I
To Dream of Alto Mare
But since it's not in da contest, no you don't get to see which picture it's based on. Use your imagination, search for it, or something. You'll recognize it. It's sweet. And... I /have/ been working on what I'm supposed ta! ._. I just wanted to do da contest, but, too late for that anyway. Ah well. I wrote it for you all so it's up regardless of that. >_> Read it and LIKE IT.
Disclaimers: Sex, yaddah yaddah, copyrights are theirs, blah blah, no illegal viewing, etc etc. When Latios speaks to humans using ", he's using a telepathic projection to imitate an actual voice. When he and Latias speak, they're speaking the pokemon language. And when they're having mental-only communication, they use ~'s. Scene changes are also ~s. You'll see. Enjoy da story.
Latios skimmed over the water, near the shores of Alto Mare. Already he could seen the sun glinting off of the canals and the stone buildings, that seemed nearly ancient in their own right. He smiled at the city, a perfect blend of civilization and nature, of earth and sea. Foliage surrounded the buildings in their complex architecture. As he neared the port, he saw them at the main passage: statues of a latios and latias, resting on opposing pillars. Cautious not to reveal his presence, he adjusted his feathers. He purred silently to feel them... they were smaller than scales, and far more intricate, allowing him to adjust the light around him to change appearance- even become invisible- at will.
He settled onto the statue of his likeness, and peered across at the one opposite. The fine-cut imitations were certainly an affirmation to what he had heard.
Only days ago had he learned of this city, and how his kind had protected it from danger. What's more, word has passed that recently the guardians of the city has risen again, to protect its citizens. Two siblings, a brother and sister, fought to prevent the city from meeting its demise by its own defenses, and the latios perished in the process. The stories filled him with pride for his kind, but more, he lamented his fellow legend's passing, and the loneliness the remaining must face.
His own brother had departed before him, departing from their minuscule herd. While his brother stayed to make sure that their family was safe, they departed once he, the younger, had finally come of age. The very same day he set out to follow his destiny, as his brother had. Although sad to see them go, his parents sent them off with their blessings... he was certain that he would have more siblings in no time, though.
So these rumors had lead him here, and he could see right away that they were in fact true. The whole city had an aura of peace over it at the moment... Not a person felt anything less than a soothing, if somber calm, putting their trivial conflicts aside in reflection of their fragile lives, and how they'd just been saved. It occurred to him that his brother may have come here, but he could not sense the other latios anywhere. With a crooning sigh, he lifted himself from the statue and descended into the streets. How would he find latias in the enormous city, if she even remained after the near-disaster?
Despite the uncertainty of his search, he swept onto one of the walkways and began. It wouldn't do well for him to be seen, should his coat of light be compromised, so he carefully shifted to create the illusion of a human, in his younger twenties. Blue jeans, a cloth jacket, a scarf, black hair... but his soulful, ruby eyes still remained.
Levitating carefully along the streets, he made his way into one of the plazas and began to look around. The humans went about their lives, working, playing, and tending to their families. A majority of them were not native to the area, he could tell, for their sense of wonder (and occasionally detached boredom) outweighed that of the others. He sighed deeply - an odd sound, appearing somewhere from the illusion's chest- and then rubbed his forehead. He would have to project a voice telepathically, so that all around could hear, if he was to remain inconspicuous.
Already he'd drawn a few curious glances, but none stuck. They obviously thought he was another tourist, and for the most part, it was true. With that in mind, he began to study the crowds intently, and though some returned a sour look, they were none the wiser.
Latios began first with a young man sitting on the edge of a fountain, his attention lost in the book that rested upon his lap. He walked over, dipped his head, and cleared his throat- or at least emulated it- to get the human's attention.
The student gave off an annoyed aura, but smiled regardless and put his finger to the text as so not to lost his place.
"Can I help you? Do you need directions?"
Latios looked left and right. Just where would he begin? What kind of person outright asked where the legendary guardians were?
A tourist. Well, as demeaning as it was, it was honest and in character. Resisting the urge to flee at the other male's growing agitation, he shook his head.
"If you can... maybe you can tell me how to find Latias, the guardianess of this city?"
The man laughed, and he could sense his annoyance reach a breaking point. He folded his marking ribbon through the page and closed the book abruptly, looking up into the latios' eyes. And stared for a few moments, contemplating, before he shrugged it off.
"Same place you and every other traveler coming into this town would. Knowing my luck, you're probably some sort of over-ambitious trainer just looking for their prize. But even if that's not the case, I couldn't tell you. All anyone could is that you're best off looking in textbooks. And speaking of, if you'll excuse me..."
Latios moved out of the way before the man could attempt to do so himself, and watched as he walked off. Not that he could blame the citizens for being touchy about people looking for her. But as it was, he hadn't any leads. He already knew the legends...
As he contemplated this, hands stuffed in his pockets, he noticed another person watching him, and this one did not look away. She sat on one of the benches near an alleyway, glancing between him and her laptop at intervals. Again he cleared his throat and approached her.
"Excuse me, do you need me for something...?" Latios emulated as politely as he could. The woman smiled, and then laughed, shaking her head. Behind her, a porygon blipped into and out of existence as it danced between her computer and reality.
"No, no, you just seem lost, and that jerk didn't seem all too helpful. Is there perhaps some way I could direct you?"
Latios smiled. She was certainly much nicer, even if she had something of an arrogant attitude. He dipped his head, folded his hands, and said simply, "I'm looking for Latias."
She blinked a couple times, and then laughed again. "You're not alone, there," she said. "I'm afraid you're not going to get much help just asking random people. Half of them aren't even from here, and the rest probably won't be able to or be willing to tell you anything useful. But, tell you what. I think your best luck is to ask around at the museum... maybe the curator. He seemed to be unusually knowledgeable on the subject."
