badly hurt. Team Rocket tried to take her, but we sent them blasting off as usual." Ash explained, only appearing mildly annoyed at the mention of Team Rocket, while Bianca and Latias shared a concerned glance. Team Rocket were a band of thugs that were not to be trifled with, the police reported that the two women that had caused her so much grief were possible members of the organization.


    For him to be so casual about them¡­. Just how strong have you gotten, Ash?


    She was broken out of her thoughts as he continued. "After that, she flew off, or at least I thought she did. Turns out, she started following me right after, watching me-"


    Had she not known why, the bolt of jealousy that coursed through her just now would have been a lot more intense.


    "-and my friends. When Pikachu and I fell off a cliff-"


    Ti-ti said you jumped, but okay.


    "-when we reunited after we got separated, the Latias rescued us and put us back with Misty and Brock! It was only when Team Rocket came back to steal Pikachu with a ton of their old Pok¨¦mon that she finally revealed herself to us, and sent them really really far away! Then she showed a Latios in trouble, so we promised to help him. Brock made some chow for all of us, and she really seemed to like it. We went to sleep, and she must have really decided to trust us, cuz she slept with me and Pikachu."


    Latias felt a combination of annoyance and embarrassment at the phrasing, and Bianca coughed into her fist as she glanced away. Her face coursed with heat once more as Pikachu muttered, "Maybe if you and Latias got together, she could teach you about innuendos." She was close to burying herself in a hole, although the fact that she was the only one that truly understood the electric type was a large portion of why she didn''t. If Ash could completely understand what his friend was saying, she would have died of embarrassment.


    Luckily, Ash was still talking, having not caught his friend''s comment¡­


    ¡­and she found herself lost in his words.


    Not that she wasn''t keeping up with what he was saying, nor was it that she found it boring. No, his voice and gestures and shining smile¡­it was almost too much for her to bear. She tried to focus as he talked about finding Sirius. She tried her best to listen as human and Pok¨¦mon worked together to try and defeat the hunter. She tried her best to picture how they initially failed, before rising back up and conquering the vile criminal. She tried, and she tried, and she tried. And yet the heat still flooded her face, the flutters still filled her stomach, and¡­.


    I love him.


    The thought scared her at first. She did not know why, really. She spent so long thinking about him, longing for him, that thinking about how she felt for him never crossed her mind. The idea of falling in love with someone, with a human, was not something she could have ever planned for. But now¡­now she couldn''t think about anything else except these feelings. The flickering flame she had felt when she had given him Bianca''s drawing was now dwarfed to an almost comical degree by the emotions flooding her now. Her breaths were deep and heavy, yet also quick, so quick. His scent¡­.


    I¡­I can''t think clearly.


    "Hey, are you okay?" Ash''s voice broke through like a ray of light, and she quickly realized she was shaking, and her vision was blurry. Her eyes focused on Ash as he cocked his head and asked in a concerned voice, "You look kinda lost, there. Was I talking too fast, or-"


    "No," Latias whispered, voice hitching in her throat. "No, I hear you just fine, I just¡­I¡­." She stopped herself then, ignoring Bianca''s eye roll. She wasn''t ready, not yet. But, that didn''t mean she couldn''t do something else. "Do you mind if¡­if I stick with you? For just a while, at least."


    "Are you crazy?! I told granddad that-"


    "And I''ll take the fall," Latias said as she cut Bianca off. "Just tell him where we are and what we''re doing. I''m sure he''ll understand."


    Her friend stared at her for a moment before pulling at her phone and shaking her head. "You really haven''t been around him enough, have you?" She clearly didn''t expect an answer, as she dialed his number and held her phone up to her ear. Latias then turned to Ash and cocked her head slightly. "Well, Ash? May we?" The trainer looked surprised before grinning and nodding, adjusting his head slightly as Pikachu jumped up on his shoulder. "Sure! I hope you don''t mind meeting my mom; she can go a little overboard at times."


