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Chapter 5 — Tour Coronation
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Every spectator along the race route leaned in to get a better look as the waves spread across the surface of the finish line, lightly battering the sidewalks and the gondolas parked along them. “Who won!?” the MC asked dramatically, leaning on his podium near the main bridge to look closely at the finish line. “I couldn’t see a thing! It was way too close!”
Buizel gradually slowed down and allowed his chariot to settle into the water. Ash frantically looked back as if to look for clues about the race’s winner. He panicked when he noticed Dawn slipping from Piplup’s excessive speed, prompting her chariot to crash against his. They screamed as their chariots overturned and tossed them into the water with large splashes. Buizel threw Piplup an unimpressed look, and a flushed Piplup rubbed the back of his head with a fin and muttered an apology that Buizel dismissed with an eye roll.
Ross’ Wailmer slowed down while Ross expertly maintained his balance as their chariot drifted to an almost complete stop. The pair circled back to where the other two trainers fell. “You two alright?” Ross asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
Ash resurfaced and shook his head to clear some water off his face. “Yeah. I’m fine.” He shot Dawn a teasing smirk as she resurfaced. “You couldn’t keep your balance back there, eh?”
Dawn glared at her friend. “Excuse me, who slowed down right in front of me?”
Ash whistled innocently and looked away. “Anyway! I totally won!”
“No, I did!” Dawn countered.
Ross laughed and lifted his sports sunglasses to his forehead. “Actually, I won. There’s no way I lost.”
Ash looked at the MC as the other racers crossed the finish line around them, with Josh and his Magikarp in fourth place. “So, how is this settled?” he wondered. “Or did we tie?”
Latios chuckled as he descended from the sky and stopped just above the canal, clapping slowly. The sharp clicks of his claws carried every clap across the canals and smothered all sounds around it, drawing everyone’s attention to him. The intense light that emanated from his body dimmed. “Wonderful effort from all three of you. That was quite the finish. It’s the most thrilling ending to a Tour de Alto Mare we’ve had in a long time.”
“Very much so!” Latias agreed as she levitated to her sibling’s side. “I don’t think we’ve had such a close three-way finish in years.” She looked at each of the three contestants one by one and flashed each of them a proud smile. “You three, and your Pokémon, all performed admirably, and you have my gratitude, along with that of my brother, for providing such an entertaining finale to this year’s race.” She paused to let her words sink in. Slowly, her mouth curled into a smirk that revealed some of her teeth. “However, it wasn’t a tie. One of you won.”
Ash, Dawn, and Ross looked between them repeatedly, the same thought in all three heads. The crowds chattered eagerly amongst themselves and many leaned in while awaiting the news. “It appears we do have a winner, folks!” the MC announced enthusiastically. “Great guardians, if you may…”
The glow around Latios’ eyes intensified along with the angelic blue light that emanated from him, causing the shimmering illusion over the canals to flicker into a still image of Ash, Dawn, and Ross as they approached the finish line. The dragon’s eyes flashed and the illusion played forward at an agonizingly slow pace.
The audience fell completely silent as Latios’ illusion played. Wailmer’s head, Piplup’s beak, and Buizel’s outstretched arm approached the red line of Latias’ illusion that marked the track’s end. Little by little and with no clear frontrunner, the three Pokémon pressed on. Finally, ahead of Piplup and Wailmer by a few tufts of fur, Buizel’s outstretched paw touched Latias’ illusionary line first.
Latios froze the illusion, allowing everyone to look at it closely. He grinned and focused his attention on Ash and Buizel. “Congratulations, contestant Ash Ketchum and your Buizel. You two have won this year’s Tour de Alto Mare festival,” he announced with a thundering voice that echoed throughout the racetrack.
“We have a winner and what a thrilling finish, if I may add!” The MC paused for a few seconds. “That’ll be all from me, folks! Don’t forget to come to the awards ceremony in an hour at the main plaza!”