"I, ah..." Latios blushed, unsure how to respond. She clicked at her laptop a few more times, and then pointed down one of the larger streets.
"I know you're not from around here, but you can at least follow directions, right? Follow that road, straight until you reach another open plaza. The large, palace-like building is what you're looking for. I don't know why you're looking for the guardian... but, it seems like it's important. Good luck in your search."
The curator? While that didn't make much sense to him, it was better than anything else he could expect to find wandering. Again he bowed, flustering.
"T-thank you, Miss...." he murmured, and turned about to leave. "If you're right, you've just done me an incredible service..."
He hurried off before his embarrassment shone through, or worse, he lost his concentration. It was easy enough to change his appearance, but one slipped cry, and everyone would know something was up. In a flash, he sprinted down the cobblestone path, which was fortunately empty enough.
As he vanished from sight, the woman smiled and whipped her cell phone from her pocket. Looking to see that no one would be listening in, she ducked aside and hit the speed dial.
"HQ? I've finally found something worth reporting. Latias? No... it's not that. O- listen to me, damnit! Someone else is looking for her. No, I know- shut up and let me explain! It was a latios. Why didn't I - look, just put Giovanni on the line.
"Yes, sir. There was a young man searching for the last guardian... but my scanner showed that it was actually another latios. ... Yes, I agree. If we help him find her, we can lure them out, and capture them both. The other agents got overzealous... if they had simply left with the guardians, that would have been that. Send in your best. This time, we're not going to let them go..."
She nodded and hung up, turning to her porygon. "Alright, you. Follow him, and don't let him out of your sight. But don't be seen, either. I'll be seeing everything that you do..."
It nodded its head awkwardly, and then bobbed off before flickering and becoming invisible itself. The woman smiled to herself. A latios would have a much more difficult time reading data, as opposed to natural emotion...
~
Meanwhile, Latios had finally managed to locate the museum. Once he had reached the appropriate area, the building was very apparent. Stain glass windows filled the walls of every floor, and there had to be at least several, not including the central dome. The air flowed openly once more in the plaza, as it bordered a smaller port, and the scent of salt invigorated Latios. If the woman told the truth, he'd come one step closer to finding her.
The inside of the building was much darker than the outside, despite the light that strained through the colored glass. As he stepped inside, another human male greeted him with a patient smile.
"Welcome to the museum of Alto Mare. Admission is free, but we encourage donations... ah, sir? Is there something I can help you with?"
Latios looked over and swallowed hard. "I... I'd like to speak to the curator, if that's alright."
"Well, of course," the receptionist replied, waving a hand. "Wait here. I'll see if I can find him."
As he walked off, Latios began to study his surroundings once more. The chamber that he waited in was just one of many, although there were no exhibits in the entryway. The walls had been cut from a blue-shaded marble, weaved and laced with gold. Pillars lined the corridors, decorated similarly, and small, ambient lights gave the place what illumination the filtered sun failed to.
While he continued to look around in fascination, the receptionist returned with another male, this one much older. What remaining hair he had was white, and there was not much at that, but he had huge eyes and a broad smile. The overalls that he wore were covered in sawdust and smelled of plant oils and polishes. They made his eyes water a little, but he smiled regardless.
"So you've been wanting to see me?" He asked, studying Latios carefully. "I'm Lorenzo, the curator of this museum, if you haven't heard or read the name tag by now. What can I do for you?"
"Ah, that is..." He murmured, carefully waiting until the receptionist had left to greet another visitor. He squeezed his fists and forced a smile. "I'm looking for Latias, and I was told that you might know something about her..."
The man's fuzzy eyebrows arched, and he stared long and hard at Latios. Judging from the sharp emotional jump, he really did know her... but he was suspicious, if it wasn't obvious by his piercing gaze. Right into his eyes, he stared... and then shook his head as if he'd just noticed that something was amiss. He took a step closer and offered his hand.
"You could say that. I am, after all, the curator... I know a little more than most people are allowed to around here. You look familiar... but, no, nevermind. Tell me, why do you want to know about her."
Latios drew a deep breath and closed his eyes, although their illusionary counterparts remained open. "... I want to meet her."
Lorenzo stroked his chin and nodded sagely, sighing. "Well, I'm afraid I can't tell you where she is... but, there's someone else who might be able to. If you'll come with me, I can fetch her for you."
Latios' heart sank, and then rose again. He wasn't lying... but there was something that he wasn't letting on. Nodding, he meekly followed after the curator, into a small office aside from the main area of the museum. He beckoned for Latios to seat himself, and he placed himself on the couch there, settling ackwardly on the arm. Then the curator locked the door, and made for the one opposite it.
"... please wait here for a few minutes, while I go get her. Don't go anywhere, because I won't know where to find her."
Latios nodded, and was alone once more. He knitted his paws together... just how many fake ends would he have to chase until he found her? And now he was sitting, waiting, for what felt like an eternity, possibly imprisoned... the room seemed smaller by the minute. Four walls, a dominating desk, and the couch, his only comfort. It felt like the wait would never end... until finally the door creaked open again, and a female peered in.
At first glance, he thought she was human, a little taller than he was, with brown hair, a green blouse, skirt... but sensing her heart, he realized immediately that she wasn't human at all. Latias in disguise, or some cruel trick?
She shut the door, and took a few steps closer, looking him in the eyes. And then a broad smile came about her as she cast aside the illusion. It was, indeed, Latias. She flew towards him and pounced onto him, throwing her arms around him.
"Brother!? It can't be... it..." She looked at him for a moment, and then backed away quickly, floating a few feet in front of him. "No, you're not... he... he was a lot bigger." She laughed, and then blinked at him. "I'm sorry. But... who are you? Take of that silly illusion... it's okay."
