Ash hummed as he grabbed some three branches from the ground, Pikachu was playing with wild pokemon behind him, playfully battling with the wild Yungoos and Cutiefly.

His friends and himself were camping in the forest again. They all wanted to find a quiet spot where they could enjoy the forest around them. The Ultra Guardians were ordered out four times this week, and they were all tired and sluggish from staying up late. Ash offered that they should camp again, which they happily agreed to.

With hours of planning and discussing with their families, Kiawe and Mallow could finally take a day off their family work and join on the camping trip. They both didn't have a lot of free time, so it took a lot of effort to take a day off.

He grabbed some sticks and listened to the leaves rustling around him. It was a perfect day to be camping. The sun was just warm enough to be active during the day, and not too hot. The leaves on the trees blocked it out slightly.

Ash was glad they could do this again. He had really missed sleeping outdoors. The couch and warmth of the cabin was nice, he was definitely not complaining about that. He just missed the little sounds and feeling around him. The leaves just rustling in the wind, the pokemons walking around them and water rushing down a river. The gentle wind blowing through his hair.

He got lost in thought as, grabbing one more tree branch from the ground and knew for sure that he now had enough.

He stood straight and stretched his back. "Pikachu!" he called. The ears on the mouse went up. "I know you can hear me, let's go back to the others!"

Pikachu muttered something under its breath.

Ash shot a look at it, not liking what it said. "Language."

Pikachu stuck its tongue out back at him, making Ash's eyes roll.

Out of all the days, Pikachu had to be like this today. The mouse sometimes had its moods and could be a little brat. It was worse back in Kanto. Where it would just flat out ignore him or sleep on the ground. Good thing it would blow over soon, this never lasted long after he got a closer bond..

"You can always come back here later and play with those wild pokemon again you know." Ash smiled.

The mouse paused, but nodded after the wild pokemon around them waved goodbye.

The trainer and pokemon waved back, sharing their goodbye's and walked back towards the camp.

As they were walking back, Ash heard a small chirp sound behind him. He turned around, curious what was making the sound.

There was no one in the forest where he walked. He could feel Pikachu putting its ears up, trying to locate where the chirp came from. After a small moment he turned back and kept walking further into the forest, struggling it off as a passing pokemon that he missed seeing.

He saw another branch laying on the ground before him, and bent down to grab it. One more could never hurt, better too much then having to find more again.

Something flew past him, he could feel the air move on his arm, whatever it was, it was close and messing with him for sure.

"Alright who's there?" He asked, standing up straight and looking around.

Pikachu saw something move right above them, "Pika!" Pikachu shouted and pointed up. It was sniffing in the air and recognized the smell from somewhere. It shook its head, trying to place where he smelled that sea water with a tint of pokemon smell.

"Huh?" Ash looked up but saw nothing. He stared to get nervous, but put on a stern face to cover it up. "Come out now!"

It was close, very close. It was almost as if he could feel that there was something right before him.

Then his hat moved from his head.

"Hey!" Ash yelled at the floating hat, which was spinning circles in the air. "Give that back!" He ran after the hat, trying to catch it, but everytime he got close, it was like it pulled back even more.

Pikachu was suddenly giggling, "Pika-pika pikacha chu!" the mouse pokemon jumped from his shoulder, standing up from the ground and talking to the seemingly floating hat. It finally realized who was pranking his trainer.

"It's who?" the gears could almost be seen, spinning in his head as he thought.

"Pikacha!"

"No way." he said breathlessly, stepping slowey to the hat. "Latias?"

A pleased shout ringed through the forest. Latias showed herself, Ash's hat was in her mouth, swaying back and forth.

Ash gave a cry out of happiness as well, dashing towards the Legendary. "Latias!" He gave a huge smile at the Eon Pokemon.

"Oh man it's so good to see you again!" Ash cried out.

Latias purred and headbutted him slightly, earning a small laugh. Ash stroked her head, while Pikachu climbed up on her wings. Chirping delighted at the legendary.

"Oh," Ash hummed in thought. He was sure that his classmates would love to meet Latias. She was playful and loved to have more friends. But just to be sure, he had to ask her first. He remembered that she was hesitant to show herself to Brock and Misty.

"Hey Latias, I got a question for you." He said, beckoning for the levitating pokemon to come over. "Wanna meet my new friends?" Ash asked, putting his hat back on his fluffy hair. "They are really nice! I've known them for a while now, and I'm sure they can keep a secret."

Latias looked deep in thought. Pikachu jumped on her shoulders, nodding and smiling gently, trying to encourage her. She perked up after a second and nodded happily. The last time she met some of his friends it turned out to be a great decision for her. Brock and Misty both gave all they could to help her town from disaster, and were kind to her once they overcame their shock. If Ash claimed that these new friends were great, she believed him.