    Latias froze slightly, before slowly questioning, "Your¡­mom?" He nodded, not seeing Pikachu slyly grinning from his shoulder. "Yeah, I''m actually headed home. I wouldn''t worry that much, she loves all my friends."


    She wasn''t worried about that. It was the prospect of meeting his mom that was daunting, no matter his assurances. Why didn''t she think of that as a possibility? I noticed the houses here, but I didn''t even consider he''d be going home. Taking a deep breath, she nodded and replied, trying not to show her nervousness. "Right. What about you, Bi-"


    Bianca waved her hand as she replied to her grandfather, "Yeah, I know, granddad. But hey, she''s the one that said she''d take the blame for it." Bianca stook her tongue out at the last part and Latias responded in kind, before Bianca continued talking. "Yes, granddad. I''ll make sure to tell her. Love you too, bye."


    Hanging up, Bianca put her phone away and shook her head. "Yeah, he''s not really pleased, Tia. I recommend doing some chores when we get back. Speaking of which, we are leaving in the morning. That''s non-negotiable."


    The dragoness nodded as she sighed; much like his granddaughter, Lorenzo was a kind man, but with a stern side to that kindness. She would do her best to make it up to him, and Bianca. In the meantime¡­.


    She turned to Ash asked eagerly, "Shall we, then?" He nodded with a grin, and started walking in the direction of his home. Bianca heaved her bag over her shoulder with a sigh as she walked alongside them. She turned towards Latias and muttered, "You realize you''ve been out of your disguise the entire trip here, right?"


    Thinking on it, Latias nodded and replied, "Yes, but¡­I think we can count on our World Championship competitor here to protect me. Isn''t that right?" Ash nodded once more with a bright smile as he responded, "Yup! You can count on me!"


    Bianca turned towards him curiously, asking in a mild tone, "Speaking of which, what place did you get?"


    "Oh, yeah! My team and I got first place! Isn''t that right, buddy?"


    "Yeah. It was a close one, though."


    There was a moment of silence, before Bianca choked out, "Wait, so¡­that makes you¡­the World Champion? Like, the entire world?"


    Ash thought about it for a minute, then responded in an unsure voice. "You know? I don''t know."


    Latias giggled as Bianca replied in a snarky voice, with Ash responding in a cheerful voice. Back and forth the two went, all the way down the road. And despite the fact that she didn''t know tomorrow would turn out¡­


    She''d never seen a sky so beautiful.

 A Rather Tasteful Reunion

    Bianca hummed a soft tune as she leaned against the nearby building, relaxing after a couple well-spent hours of painting.


    It was only when she was satisfied with the day''s progress did she pack up her things and rest, allowing herself a soft smile as a breeze brought the faint scent of flowers and the sea.


    She took in the view in front of her, as she had many times in the past few years; the buildings that sat on the edge of the city, overlooking the body of water that separated them from the mainland of Johto. It was without a doubt a beautiful sight, and one only enhanced by a setting sun.


    And yet¡­.


    Her gaze slowly made its way to the docks that faced the mainland, and one in particular never failed to draw her gaze. Looking virtually identical to any other in the city, it was rather unremarkable in appearance, if not in dire need of a few licks of paint in some places.


    No, its appearance was not what called Bianca''s attention in the slightest. Rather, it was her history with it, a single moment in time that lasted too long, and not nearly long enough. Every time she closed her eyes, Bianca remembered it as though it were yesterday.


    Taking a deep breath, Bianca stared at her latest artwork with a tingling spine. A portrait that had a ghastly amount of time put into it, and even then, she feared it would not be enough.


    "Bianca, your friends are leaving! Bianca!" Her grandfather''s shout made her jump, and she hurriedly grasped her drawing and after a moment''s hesitation, rushed out of her room, leaving behind her beret. As much as her instinct told her to grab it, she simply did not have the time.


    She rushed down the stairs, and after carefully rolling up her art, sprinted out of the house and towards the docks. If he was just now leaving, she should catch him on the way there.