Latios blushed furiously. For the moment that she'd touched him, it set off a sudden surge of warmth within him... and though the love and longing she emitted for but a moment was meant for someone else- her brother- he felt it soak over him, and could not bring himself to let go of it. No doubt she sensed his reaction, but she said nothing, politely waiting for his response.
He crooned out a faint 'laaa...' and allowed the illusion to die away, revealing him as his blue and white dragon self, sprawled on the sofa. In all truth, he was smaller than most latios... and he was still younger than them, for that matter. In fact, she rivaled him in size, and seemed to take some amusement in this, playing with his paws as he shifted about nervously.
"It really is you..." he choked, staring up at her as she batted at him, turning about him playfully. "I thought I would never find of you."
"So, you've heard of me?" She asked, blushing more now. "That's strange... but, I suppose word would travel quick, about..."
She closed her eyes and looked away. The wounds of losing her only remaining family member were still fresh in her memory. A tear rolled down her face, and he quickly leaned up to lick it away. They stared at one another for a moment, and then she looked away.
"Why did you come here?" She asked quietly.
Latios reached a paw up to take hers, and she let it to him.
"I... when I heard what happened, I couldn't stand the thought of you being here alone. I mean, I have a brother myself... I may well never see him again, either. It's not the same, but... I understand what you're going through..."
If he didn't before, he certainly did now. Her heart was completely open, and it was breaking his. He trembled in sharing her sadness, her loss... but there was something else there, a sense of happiness and hope. A little seed of warmth that ever-so-slowly spread... she looked to him again.
"Only you could, hm?" She teased, pulling him away from the couch and into the center of the room, where she could circle, sniff, and study him. "I never thought I'd see another one of us, to be honest... but, what will you do, now that..."
Before she could finish her question, the door creaked open again, and Lorenzo stepped in, along with the girl that Latias was imitating, his hands folded. He grinned and shook his head.
"If you were a latios, you should have said so... but, who am I kidding, as secretive as we are, I can only expect you to be moreso. But it looks like Latias saw right through you...!"
Latias giggled and pushed him about, and he nudged back affectionately as they slowly drifted about the room. The girl, Bianca, stared in disbelief.
"It couldn't... another...?"
"They're not quite unique," Lorenzo explained, watching the two play. "There are a few small groups scattered throughout the world, but I never thought that one would come here. I suppose it's only natural, though, with her here... Maybe it's some kind of fate that brings him here to us. What do you think, Latias?"
Latias simply let an elated, melodic croon and continued to drift about with him. Lorenzo pulled the door open, revealing the fading sunlight, and grinned.
"Why don't you let her show you around the city? I'm sure you won't be leaving for a while, and you're more than welcome to stay with us, with her... your secret will be kept all the same. Besides, I'm sure the two of you could use some time to become friends..."
Latias nodded and tugged on his hand, pulling him towards the door. He gave a curious look to the curator and his granddaughter, who simply watched. They seemed happy... genuinely happy that Latias wouldn't be alone, and could tell that they hoped he would stay. Truth told, he never thought about what he would do if he did find her...
Impatiently, she pulled him into flight, letting herself become invisible to all but his mind as they flew out the door. He quickly did the same, and together they lifted into the night sky, climbing higher and higher above the rooftops.
For a while, she didn't say a word. She simply sung out, and he accompanied her, weaving between high rises of buildings and back down through alleyways to skim the canals. They explored the emptying markets, the various houses, ducking this way and that through the city as the cool air washed over them.
After a moment, she perched upon an empty rooftop. He drifted past, and then quickly doubled back, shyly settling beside her. She crooned telepathically and brushed her muzzle against his neck.
"It's a wonderful night. Much warmer than it has been for a while..."
He smiled and rubbed back at her, timidly. This was the first time he'd met a latias, aside from his mother, and he didn't know quite what to do around her.
"Yes, it has..."
"So what do you think of the city, so far?"
"I like it. It's beautiful... it's the land, it's the sea, it's the sky... it's humans and nature living in harmony. And it's so very peaceful... it feels like nothing could ever go wrong. Like I could be happy forever..."
He emitted a squeak-like chirp as she grabbed his hands and tugged him up again, grinning.
"You haven't even seen the best part, yet! Let me show you my... our special little place."
His eyes widened as he mentally repeated her words.... 'our special place?' He supposed that he would see it soon enough, as she was once more dragging him into flight, over the city. They traveled to where the buildings were denser, and then where the trees grew taller, until he could swear that they'd just entered an enormous forest.
That's when she started descending, for the space between the trees was actually great, and the starlight shone through to the grass below. Within seconds, they'd drifted into the garden. Here, more than anywhere else, the flora grew in multitudes. Flowers bloomed on every corner, and the trees were among the healthiest he'd ever seen. She guided him through the protected, sacred garden, over the streams and lakes, over the paths, as he looked about in wonder...
"It's beautiful..." he murmured, glancing over at her. She smiled and nodded, brushing against him as she zipped past again, headed towards a protected fountain.
"It's my home... this is where my father and my brother were laid to rest, and where their souls watch, guarding over this city forever..."
Latios blinked a couple times. Although her voice was full of sadness when she said it, she seemed to cope better when she was here... perhaps because her father and brother had never truly left, although their bodies no longer existed. Again he joined her, and stared into the water as it cascaded seemingly out of nowhere, about a beautiful blue sphere... he could feel its presence strongly.
"This... this is my brother..." she reached in and brushed the Soul Dew with a wing. He stared into it, wordlessly... slowly, surely, he felt something wrap about him. The presence of another Latios, this much older and stronger than himself. It was brief, and left as soon as it had come, but it did so in planting a single thought within his head...
~Take care of my sister... she needs you...~
And still he continued to stare off, until she nudged him.
"Are... are you okay?" she murmured. "You've been out of it for minutes..."