Many spectators in the crowds across the canals and the main bridge clapped and cheered, while an equal number shook their heads in dismay and groaned. Others took advantage of the guardians’ proximity to the finish line and snapped pictures of them with their mobile devices.
The lights that emanated from the two city guardians—intensely from Latios and faintly from Latias—dimmed away into nothingness. The vast illusion over the sky and the red illusions that formed the race track dissipated in countless shimmers into the breeze.
Ross sat back onto his chariot and sighed. “Can’t believe we lost. It was so close.” His Wailmer swam up to his side and gave him an apologetic look. “You did terrific, don’t worry about it,” Ross added, petting the smooth, rubbery skin on his Pokémon’s head comfortingly.
Dawn swam toward her chariot and petted a dejected Piplup’s head, who wouldn’t stop chirping apologetically at her. “It’s okay, you did your best. We almost had it.” She pulled him in for a hug.
Ash shouted triumphantly and swam to his Pokémon. He excitedly picked the surprised Buizel by the armpits and hoisted him up. “We won! We won! We won! You did fantastic! This win is all yours, Buizel! I never doubted you,” he cheered with a grin and ample laughs of joy. Buizel crossed his arms and smirked proudly while voicing his satisfaction with repeated calls of his name.
Latias looked at the pair's interaction with a touched smile. ‘Trainers that acknowledge their Pokémon’s effort so candidly are often a rarity.’ She levitated to the canal’s edge and beckoned the fallen contestants over with her claws. The rest, meanwhile, swam back to the boarding platform on the wayside along with Buizel and Piplup, who dragged empty chariots behind them.
Ash and Dawn swam to the edge, where Latias greeted them with an outstretched set of claws and a warm expression. First Dawn and then Ash grabbed Latias’ hand and allowed her to ease them onto the cobblestone sidewalk with a gentle pull.
“By the way…” Latias giggled and dropped the illusion around her right arm, revealing Ash’s hat dangling from it. “You dropped this earlier.”
Ash gasped and reached up to his head, only to find himself grasping at his hair, much to his horror. “My hat! I didn’t even realize. Thank you, you just saved my life with that.”
Latias unhooked it and flicked it toward Ash with her claws so it landed neatly on his head. “Be careful next time if it's that important.” She smiled at him, turned around, and levitated away through the crowds to Alto Mare’s main plaza.
A shadow passed over Ash, causing him to briefly look up and see Latios flying over him and heading in the same direction as his sister. He adjusted his hat and looked on with intrigue as the locals respectfully moved out of the way for Latias, with some occasionally bowing as she passed by with her brother following overhead.
From the moment Latias and Latios appeared at the race’s beginning, Ash noted that everyone looked at them with respect and admiration on their faces, and it became ever more apparent how revered—loved, even—they were by the city’s inhabitants. It reminded him of the way Shamouti Island’s inhabitants spoke of Lugia or Michina Town’s people spoke of Arceus, yet without the separation of myth and legend for, unlike them, Latias and Latios lived amongst their people as a pair of dragon gods, as majestic Legendary Pokémon of unmatched grace and immense power.
As Ash saw Latias move deeper into the crowd, some—tourists like him, he presumed—fumbled and moved out of the way awkwardly while chattering excitedly amongst themselves at the prospect of being within an arm’s reach of a fabled Legendary Pokémon. Ash glanced at Dawn and noted she appeared similarly perplexed. It made him even more interested in learning how it all happened.
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Ash walked through Alto Mare’s main plaza with an upbeat skip, having gotten the chance to dry off and change back into his usual attire after a trip back to the boarding platform. Pikachu sat on his shoulder, like he always did, with a jovial expression while Buizel followed them only a few steps behind. The pair stopped and looked at the towering building that dominated the plaza.