    Her prediction was proven true as she ran through an alley and caught sight of movement in a nearby canal.


    Cruising at moderate speed was a small speedboat, and sitting in the back were Misty, Brock, Pikachu, and¡­Ash. She waved her hand high in the air as she ran in a desperate bid to catch their attention.


    She was rewarded with the sight of Pikachu slightly turning and perking up at the sight of her, and she could have hugged the little guy to death as the Pok¨¦mon got Ash''s attention. Her heart pounded in her chest as his eyes met hers, and she wasn''t entirely sure it was from her running. As his friends turned and looked, she waved once more as she ran over a bridge and through another alley.


    She didn''t dare to stop, as she saw the docks and the ocean beyond them just ahead. As Bianca cleared the city, she saw the boat pull over at the very end of a dock, and Ash quickly climbed out to stand facing her direction.


    As Bianca slowed to a stop, he greeted her with a friendly "Hey!"


    She recovered her breath and was close to greeting him back when her response died before it began. Her stomach fluttered as she looked into his eyes, almost forgetting what she chased after him for. She held out the rolled-up drawing, wondering why her hands trembled as she continued to stare at him.


    Ash gave it a glance before looking back up at her as though asking if she was giving it to him. She nodded her assent, and suddenly felt a spark travel up her body as his hands brushed up against hers in the process of grabbing it.


    When he looked down at his gift, her body seemed to lean forward on its own, and she could only watch as she laid a gentle kiss upon his unsuspecting cheek. Her mind screamed its confusion, while the warmth of his skin seemed to permeate her entire being.


    Almost instantly, she turned away and ran back towards her house, feeling a blush climb up her face. She spared one last look in his direction, the look of surprise the last thing she saw before a building obscured her vision once more.


    Bianca tore her gaze from the docks, and looked up towards the sky. To this day, she could not help but wonder what had prompted her to kiss him. She had never planned on doing so; it was an action driven purely by instinct, and that knowledge consistently made her uneasy whenever she thought about it.


    However, that feeling was dwarfed by the anger her reminiscence brought with it. Clenching her teeth for a moment, Bianca glared at the clouds as she thought about what her grandfather had told her.


    "''He''ll visit again,'' he said," she scoffed. "''Surely he''s just busy,'' he said."


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    Bianca stretched out a leg before picking herself up, having had enough reminiscing for the day. Casting one last look at the docks, the artist grabbed her bag and set off towards home at a quick and somewhat forceful pace.


    Her confused emotions only intensified with every step, causing her to clench her fist around the strap of her would he be back if he hasn''t already? It''s been so long, does he even remember?


    She couldn''t help but doubt it; she had kissed him when she was twelve. She was now nineteen, and there wasn''t a word from him. The only time they had any clue as to his whereabouts was¡­when it was announced that he was the new World Monarch a few weeks back.


    Needless to say, the family was stunned when they watched the results of the match. Latias had been spinning in circles, happy for her long lost friend. Her grandfather, after recovering from the surprise, chuckled and said, "And to think that''s the same young man I yelled at for leaning against the DMA."


    Bianca¡­Bianca had been conflicted.


    Part of her was happy for him, her body slightly tingling with warmth at seeing his mature face glowing with joy and accomplishment as he hefted the massive trophy in his arms. Another part felt annoyed it wasn''t her in his arms, although she quickly shunted that to the side.


    However, it was the last bit that weighed heavily on her, the despair in her mind that he''d ever come back. Why would he, now that he was the top trainer in the world? He''d never have the time.


    "Not that he ever had the time before, apparently," Bianca muttered, drawing small glances from a couple as she passed them by, to which she ignored. "Must be hard, trying to fit a visit to an ocean-bound city into his schedule."


    She knew her rants were borderline childish, but at the same time, she couldn''t muster up the energy to care. She just wanted to go home and-


    Wham!