Latios shook his head. Had it truly been that long? But again, before he could contemplate the matter, she stole him up into the air. Prefering her touch to somber thinking, he hardly fought it, and sighed in contentment.
Their journey did not last, this time, as she settled him down against the broad base of a branch, far up on one of the larger trees. As she sprawled out, she inhaled deeply and sighed.
"This... this is where we always slept, where I sleep now. It still smells like him..." she trailed off...
He breathed deeply, and found that both of their scents had been long ingrained into the tree. As he lightly sniffed the bark, she pulled him again, this time gently, beckoning for him to lay against her. Although shy, he found himself curled against her side, one hand resting over hers. Silence... and the faint hefts of her breath, that filled him, little by little...
"Stay here with me, tonight?" She asked, almost begging, and he replied with a faint nod, squeezing her hand. If he had anything to do with it, then he would never...
"And, maybe, answer me now..." she murmured... "What will you do, now that you have found me? You lived in the wild... you don't have to do anything with your life, you don't have to stay..."
Almost instantly he replied, looking up at her to croon. "I want to! I never want to leave your side..."
Her face turned bright red, and she looked up at him, startled.
"Latios..."
"Laitas..." He squeezed another paw around hers and gazed up into her perfect golden eyes. "I mean it. I want to stay with you forever. I'll become a guardian, like you... and I won't ever let you be alone again. Like the shadow that is by your side, through day and dark, I will not part from you..."
Latias trembled, and let a faint, song-like cry... tears streamed down her face, but in those were hope, joy... she tilted her head.
"I... I... but you could..."
"Could what? Wander the world, fateless and alone, until just maybe I found some chance for happiness, some guess at a purpose?" He shook his head, and lapped her face clean as the tears flowed. "Here, I have you. I have happiness. I have this city..."
Latias nodded, crying silently still. She lifted her head to catch him on another lick, pressing her open beak to his, letting him lap at her tongue. He froze up, eyes wide, looking upon her until he finally melted into the kiss. His heart raced as she drew him close, and warmed him, curling nearly around him. Without breaking her hold on his lips, she spoke into his mind.
~I... I think I love you...~
Latios lidded his eyes and let himself become lost in her touch and warmth, feeling the stretch of her body against his, the touch of her hand... her very soul next to, brushing against his with surges of warmth. And her heart, at its very core... so very alive, so very full of love...
~I know you do... and, we know that I love you, too...~
She could sense it, too, and let the faintest of nods, still holding his muzzle. ~Yes. I love you, Latios. Oh, Latios...~
~Latias...~
The sun finally dipped below the horizon, and they finally broke their kiss, only to stare at one another as twilight set in. Until finally, she draped her neck over his. The rest of the world faded away as they drifted off to sleep, together... Latios stared off into nothingness, dreamily. Little did he realize how alone he would have been, lost in the world, if he did not have her... and he swore that he would always remain a beacon of happiness and love within her life.
~
Latios snapped awake. The sun had not yet risen, and his body still ached with tiredness, although it was numbed by the pleasant sensation of Latias laying against him. Something had disturbed him into waking... a psychic projection of sorts. He scanned the walls and entryways... there! A small pink flash. It was a porygon... he could barely read it, but it seemed to have hostile intend.
No, it couldn't be... not the one that belonged to the woman? She did seem odd, but he couldn't quite put a wing on it...
Cautious not to wake Latias, he slipped out from beneath her, leaving her to slumber alone for a brief time, or so he hoped. Then, donning his invisibility, he bolted for the corridor he'd seen the digital pokemon in. It seemed to be at the very edge of his senses, and he followed it through seemingly endless darkness, until he manifested on the other side again.
This time he came out in a narrow corridor, far away from the garden, tucked between a couple of the residential buildings. There, waiting on one of the bridges, were three humans, two male and one female. Even he recognized their uniforms right away: Team Rocked. Although he was invisible, they still pointed his direction, guided by their machinations, and laughed.
"That's not going to help you now, little latios... why don't you come out and play? Or maybe you're afraid we won't play nice..."
There was a sound like a gunshot, and something sticky hit his wing. He found that he was quickly unable to move it... although he could still fly about with his psychic powers alone, he was unused to the ackwardness. The unpredictable movement did give him some leeway, though, and he lunged towards the rockets, aiming to knock them into the canal. Before he could get there, though, they flipped off the back of the bridge, and onto the boat below. As he turned about, the porygon flashed in front of him. He screamed out as a blinding light filled his vision, and smacked straight into a wall.
"A little too rough for you?" One of the agents sneered. "Don't worry, you won't be feeling a thing, soon enough..."
The sound of a cannon being launched, and a net of energy wrapped around him. He screamed out as it engulfed him, numbing his nerves with pain. As he tried to break it with his mind, the psychic energies were forced back upon him, until he gave up, simply writhing on the street in pain.
"That's one down..." one of the agents said, leaping up onto the sidewalk. "Maybe we should just take him and go."
"If the other doesn't show up soon, we may as well. Giovanni is sick of us showing up empty handed because we got greedy..."
The three of them began to drag his helpless form towards the boat. As he began to slip off the edge and onto the bed of the vessel, he felt something rapidly approaching...
~L.... latias... don't!~
The three looked up again, grinning as the invisible latias weaved towards them. Before the porygon knew what was happening, she flew straight through it, knocking it into the water. The female rocket whipped out a ball, and retrieved it in a beam of red light.
"There she is... aim carefully! We want to take them both alive."
Again, the sound of gunfire, but the venomous goo simply splatted onto the walls. Again and again the shots resounded through the air, but struck nothing. Latios felt a gust rush over the boat as she passed... and stopped, right behind the boat. Right in front of the cannon. She threw off her disguise and glared hatefully at the agents.