Its awe-inspiring presence commanded the attention of all who saw it, an architectural marvel that rose majestically toward the sky with its soaring spire and intricate embellishments of light green color and an array of framed stained glass windows, built upon meticulously carved and polished columns of stone coated with a beautiful marble facade.
“That’d be our museum,” Latios commented from above. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”
Ash started, jolted out of his thoughts. “It looks cool, yeah. I think I remember our friend talking about it.” He made a mental note to check it out sometime later, though he suspected Brock must’ve already planned it.
“I’d recommend it.” Latios calmly levitated to the fountain near the plaza, where Latias awaited them on a simple yet elegant wooden podium. “Once again, congratulations on winning the Tour de Alto Mare,” he said while giving the teenage trainer an impressed nod. “And thank you for contributing to such an exciting race.”
Ash smiled and bowed respectfully before the two dragons when he reached the plaza’s center. The gathered crowd clapped at him, prompting Ash to wave triumphantly. He threw a teasing smirk when he noticed Ross among the crowd, which elicited a chuckle in return from the local trainer.
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Latias moved to the side and beckoned Ash to join her with a hand wave. He and Buizel walked up the podium’s steps and stopped before Latias, wondering for a moment what came next.
Latias cleared her throat, immediately quieting the surrounding crowd with all attention focused on her. “The Tour de Alto Mare! Born from fishermen many centuries ago after Alto Mare’s ancestors laid the first stones of our magnificent city. They were seafarers and voyagers who braved the open waters, guided by the stars and the winds for their livelihood as Johto recovered from the calamity that struck long ago. Back then, the sea was both a provider and a challenger. People created the first chariots, not of wood and iron, but of courage and unity. Drawn by mighty Pokémon, our forebears sailed across the waves. What started as a means of sustainment became sport and competition as Alto Mare grew. Today, as we gathered to witness our extraordinary race, we did more than cheer for speed and skill. We honor a tradition that has flowed through our people for generations. Since then, it’s evolved into one of our largest annual festivals that draws in visiting competitors from all over the world—”
As Latias spoke, now out of the race’s pressure and standing right at her side, Ash focused on the Legendary Pokémon and appreciated the first time he got a good look at her up close. Her vibrant red and white feathers shimmered under the sunlight, reflecting it strangely and captivatingly, almost as if light gained a will of its own when in contact with her plumage. It felt as if a gentle and peaceful glow that blanketed the city and its joyful inhabitants radiated from Latias’ ever-present cheerful and friendly visage, especially when her presence commanded the attention and respect of those around her.
Once again, Ash found himself immensely interested in her voice as it carried throughout the crowd as it had at the race, at a steady volume that spread throughout the onlookers. A soft tune with a gentle lilt and a pleasant accent, distinctly feminine, yet possessed a firmness and conviction behind it that spoke of an unwavering personality.
At the same time and despite Latias’ radiating kindness, Ash thought her presence didn’t feel out of place compared to the other Legendary Pokémon that he’d met so far in his journey, even amongst the larger ones, even though Latias appeared only about a head or two taller than he was while floating in an upright posture.
Latias was powerful, Ash realized, as the entire picture fell into place. Anytime he caught a glimpse of her eyes, he noted her golden irises glistened with a playful undertone, a window to a kind soul, despite the striking intensity and sheer authority behind their mighty gaze.
“—And, finally, as per the yearly tradition, the chariots will be available for the remainder of the day for those who wish to try them out or let their children have fun. If you do not possess a compatible Pokémon, don’t fret, for I’ve asked a host of local Pokémon, friends of ours, to be the chariot drivers, all supervised by the race’s organizers,” Latias finished. She turned to face Ash and smiled. “And, for our winner…”
Latias’ eyes glowed in a soft hue of blue light, slightly startling Ash from his deep stare into them. Her powers dropped the illusion around her neck, which up to that point concealed a beautiful necklace with a large crystal medallion dangling from it. She levitated closer to Ash, lowered her neck to let it slide across its slender length, and made a slight jerk that let the necklace clear her fluffy ears. The medallion fell briefly until it stopped and floated before her, held by a faint telekinetic glow.