    A soft body impacted her from the side, completely catching her off guard. The only reason she wasn''t sent tumbling into the canal was because said soft body was clutching on to her, giving her a few shakes once they steadied themselves.


    "What the-"


    "Bi! Bianca! You gotta come back to the house!"Latias'' voice shouted in her head, replacing the confusion in Bianca''s mind with anxiety and panic.


    "What?! Why, what''s wrong?" She quickly replied, only to pause once she saw her own face looking back with an excited expression.


    Latias merely shook her head and grabbed her arm, dragging Bianca along as the dragoness hurried along."Nothing is wrong, but you''re gonna love it, trust me!"


    "This better not be something stupid," she muttered, causing her friend to giggle.


    "Depends on your definition, but I''d say it''s a little stupid. Just a little, though."


    Bianca rolled her eyes, although she couldn''t deny that she was curious. What was both stupid and exciting at the same time? Apart from Latias, that is.


    Despite this, she was still grumbling during the whole trip, all the way up until her house came into view. As the pair slowed, she could make out the vague silhouettes of multiple individuals through the window, making her frown.


    "Are the twins in there?" Bianca asked with an annoyed side-eye. "Please don''t tell me you rushed over just because-"


    "ComeON!" Latias insisted, earning a sigh from Bianca as they closed the distance to the house. Bianca rolled her eyes and marched up to the door, practically slamming it open.


    "Tatiana, I swear, if there''s a¡­a¡­" She trailed off, freezing in shock at the sight before her.


    Sitting in the living room amongst her grandfather and the twins was a certain Ash Ketchum and his Pikachu, heads snapping over to her as she stared at them.


    "Oh, hey, Bianca!" The trainer exclaimed with a wide grin, quickly standing up. "Looks like she found you, huh? How are you? It''s been so long-"


    She stopped listening after the first few questions, vision becoming tunneled as she focused on the boy-no, man before her. As he rambled, her mind was taken back once more to the moment on the dock, sun reflecting off of his face as she handed him the-


    "Oh, yeah!" His words interrupted her thought process as he slightly leaned closer, and she realized with a start that she had closed the distance until only a couple feet remained between them. "I should have done it back then, but I wanted to thank you for that drawing!"


    He still had it?


    "When I was all done with the journey, I pinned it on my wall back at home. I-m glad¨Cmmph!"


    It took several long delicious seconds before Bianca realized she was kissing Ash, and she tore away from his warm lips with a gasp, much to her heart''s regret.


    The living room was silent as everyone stared at her, although it was broken when she heard Latias snickering from behind her.


    "Uh.."


    "Woah!"


    Bianca felt her face begin to heat up as she backed away from a stunned and blushing Ash, before turning and running out the door in her embarrassment, beret falling off in the process.


    <hr noshade="noshade" size="1">


    Author''s Notes: I know what you''re thinking: "Bianca just kissed Ash? She wouldn''t just kiss Ash, you didn''t set it up properly!" And you''re right, I suck. Another confession: I didn''t run through any editing process whatsoever with this chapter. What can I say? I''ll always be a villain!


    Another apology for the lackluster quality and quantity. I''ve been stressing about life, and "You''re My Inspiration" (which is a proper MareShipping fic, now on its fifth chapter with the sixth being worked on) is mildly kicking my ass. My latest work, "A Champion, a Brain, and a Murder" (AbilityShipping) is also beating me up, although that''s because I''ve never attempted to write anything similar to it before. Chapter 2 will come out...whenever. I don''t even know how long it will be.


    And then there''s the ugly child...Shadowed Eons. I''m working on revamping chapters 1-5 before working on six, because man, I really do not like chapters 1-5. At all. Two is okay, three is meh, but it really fell off hard after, which is truly an accomplishment.


    That being said, I''m glad to be done with this one. If anyone has any ideas for one shots in the future, feel free to leave them in the comments. If it''s Misty, May, Dawn, Iris, or Serena, I definitely won''t be writing those. But any other pairing, I''ll take it into consideration. Gotta get those rare pairs...