~Run... please..~
~No!~
More darts fired, and this time they bounced harmlessly off of her barrier as she growled.
"I'll kill you first! You won't do this... you won't take another that I love away from me!"
"Heh, Sassy little bitch," one of the rockets spat, swinging the cannon to point at her. "Should take your little lover's advice and run while you still can..."
But she didn't flee. Instead, she just glowed, brightly... as the agent fired the cannon, she flared. The net of energy flew into the air... and as it opened, slowed to a halt in front of her. It then flipped around and whirled back, capturing instead the three agents. They screamed out this time as they became entrapped and fell to the floor of the boat. Delicately, Latias lifted Latios from the ship and began to guide him up onto the streets. Latios looked up at her pleadingly... while he was in agony, the energy did not effect her, being on the outside.
"Y... you can't.... aaagh!" One of the agents struggled against the net, but could not break it, and soon passed out alongside his comrades.
~L... Latias...~ Latios cried out, torn between numbness, relief, and agony. She started to pull at the little nodes that kept the net upon him, when the window above opened up, and an elderly woman peered out.
"What's all that racket? A Latios? Latias...? Team rocket!? Oh, by Mew... I'm calling the authorities right now. You poor, poor thing..."
Latios moaned and looked pleadingly up at Latias. Even if he was in pain, he didn't want any more people to see them than necessary. Nodding, she scooped his form up, capture net and all, and began to drag him back to the garden.
~You... why did you have to go alone? I could have lost you already...~ Latias said, clearly upset. Latios shuddered and cried softly.
~I... I didn't want anything to happen.. I wanted to protect...~
She sighed and looked down at him. ~Love... you're not strong enough yet. Not by yourself. You can't put yourself out like that. The... the only reason I could draw on so much strength is because you were there. It was the same way they tried to capture myself and my brother... so I knew what I had to do, and...~
~I... I know. I won't leave your side, ever. For any reason at all.~
~Promise me!~
~Latias, I...~ He shuddered and cried out again. The pain was simply getting to be too much, but he had to say it before he lost consciousness. ~I pro...~
Too late, his thoughts cut off, and he blacked out as they entered the garden.
~
~Please... please wake up...~
Her voice continued to coax into his mind, into the blackness in which he stared. And slowly, gradually, the world came back to him. He was no longer in the capture net, and it was day again. They were in the garden together, on the grass at the base of the hill, this time. The sun shone gently upon them as he turned... a little sore, but otherwise well. She latched onto him the moment he opened his eyes.
"Latias... what happened...?"
"You passed out on the way back... Mister Lorenzo got a private nurse to come and look at you. She removed the net, and there was no lasting damage. The police showed up and arrested those horrible people. And I... by Mew, I couldn't sleep, I worried so much about you..."
Latios managed a smile. "Thank you... so much..." and then sighed, looking away. "I recognized that woman. She's the one who told me to go to the museum... to look for you. Why? She seemed so nice, so honest..."
Latias shook her head and licked his cheek. "Perhaps she didn't lie. It's easy to tell if someone is lying, but they can mask their motives really well. She really did want you to find me... even if it was to satisfy her selfish ends. You can't blame yourself for it."
"I put you in danger, Latias..."
She nipped his nose firmly and pinned him to the ground, shaking her head violently.
"No! Who knows, if you hadn't asked, you may never have found me... I don't want to think what life would be like right now without you. No regrets, Latios. We face the good and the bad together, always."
He clutched her hands and leaned back up against her. "That's right. I promise.... I will never leave your side. No matter what."
She blinked a couple times... then smiled... then laughed, until tears were streaming down her face. Latios tilted his head to the side.
"What's so funny...?"
"You said that, while you were passing out. You also said you loved me... and goodness, you said so many wonderful things..."
Latios blinked. Without realizing it? He spoke his heart without any connection to consciousness whatsoever. And did he sense her... bashful? Just what /had/ he said that could make her blush so? Admittedly, there were some instincts that he... oh, by the gods, he couldn't have said that...
She gave him an affectionate lick to the cheek and smiled. ~Mmmhm.~
This time, he turned red, and he wondered if he didn't look like a latias himself, on the outside. She leaned down and nuzzled him again, letting her weight rest upon him as she stole him into another kiss. Her heart raced against his... he could feel her body heat rise.
~You know, I...~ Latias trailed off.
He squirmed beneath her as her feathers started to mingle with his, and her breath fell hot against his tongue. Once more he felt the whole of her heart engulfing his, and they shared that blissful warmth, showing one another their love. But there was another sensation... one that excited them both, as it shared and grew like wildfire. At first buried, but quickly consuming... passion, lust, the need for one another's touch.
They rolled about in the grass, together, rubbing against one another, simply basking in the touch of the other. Her tail fanned out against his, as she gazed into his eyes with an increasing haze.
"I love you, Latias..." Latios murmured, stroking her sides. She crooned a loving 'laaa...' and nuzzled his neck.
"I love you too, Latios. And I... I..."
She turned even redder, and he nuzzled her in curiosity... turning red, too, almost sponging her shyness. What she could not say in words, she quickly sent to him...
~Latios... I want you in me. Please mate with me... please stay with me, always...~
Latios' ruby eyes went wide as she panted against him. ~A.. are you... I mean, does that mean that you...~
~Yes...~ She whined. ~I want you to be my mate! Latios...~
She rolled off of him, slowly... and he couldn't help but notice just how... pleasant she smelled. There was a firm, almost sweet scent rising from somewhere on her underside, and it consumed him. In the back of his mind, he recognized his own musky scent that he'd only recently known, as his mind and body matured. And he was very aware of the uncomfortable, wet rod that protruded from him, and rubbed in the grass as he turned over.