Ash leaned in to get a better look at it. The large medallion, made of a thick and sturdy glass construction, featured an elegant ring of finely crafted glasswork that undulated like a continuous ocean wave along its rim. Two draconic silhouettes that faced each other in an arc dominated its interior, one tinted red and the other blue, centered around a beautiful gleaming sapphire. “Whoa, it’s so beautiful!”
“Thank you. Latios made it.” Latias glanced up briefly to her brother, who returned a smug and pleased smile. “He loves sculpting.”
Ash blinked and looked up at the blue dragon leisurely floating above them. “Well, you did a great job with it, I love it.”
“You are Ash Ketchum, correct?” Latias asked. “Is that your preferred name?”
Ash nodded. “Yeah, Ash Ketchum is fine.”
Latias reached forward with a single claw that abruptly burst with a bright green rush of draconic flames. She gently pressed the claw on the medallion, precisely on the open section below the two silhouettes, and traced it across the glass surface with utmost care.
Ash observed curiously as Latias’ claw left a crevice flanked by molten glass on the surface and curved down into another line to form a steep angle with the first. “What are you doing?”
“You’ll see.” Latias retracted her claw and traced a single line between both near-perpendicular lines. She continued with the next symbol and traced a single line that curved twice right next to it.
“Oh!” Ash exclaimed in realization once he noted the traces were letters. “It’s my name!”
“You got it,” Latias replied as her claw moved to carve the letter ‘h’ after the first two letters. She left a small gap and carved the ‘K’ that made the first letter of Ash’s last name.
Ash looked on with interest as Latias delicately carved each letter of his name onto the medallion and idly recognized the handwriting was nearly identical to the one on her statue at the main dock. The medallion glistened with emerald sparks of her draconic energy as it cleanly melted off the traces of glass to form the engraved letters.
Latias retracted her claw and inspected her handiwork. She blew on it to cool and shear off any leftover bits clinging to the carved edges. “There we go.” She telekinetically placed the medallion on Ash’s outstretched hands. “Here’s your prize!”
Ash grinned and held it up to the sun. The sunlight reflected off its contours into a stunning prismatic gleam that traced the outlines of his name and both dragon figures on it, taking on a deep blue and vibrant red for the shine of each Legendary guardian. “It’s… amazing. Thank you!” he responded gratefully as he donned the necklace around his neck. “It’s also heavy.”
A young woman from the surrounding crowd stepped forward and lifted a digital camera. Immediately, several others—all wearing different press badges—mimicked her movement. “Hey, Latias! Ready?” Bianca asked.
Latias grabbed Ash across his shoulders and pressed him against her side and neck. “Smile for the camera!” she called out with a laugh.
Ash blinked in confusion while Pikachu almost fell off his shoulder. Despite Latias’ arms appearing flimsy at a glance, the strength behind her tug was firm, though it came with astounding care behind it. “What’s going on?”
“Hey, I need a good picture for tomorrow’s paper, duh,” Bianca explained with a bemused expression. She held up and dangled her camera. “Maybe even a reference for a painting, too.”
“Oh!” Ash pressed against Latias’ side, grinned triumphantly, and held up his winner’s medallion for the camera. Pikachu and Buizel raised their paws in a ‘v’ for a victory pose.
Latios opened his mouth and formed a miniature sphere of green draconic power. His eyes glowed as a torrent of telekinetic energy swirled throughout his body and joined the sphere at his mouth. He fired the Dragon Pulse at the rear of the podium and, using his telekinetic powers, detonated it upward in a stunning blue and green flare of sparks and beams that lit the sky like fireworks.
“Excellent! You all look perfect!” Bianca readied her camera and snapped a few pictures quickly, as did most of the reporters and many onlookers amongst the gathered crowd, while the rest clapped and whistled.