"We're out camping just a little bit further, we should be there in 10 minutes." he informed her. "This way." He walked to where he remembered where their camp was.

"Alola has been so different than all the other regions you know," he walked around a tree log, patting away some tree branches while he did. "they really accept everyone into their lives." he looked up to the sky, "And the weather is so warm! Although, if it rains, it really rains for a long time." he sweat-dropped.

Latias spun in the air, giving a delighted cry as Pikachu held on.

Ash giggled at the sight, enjoying the freedom that they have.

"Hey everyone! I want you to meet an old friend of mine!" Ash called.

The others spun around. "Old friend? Here?" Asked Sophocles, wondering why a friend of
Ash would be in this forest.

"Hai!" Ash said in kantonese and spun around dramatically, using the contest spin that was most likely based of Serena's performances.

"Meet Latias!" He proudly presented.

He showed empty air behind him, a leaf blowing by Pikachu, who was sitting innocently on the ground.

"Eh?" Ash looked around him, meeting nothing.

Mallow huffed. "Well, at least we got some firewood for the fire." Ash sputtered, waving his arms around him, trying to get Latias to reappear.

"Isn't Latias an Legendary pokemon?" Lillie asked.

"Yeah, the Eon pokémon. We learned about Latias and Latios last year!" Lana confirmed.

Kiawe just looked on at the scene, something felt off, he could've sworn that he saw Pikachu floating just a second when he spun around to greet Ash.

Ash already realized that Latias had camouflaged herself. He grinned at just stared at the group, earning a few raised eyebrows.

Suddenly a joyful cry ringed though their camp, wind blowing past in between them as if something flew by.

The students of the Pokemon School looked up, "Wait. who?" Sophocles stammered.

"No way." Lana said to Ash.

He grinned at her. "Yes way."

Lana joined in with the others, trying to find the pokemon.

Ash chuckled at the sight of everyone trying to find the mysterious pokemon. It reminded him of him and Pikachu playing with Latias and Latios.

He frowned slightly. Latios..., he really wondered how he was doing as the new soul dew. He was sure Latios protected the city with all he had as the soul dew. His heart ached at the memory of Latios.

"Ah! Over here!"

"Nonono over here!"

"It's so fast."

"Ash! Why didn't you tell me you know Latias? I could've had so much updated data on this!"

"Togemaru stop rolling everywhere, you are going to trip someone again!"

The voices of his friends pulled Ash out of his train thought.

He chuckled. "So you like them?" He called in the air.

Latias appeared, giving another loop in the air and smiled the surprised class. Latias went over to Pikachu, letting it climb up her back again and taking it for another ride.

"She's so adorable!" Lillie said at the sight of Latias playing with Pikachu.

"Alright guys, let me properly introduce you to a good friends of mine! This is Latias, she's from Alto Mare back in Johto. Latias here protects the city against any threats." He raised his hand and stroke Latias neck. Latias closed her eyes and made a trilling sound against Ash's palm. She cooed at Ash's classmates, as if saying hello.

"So how did you meet Latias?" Mallow asked curiously at Ash.

The others overheard the conversation and turned slightly towards the two.

Ash smiled and turned to Latias. "Mind if I tell them?" He asked for her permission.

Latias squealed cheerfully and nodded. She turned back to the pokemon and played with the whole group.

Ash's classmates awed at the sight of them playing with each other.

"Well, alright then. It was still in the Johto region, back when Brock, Misty and I were still traveling together. We were stopping by a city called Alto Mare." Ash sat down on the log by the extinguished fireplace. The others sitting down beside him, already consumed by the story. Mallow, Sophocles and Lana sat on the other log, while Lillie and Kiawe joined Ash.

"It actually started when we were racing each other on the Tour de Alto Mare."

"The race where the contestants ride with Water pokemon?" Lana piped in.

"Yeah that one!" Ash exclaimed happily. He glanced at the others. "The pokemon there pull the water chariots towards the finish. The fastest one wins a Eon medal."

The class 'ooh'ed at that.

"Of course you would know it Lana." Mellow teased, where Lana smirked at.

"So I joined the race with Misty, and in the middle of the race I noticed that my Totodile was speeding up incredibly fast! I thought that it really wanted to win the competition and encouraged it. But eheh, you can already guess that it wasn't the case."

"It was Latias?" Kiawe asked.

"Hai! But I didn't knew it at the time." Ash looked fondly at the pokemons.

"I met Latias when Pikachu water to drink at a fountain. She put it on so it could."

"She turned it on?" Lana looked at Latias, glancing at the short arms. "With Physic?

"She was having a human camouflage at the time, and turned it on with her hands."

"She can do that?" Lillie gasped, looking interested at the idea of a pokemon transforming into a human.

Ash laughed. "She can do that so she can walk among humans and pokemon, without being looked or hunted at all the time."