Latias lay out upon her back, her arms wide open, her wings splayed... never before had he looked at another in such a light, and never before did anyone seem as beautiful and alluring as Latias was right then. With a flutter of his wings and a little glide, he settled down on top of her, soaking in her touch once more.
~I'll be your mate,~ Latios sent to her... ~I'll be yours forever...~
She responded in a mental shush, gazing up at him. Latios squirmed as he felt her warm folds pressing against his stomach, and the slickness of his member brushing against her underside. So close... so very close. He shifted a little, not removing his gaze from her once, until he finally felt his dripping tip settle against her folds. She raised her hands to his... and they weaved their claws together, locking their grip.
~Please, now...~ Latias whined.
Latios nodded, and thrust his body forward. Both of them sung out in unison as his shaft sunk into her, spreading her virgin sex around him. In one swift push, he tore through her barrier until his body rested against hers, penetrated to the deepest. She gasped for breath and held him tight, laying her head back in the grass, giving a weak little push to beckon him on.
He leaned his body back and began to push into her, a slow, definite rhythm of flesh stroking against flesh... her thin sexlips wrapped around the base of his shaft and squeeze. Although she'd known little control of those new muscles, she still had enough psychic know-how to squeeze and ripple around him, milking away at his shaft...
The sensations drove her wild, too, as her warm honey spilled out against his stomach, and hers. They both gasped deeply for breath as he found his passage into her cunt easier on each stroke, and her body throbbed with her heartbeat... his own racing inside of her. Trickles of sweat washed over them both as they poured all of their energy into their mating...
~L... latios...~ she cried out mentally... time seemed to stand still as she welcomed him into her body, coaxing out every drop of lubrication he had to spare, and then some. Somewhere inside, he felt his seed stirring to life. As much as he loathed for it to end so soon... it wouldn't be too long in coming.
He called out again and again, using the force of his beating wings to drive deeper into her, stroking every little press of flesh with his probing shaft. And as he drove himself into her, to her inner rose again and again, he fell more into her form... her heart was completely open, and her whole body seemed to be wrapped around his as she squeezed her palms to his.
"Laaaaaaaa...!"
To his surprise, Latias climaxed first, in a strong and sudden burst. Her body tensed, squeezed, and pulled him in, at the same time releasing a deluge of liquid that soaked his underside. Wave after wave of ecstasy washed over them both... and she lidded her eyes, letting the experience take her as Latios fell over the brink as well. His cries joined hers once more, in song that reached the peaks of the garden and parts of the city...
And he felt that sudden stiffness take his body as a raw pleasure jammed through him, and he thrust himself against her one last time, his cock jerking against her inner folds, and spraying heavy streams of cream deep into her, filling her and splashing against her cervix. They both blushed through their feathers, dripping... eyes almost entirely shut as they fell into their waning climaxes...
Latios finally slumped against her, his shaft sliding out of her with a quiet pop and a trickle of liquid. Latias moaned and pulled him closer, embracing him, and he returned it... his heart still beat in unison with hers. And so they passed a minute, and another, just gasping for breath, and feeling one another's love and pleasure.
"I love you, Latias... my mate... I always shall..." Latios panted, using each breath he managed to catch. She nodded and nuzzled him, tucking her neck against his.
"I shall always love you, too, my Latios..."
They rolled onto their sides, still holding one another, and laughed, rubbing up against one another's soaked form elatedly.
"I love you..."
"I love you so much..."
"More than anything..."
"More than life itself..."
His eyes began to drift shut, further, and she allowed hers to the same. The wind blew through the garden, carrying the cool sea air, but they were perfectly warm in their bed of soft grass. Hidden from sight, she cooed and nuzzled him. Spent, they realized just how exhausted the were, and began to drift off together.
~I promise I'll always be with you... forever...~ Latios sent to her, faint in his fatigue. ~That I will protect you, and do my best to always make you happy, and stay with you in the darkest of times... that I shall be your mate... and the best latios that I can be...~
~And I promise you the same...~ she cooed, smooching his cheek, letting out a little happy 'laa...' ~Rest, love... we're not going anywhere, and we can face tomorrow together.~
Nodding gently, he tucked tightly against her form and held her close. So Latias was joined with her new mate, and Alto Mare gained another protector. Somewhere beyond their senses, another latios watched, smiling fondly.
~You'll be good for her, brother...~ he thought, and then looked over the city. ~Maybe it will be worth it to stick around for a while yet. Maybe another latias will arrive... well, either way, I still can't help but look after him. Heh... Suppose I should make myself known when they wake. In the meanwhile....~
He shook his head and swooped off again, fading into the sunlight as he began to survey the city.
And so, another day begins in the Water Capital, and in the pokemon world...
But since it's not in da contest, no you don't get to see which picture it's based on. Use your imagination, search for it, or something. You'll recognize it. It's sweet. And... I /have/ been working on what I'm supposed ta! ._. I just wanted to do da contest, but, too late for that anyway. Ah well. I wrote it for you all so it's up regardless of that. >_> Read it and LIKE IT.
Disclaimers: Sex, yaddah yaddah, copyrights are theirs, blah blah, no illegal viewing, etc etc. When Latios speaks to humans using ", he's using a telepathic projection to imitate an actual voice. When he and Latias speak, they're speaking the pokemon language. And when they're having mental-only communication, they use ~'s. Scene changes are also ~s. You'll see. Enjoy da story.
Latios skimmed over the water, near the shores of Alto Mare. Already he could seen the sun glinting off of the canals and the stone buildings, that seemed nearly ancient in their own right. He smiled at the city, a perfect blend of civilization and nature, of earth and sea. Foliage surrounded the buildings in their complex architecture. As he neared the port, he saw them at the main passage: statues of a latios and latias, resting on opposing pillars. Cautious not to reveal his presence, he adjusted his feathers. He purred silently to feel them... they were smaller than scales, and far more intricate, allowing him to adjust the light around him to change appearance- even become invisible- at will.