Latias broke contact and flew to the side gracefully. “You better have gotten my good side, Bianca!”
“That should do it.” Bianca reared back, lowered the camera, and scrolled through the picture previews. “I did!” She winked at Latias. “It’s not that hard.”
Latios snorted and levitated up toward the museum’s main spire. “You’ve got a good side? Shocking!” he asked teasingly, restricting his telepathy to his sister alone.
“Yes, unlike you, jerk,” Latias replied, telepathically shoving the mental image of her sticking her tongue out into her brother’s mind.
“Listen, I’m glad you didn’t break this year’s medallion while writing the name like a few years ago. I wasn’t careless and made a few spare ones this time,” Latios replied, throwing Latias a side eye from his spot above the museum.
“Oh, bite me,” Latias snapped.
“Will do.”
Ash looked between Latias and the photographer, idly wondering what sort of relationship they had. He saw that Latias’ friendly mannerisms felt genuine and the manner she carried herself was ostensibly easygoing, despite her status as the city’s fabled guardian. ‘Guess there’s a lot more to Latios and Latias than we thought,’ he mused.
“I think this will do, oh mighty and beloved guardian of our city, champion of our waters, and ruler of our skies,” Bianca said dramatically with an overplayed bow. She turned around and walked down the crowd.
Latias narrowed her eyes and snorted. ‘Oh, I’ll get her back for that.’
Dawn and Brock walked to Ash’s side. “Hey, can we see it?” Dawn asked, intrigued.
Ash handed out his medallion to his friends. “Of course!”
Latias glanced at the trio momentarily, flew high above the crowds gathered on the main plaza, and cleared her throat. “Now that the award has been given, this marks the end of another thrilling Tour de Alto Mare!” she declared. “But our day is not over just yet, for the festivities continue. Don’t miss out on any fun!”
Latios looked down as the crowds gradually dissipated and moved along with their day, leaving the plaza and the nearby canals still brimming with activity. After all, plenty of outdoor concerts and events remained in celebration of the race throughout the city. He chuckled when he noticed some of the Tour de Alto Mare instructors, still in their gear, helping children of eager tourists up to the chariots to give them a ride along with the native water-type Pokémon.
Latias levitated closer to the museum’s spire and caught sight of many among the crowd taking pictures of her with the towering museum and her brother in the background, not that she minded.
“Took you long enough,” Latios commented with a snide smirk. “You’re growing slow, Latias.”
Latias rolled her eyes. “Oh please.” She shot him a pointed look. “Maybe you should’ve stayed closer to the awards ceremony, maybe let a couple of kids ride you…”
“Maybe some other time,” Latios replied. “Besides, it looks like the race went well. As always.”
“Which is great,” Latias agreed. She hummed as a soft breeze that carried the scent of the sea blew by and lightly ruffled her feathers. “The exciting finish was icing on the cake.”
“It was pretty nice not knowing who’d win for once,” Latios said.
Latias smirked at her sibling and jabbed his side with her claws. “You know what’s nice too? It’s your turn to run to the town hall and ensure the entire thing’s running smoothly post-race and in preparation for the weekly festivities.”
Latios groaned and shook his head. “I hoped you forgot that.”
“Yeah right I’d forget about that.” Latias giggled. “Now shoo!” She pushed him away. “I’m staying here and having fun! It’s so sunny and pretty!” She tapped her chin with a claw in an exaggerated manner. “Hmm, I’m in the mood for some sweets, maybe even a Latte. And I won’t share it with you because you’ll be busy looking at paperwork and hearing reports. Shame.”
Latios growled. “Fine. You win, this time.” He turned around and flew away in the direction of the city center.
Latias ignored Latios’ parting words and glanced down at the crowded streets, swiftly scanning the area to see if anything caught her interest. With nothing worthy of note in her sight, she went ahead and levitated in the direction of one of her favorite cafés.
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Chapter End
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