Pokémon: Ash's New Journey

"Latias, it's been a while!"

That familiar voice.

That same familiar face.

"Pika Pika!"

Pikachu chimed in, greeting Latias with excitement.

"Wuu-ne~!"

Without hesitation, Latias dashed forward, tackling Ash to the ground in an affectionate embrace. Her soft tongue playfully licked his face, showing her sheer joy at their reunion.

Meanwhile, from beneath the water's surface, Latios emerged from the secret entrance of the hidden garden. Spotting Ash and Pikachu, he wasted no time and soared towards them.

Since his sister had already claimed Ash, Latios took the next best thing—lifting Pikachu onto his back and taking off into the air.

"Pikaaa!"

Pikachu happily settled onto Latios' back, enjoying the ride.

Seeing this, Latias giggled and decided to follow suit, wrapping her arms around Ash and lifting him high into the sky.

The guardians of Alto Mare—Latios and Latias—were reunited with their dear friend.

"Wow! Those are actual Legendary Pokémon! Latios and Latias… I can't believe they truly exist in the City of Water, and their bond with Ash and Pikachu is so strong!"

May clasped her hands together, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

Misty nodded knowingly. "Yeah, we went through a lot together back then… but that's a long story. Traveling with Ash always leads to the most unbelievable encounters."

May smiled. "Ash really is special. Making friends with Legendary Pokémon… I have a feeling this journey will be full of surprises."

Standing beside them, Anabel observed the scene with an even deeper understanding. Her unique ability to sense Pokémon's emotions allowed her to feel just how ecstatic Latios and Latias were.

Especially Latias.

Her bond with Ash felt even stronger than most Trainers had with their own Pokémon.

It was incredible.

For hours, Latios and Latias played with Ash and Pikachu, soaring through the skies above Alto Mare, reliving their cherished memories. Even after landing, Latias stayed close to Ash, nuzzling him, occasionally licking his palm affectionately.

It was clear—she had missed him dearly.

A Secret to Protect

"May, Anabel, since you're Ash's friends, I won't say too much. But I do ask that you both keep this secret."

Lorenzo, the guardian of the Water Capital's Hidden Garden, spoke with a serious tone.

May and Anabel exchanged a glance and nodded firmly.

They understood the importance of keeping Latios and Latias safe.

Meanwhile, Ash's attention was on his system, scanning Latias and Latios.

Pokémon: Latias

Category: Eon Pokémon

Type: Dragon/Psychic

Ability: Levitate

Potential: Gold Rank

Level: 99

Moves: Wish, Healing Wish, Psychic, Safeguard, Charm, Stored Power, Refresh, Dragon Breath, Confusion, Mist Ball, Recover, Psychic Shift, Dragon Pulse…

Latios' stats were nearly identical, only differing in the moves he had learned.

With such immense strength, it was no wonder they could protect Alto Mare.

The Legendary Water Race (Tour de Alto Mare)!

For three days, Ash and his friends stayed in the Water Capital.

During this time, he, Pikachu, Latias, and Latios only grew closer.

Latios, in particular, noticed how much happier his sister had become ever since Ash arrived.

This strengthened his resolve—if Latias wished to travel with Ash, he would not stop her.

And today, one of Alto Mare's grandest events had arrived—The Annual Water Race, Tour de Alto Mare!

This competition tested the partnership between a Trainer and their Water-type Pokémon.

The rules were simple:

Trainers would ride a surfboard-like device, holding onto a rope attached to their Pokémon.

All participants would race around the city's waterways.

The first to complete the full circuit would claim victory and receive the Alto Mare Cup!

"Awesome! I bet Ross will win again this year. He and his Wailord have been champions for years!"

"No way! My son just caught a Lanturn—this year's winner will be him!"

"My daughter's Azumarill is amazing! She's got this in the bag!"

The spectators buzzed with excitement as the competitors lined up.

High above, Latios and Latias hovered invisibly, watching the event unfold.

Ash, Misty, May, and Anabel were all competing.

Anabel had her Milotic as her partner.

May chose her Wartortle.

Misty, after discussing with her Pokémon, decided to enter with Azumarill instead of Corsola.

Ash called upon Squirtle, one of the Pokémon he had specifically brought for this event!

As the countdown began, Misty grinned.

"Ash, how about a friendly bet? Let's see which of us wins! The loser has to grant the winner one request."

May and Anabel immediately joined in.

"I'm in!"

"Me too!"

Ash smirked. "Sounds good to me! Get ready to lose!"

As the countdown hit zero, the race began!

With a splash, the competitors launched forward—each riding the waves, aiming for victory!

[Author's Note]

As you all might remember from the movie, Latios sacrificed himself to become the new Soul Dew, protecting Alto Mare forever.

However, in this story, I've decided to change that ending.

From the very beginning of this novel, I wanted to rewrite Ash's journey in a way that removes past regrets.

Whether it's the Pokémon he released or the relationships he left unresolved—I aim to give Ash the story he truly deserves.

That includes keeping Latios alive.

For those who've seen the movie, you might recall that there were actually other Latios and Latias in Alto Mare.

So, keeping Latios around isn't as far-fetched as it seems.

Alright, that's it for this update!

--------------

T/N:

Access 40 Chapters in Advance on my

P@treon: [email protected]/PokePals