He settled onto the statue of his likeness, and peered across at the one opposite. The fine-cut imitations were certainly an affirmation to what he had heard.
Only days ago had he learned of this city, and how his kind had protected it from danger. What's more, word has passed that recently the guardians of the city has risen again, to protect its citizens. Two siblings, a brother and sister, fought to prevent the city from meeting its demise by its own defenses, and the latios perished in the process. The stories filled him with pride for his kind, but more, he lamented his fellow legend's passing, and the loneliness the remaining must face.
His own brother had departed before him, departing from their minuscule herd. While his brother stayed to make sure that their family was safe, they departed once he, the younger, had finally come of age. The very same day he set out to follow his destiny, as his brother had. Although sad to see them go, his parents sent them off with their blessings... he was certain that he would have more siblings in no time, though.
So these rumors had lead him here, and he could see right away that they were in fact true. The whole city had an aura of peace over it at the moment... Not a person felt anything less than a soothing, if somber calm, putting their trivial conflicts aside in reflection of their fragile lives, and how they'd just been saved. It occurred to him that his brother may have come here, but he could not sense the other latios anywhere. With a crooning sigh, he lifted himself from the statue and descended into the streets. How would he find latias in the enormous city, if she even remained after the near-disaster?
Despite the uncertainty of his search, he swept onto one of the walkways and began. It wouldn't do well for him to be seen, should his coat of light be compromised, so he carefully shifted to create the illusion of a human, in his younger twenties. Blue jeans, a cloth jacket, a scarf, black hair... but his soulful, ruby eyes still remained.
Levitating carefully along the streets, he made his way into one of the plazas and began to look around. The humans went about their lives, working, playing, and tending to their families. A majority of them were not native to the area, he could tell, for their sense of wonder (and occasionally detached boredom) outweighed that of the others. He sighed deeply - an odd sound, appearing somewhere from the illusion's chest- and then rubbed his forehead. He would have to project a voice telepathically, so that all around could hear, if he was to remain inconspicuous.
Already he'd drawn a few curious glances, but none stuck. They obviously thought he was another tourist, and for the most part, it was true. With that in mind, he began to study the crowds intently, and though some returned a sour look, they were none the wiser.
Latios began first with a young man sitting on the edge of a fountain, his attention lost in the book that rested upon his lap. He walked over, dipped his head, and cleared his throat- or at least emulated it- to get the human's attention.
The student gave off an annoyed aura, but smiled regardless and put his finger to the text as so not to lost his place.
"Can I help you? Do you need directions?"
Latios looked left and right. Just where would he begin? What kind of person outright asked where the legendary guardians were?
A tourist. Well, as demeaning as it was, it was honest and in character. Resisting the urge to flee at the other male's growing agitation, he shook his head.
"If you can... maybe you can tell me how to find Latias, the guardianess of this city?"
The man laughed, and he could sense his annoyance reach a breaking point. He folded his marking ribbon through the page and closed the book abruptly, looking up into the latios' eyes. And stared for a few moments, contemplating, before he shrugged it off.
"Same place you and every other traveler coming into this town would. Knowing my luck, you're probably some sort of over-ambitious trainer just looking for their prize. But even if that's not the case, I couldn't tell you. All anyone could is that you're best off looking in textbooks. And speaking of, if you'll excuse me..."
Latios moved out of the way before the man could attempt to do so himself, and watched as he walked off. Not that he could blame the citizens for being touchy about people looking for her. But as it was, he hadn't any leads. He already knew the legends...
As he contemplated this, hands stuffed in his pockets, he noticed another person watching him, and this one did not look away. She sat on one of the benches near an alleyway, glancing between him and her laptop at intervals. Again he cleared his throat and approached her.
"Excuse me, do you need me for something...?" Latios emulated as politely as he could. The woman smiled, and then laughed, shaking her head. Behind her, a porygon blipped into and out of existence as it danced between her computer and reality.
"No, no, you just seem lost, and that jerk didn't seem all too helpful. Is there perhaps some way I could direct you?"
Latios smiled. She was certainly much nicer, even if she had something of an arrogant attitude. He dipped his head, folded his hands, and said simply, "I'm looking for Latias."
She blinked a couple times, and then laughed again. "You're not alone, there," she said. "I'm afraid you're not going to get much help just asking random people. Half of them aren't even from here, and the rest probably won't be able to or be willing to tell you anything useful. But, tell you what. I think your best luck is to ask around at the museum... maybe the curator. He seemed to be unusually knowledgeable on the subject."
"I, ah..." Latios blushed, unsure how to respond. She clicked at her laptop a few more times, and then pointed down one of the larger streets.
"I know you're not from around here, but you can at least follow directions, right? Follow that road, straight until you reach another open plaza. The large, palace-like building is what you're looking for. I don't know why you're looking for the guardian... but, it seems like it's important. Good luck in your search."
The curator? While that didn't make much sense to him, it was better than anything else he could expect to find wandering. Again he bowed, flustering.
"T-thank you, Miss...." he murmured, and turned about to leave. "If you're right, you've just done me an incredible service..."
He hurried off before his embarrassment shone through, or worse, he lost his concentration. It was easy enough to change his appearance, but one slipped cry, and everyone would know something was up. In a flash, he sprinted down the cobblestone path, which was fortunately empty enough.
As he vanished from sight, the woman smiled and whipped her cell phone from her pocket. Looking to see that no one would be listening in, she ducked aside and hit the speed dial.
"HQ? I've finally found something worth reporting. Latias? No... it's not that. O- listen to me, damnit! Someone else is looking for her. No, I know- shut up and let me explain! It was a latios. Why didn't I - look, just put Giovanni on the line.
