----
"According to local legend, this church and the nearby Sun Tower were both built by the townspeople long ago to honor Latias and Latios, who once protected this city. As for the device before you, it too was created in hopes of preserving peace. Unfortunately, it's so ancient that no one remembers how it's supposed to work."
While Kai and the others listened and examined the relic, Ash suddenly sensed something.
He looked up toward the second-floor balcony and spotted a red-haired girl at an easel, painting quietly. That face wasn't she the same girl who had just vanished from their side moments ago?
"It's her!" Ash whispered.
Hearing him, Kai and the others lifted their eyes and also saw the girl.
She had just finished her painting and was packing up her supplies. Without a word, she turned and left with her sketchboard. Ash, almost without thinking, rushed after her.
"Ash!" Brock called out. When Ash didn't respond, Brock sighed and followed with Pikachu at his side.
Misty frowned, glancing at Kai. "Should we go too?"
"Of course," Kai nodded. "We all know Ash he can be reckless, but he has a knack for stumbling into special encounters. If he's in such a hurry, he must have noticed something important."
Still, Kai couldn't help but wonder: was this red-haired girl really the same Latias they had encountered earlier? He remembered that Latias had disguised herself as a young girl to move unseen among people.
But this girl had been painting upstairs for quite a while, even before they arrived. That didn't quite add up.
Either way, sticking with Ash was the safest bet.
Ash, Misty, and Erika slipped out through a side door, following Brock's trail. Soon they spotted him tailing Ash across the plaza and over a wide bridge.
The red-haired girl walked at a calm pace ahead of them, never hurrying.
Several times, Ash nearly caught up, but the winding canals forced him to take detours, keeping her just out of reach. The others, sticking together, eventually caught up with Ash again.
When the girl reached the far bank of the river, Ash shouted across to her:
"Wait! Please stop!"
The girl turned, raising an eyebrow. "Me? What do you want?"
"Why did you leave without saying anything? And… who were those people with you earlier?!" Ash demanded.
"What are you talking about?" she said flatly, then gave a short, mocking laugh. "If this is some new kind of pickup line, you've picked the wrong girl."
With that, she turned on her heel and walked away.
Misty smirked behind her hand. "Well, Ash, looks like your little 'hero saves the day' moment didn't win her over. She thinks you're hitting on her."
"I wasn't trying to hit on her!" Ash protested, face burning. Without waiting, he darted onto the bridge to chase her again.
But the girl slipped into the twisting alleyways of the residential district. In a blink, she was gone.
By the time the others caught up, Ash stood there looking deflated. Misty, catching her breath, shook her head. "Seriously, Ash—we ran all this way. Why are you so set on finding her?"
"I don't know…" Ash scratched his head, struggling for words. "It's just—she gave me a really strange feeling. Like… like…"
He opened his mouth a few times, but couldn't describe it.
Kai chuckled. "Like when you meet a Pokémon you instantly connect with, right?"
"Yes! Exactly!" Ash's eyes lit up. "That's it!"
"Ash…" Misty burst out laughing. "So when you like someone, it feels the same as finding a Pokémon you like? That's priceless!"
By now, Kai was convinced this girl wasn't Latias at all. The differences were too telling: one spoke freely, the other never uttered a word. Yet the resemblance couldn't be a coincidence. If Latias had chosen that form, their bond had to be deeper than it seemed.
Still, with their lead gone, they pressed on through the maze-like streets of Altomare, the canals and bridges winding endlessly.
Just as they were deciding where to head next, they spotted the girl again—standing calmly on a nearby bridge, watching them.
The sight stunned them. Moments ago she'd brushed Ash off coldly, but now she looked as though she'd been waiting.
Kai, however, noticed something the others didn't. The sparkle in her eyes was different gentler, curious.
That could only mean one thing: this was Latias, transformed again.
Before they could say anything, she waved playfully, then darted into a side alley.
Ash glanced at the others. "What does that mean?"
Misty sighed. "Isn't it obvious? She wants us to follow."
"But…" Ash hesitated, remembering her earlier rejection. The mixed signals had him completely baffled.
"Stop overthinking it." Kai rapped him lightly on the head. "She brushed you off and you still chased her. Now she's inviting you, and you freeze up? Don't be such a coward."
"I'm not scared!" Ash blurted, then straightened with new determination. "Come on, Pikachu—let's go!"
Without another moment's pause, he dashed off after her, the others hurrying close behind.
----
Don't forget to drop some PowerStones!💎💎💎
For early access to advanced chapters on p@treon.
P@treon/iamxeno
Thank you so much for your support and for reading!