His friends glanced at the Eon pokemon, wondering what she would look like.

"Can she show us?" Mallow asked.

"Sure you can ask her!" Ash replied cheekily, grinning at the flustered face.

Mallow stood up, Lana close behind her for support while the others looked on.

"H-Hey Latias!" Mallow stammered.

Latias chirped at waved at the green human. She levitated closer and tilted her head.

"Ash just told us that you can camouflage yourself as a human?" Mallow asked.

"Can you show us?" Lana added.

Latias looked into Mallows eyes, as if wondering if showing her form was a good idea. She nodded after seeing the curious but very gentle look.

Latias transformed into Bianca's look, earning gasps of surprise from the crowd.

Ash walked up to the two. "Later that day I found out that Latias takes on Bianca's appearance to hide in. Bianca is like a sister figure to Latias and Latios back then." He said.

Latias gave a pointed look at Ash. He nodded as if understanding what she meant with it.

"So yeah, that was how I met her." He cuts the rest of the story. Finishing it so that his friends didn't have to know how the city was almost demolished by a tidal wave.

Latias nodded to Ash, giving a sad look, but it held a lot of gratitude with it.

Ash knew that she didn't want to hear how her brother had died in front of her. So he didn't share the private part of the story. He cringed as he thought back, hiding a frown under his hat. That day was such a mess, from getting chased by undead pokemon to the haywire defense mechanism of Alto Mare being piloted by a criminal. He remembered as he almost got drowned by the pillar made of water, made by the same criminal who almost destroyed the city.

Ash took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled. Focusing on the place around him.

His friends chattered behind him, looking excited and discussing if there were more pokemon who could walk among humans. He focussed on that, and joined in.

"Hey Ash?" Lana said.

"Hai?" He replied in kantonese.

"Will you tell professor Kukui about Latias?" Lana said mischievous, a small grin on her face.

Ash nodded, "Think so, Rotom already made pictures of her, so I might as well." he shrugged.

"So that means if there wasn't any pictures you probably wouldn't have huh?"

Ash sputtered and laughed nervously, "So, um, Kiawe? Need any more firewood? The branches and logs are almost gone. I'll go get some more!" He stood up before Kiawe could answer and raced off.

"Knew it." Lana said.

Much later that day, after the excitement was wearing down. He and his friends were getting sleepy, yawning and stretching a few times as the time ticked by. The fireplace was lit back up, the fire crackling around them. Laughter filling the late evening, as they told stories of their childhood.

The Eon Pokemon pushed against Ash's back, he turned around and raised an eyebrow.

Softly asking what it was. Latias gestures to the sky, cooing softly.

"You gotta go again huh?" Ash realized. They sat and floated in silence. Looking at the sunset between the trees. His friends around them were picking up the beginning of the conversation, piping down their stories and letting Latias wave goodbye at them. To which they also said their farewells, telling her to come back anytime.

Ash stood up and walked with Latias the the edge of their camp. His friends were sending curious looks at his back, but stayed behind to respect the friendship of the old friends.

Ash turned to Latias. "Before you go I do have a question though."

Latias nodded, eager to response.

"What made you visit me? I've already seen Giratina and Moltres stopping by" Ash asked curiously to Latias.

Latias crooned and tilted her head.

"I enjoyed you staying here! It's been really fun, I'm so glad you wanted to meet the others, they were really excited to meet you." He smiled and shot a look at his friends, who quickly acted like they weren't trying to listen in.

"But should I be prepared for more visits from other legendary pokemons?"

Latias just stared blankly at him, blinking slowly.

A ghost of a smile started creeping on her face.

"Well, it was worth asking you." Ash said flatly at the silence.

Latias cooed loudly and headbutted him softly again, as if saying goodbye and good luck.

Ash smiled at the Eon pokemon. "Do visit me anytime Latias. You are always welcome."

Latias cooed again, sending Pikachu also a nod and floated up above the treetops.

"Take care Latias!" Ash called to her. Waving with both hands to the Eon pokemon.

"Pika- Pikachu!" Pikachu did the same thing as Ash, waving and chirping at the disappearing
pokemon.

They stood there for a second, letting the wind blow through their hair and fur. Ash tilted his hat down a bit. "Well it can only go downhill from here." Ash said in a flat tone.

Pikachu sputtered and lost its balance, falling on his side.

"What? Latias is one of the only ones who didn't cause any damage to a place or attempted to kill me."

"Pikapikachu pika!"

"You know that I'm right!"

"Pi-pikachu pika."

"Except for Lugia then."

"Pika."

"Hai, and Keldeo."

"Pikachu."

"I think I get it."

"Pi-ka."

"Shaymin doesn't count and you know that."

"Chu pika pikachu."

"Please stop swearing, no one believes me when I tell them."