"Yes, sir. There was a young man searching for the last guardian... but my scanner showed that it was actually another latios. ... Yes, I agree. If we help him find her, we can lure them out, and capture them both. The other agents got overzealous... if they had simply left with the guardians, that would have been that. Send in your best. This time, we're not going to let them go..."
She nodded and hung up, turning to her porygon. "Alright, you. Follow him, and don't let him out of your sight. But don't be seen, either. I'll be seeing everything that you do..."
It nodded its head awkwardly, and then bobbed off before flickering and becoming invisible itself. The woman smiled to herself. A latios would have a much more difficult time reading data, as opposed to natural emotion...
~
Meanwhile, Latios had finally managed to locate the museum. Once he had reached the appropriate area, the building was very apparent. Stain glass windows filled the walls of every floor, and there had to be at least several, not including the central dome. The air flowed openly once more in the plaza, as it bordered a smaller port, and the scent of salt invigorated Latios. If the woman told the truth, he'd come one step closer to finding her.
The inside of the building was much darker than the outside, despite the light that strained through the colored glass. As he stepped inside, another human male greeted him with a patient smile.
"Welcome to the museum of Alto Mare. Admission is free, but we encourage donations... ah, sir? Is there something I can help you with?"
Latios looked over and swallowed hard. "I... I'd like to speak to the curator, if that's alright."
"Well, of course," the receptionist replied, waving a hand. "Wait here. I'll see if I can find him."
As he walked off, Latios began to study his surroundings once more. The chamber that he waited in was just one of many, although there were no exhibits in the entryway. The walls had been cut from a blue-shaded marble, weaved and laced with gold. Pillars lined the corridors, decorated similarly, and small, ambient lights gave the place what illumination the filtered sun failed to.
While he continued to look around in fascination, the receptionist returned with another male, this one much older. What remaining hair he had was white, and there was not much at that, but he had huge eyes and a broad smile. The overalls that he wore were covered in sawdust and smelled of plant oils and polishes. They made his eyes water a little, but he smiled regardless.
"So you've been wanting to see me?" He asked, studying Latios carefully. "I'm Lorenzo, the curator of this museum, if you haven't heard or read the name tag by now. What can I do for you?"
"Ah, that is..." He murmured, carefully waiting until the receptionist had left to greet another visitor. He squeezed his fists and forced a smile. "I'm looking for Latias, and I was told that you might know something about her..."
The man's fuzzy eyebrows arched, and he stared long and hard at Latios. Judging from the sharp emotional jump, he really did know her... but he was suspicious, if it wasn't obvious by his piercing gaze. Right into his eyes, he stared... and then shook his head as if he'd just noticed that something was amiss. He took a step closer and offered his hand.
"You could say that. I am, after all, the curator... I know a little more than most people are allowed to around here. You look familiar... but, no, nevermind. Tell me, why do you want to know about her."
Latios drew a deep breath and closed his eyes, although their illusionary counterparts remained open. "... I want to meet her."
Lorenzo stroked his chin and nodded sagely, sighing. "Well, I'm afraid I can't tell you where she is... but, there's someone else who might be able to. If you'll come with me, I can fetch her for you."
Latios' heart sank, and then rose again. He wasn't lying... but there was something that he wasn't letting on. Nodding, he meekly followed after the curator, into a small office aside from the main area of the museum. He beckoned for Latios to seat himself, and he placed himself on the couch there, settling ackwardly on the arm. Then the curator locked the door, and made for the one opposite it.
"... please wait here for a few minutes, while I go get her. Don't go anywhere, because I won't know where to find her."
Latios nodded, and was alone once more. He knitted his paws together... just how many fake ends would he have to chase until he found her? And now he was sitting, waiting, for what felt like an eternity, possibly imprisoned... the room seemed smaller by the minute. Four walls, a dominating desk, and the couch, his only comfort. It felt like the wait would never end... until finally the door creaked open again, and a female peered in.
At first glance, he thought she was human, a little taller than he was, with brown hair, a green blouse, skirt... but sensing her heart, he realized immediately that she wasn't human at all. Latias in disguise, or some cruel trick?
She shut the door, and took a few steps closer, looking him in the eyes. And then a broad smile came about her as she cast aside the illusion. It was, indeed, Latias. She flew towards him and pounced onto him, throwing her arms around him.
"Brother!? It can't be... it..." She looked at him for a moment, and then backed away quickly, floating a few feet in front of him. "No, you're not... he... he was a lot bigger." She laughed, and then blinked at him. "I'm sorry. But... who are you? Take of that silly illusion... it's okay."
Latios blushed furiously. For the moment that she'd touched him, it set off a sudden surge of warmth within him... and though the love and longing she emitted for but a moment was meant for someone else- her brother- he felt it soak over him, and could not bring himself to let go of it. No doubt she sensed his reaction, but she said nothing, politely waiting for his response.
He crooned out a faint 'laaa...' and allowed the illusion to die away, revealing him as his blue and white dragon self, sprawled on the sofa. In all truth, he was smaller than most latios... and he was still younger than them, for that matter. In fact, she rivaled him in size, and seemed to take some amusement in this, playing with his paws as he shifted about nervously.
"It really is you..." he choked, staring up at her as she batted at him, turning about him playfully. "I thought I would never find of you."
"So, you've heard of me?" She asked, blushing more now. "That's strange... but, I suppose word would travel quick, about..."
She closed her eyes and looked away. The wounds of losing her only remaining family member were still fresh in her memory. A tear rolled down her face, and he quickly leaned up to lick it away. They stared at one another for a moment, and then she looked away.
"Why did you come here?" She asked quietly.
Latios reached a paw up to take hers, and she let it to him.
"I... when I heard what happened, I couldn't stand the thought of you being here alone. I mean, I have a brother myself... I may well never see him again, either. It's not the same, but... I understand what you're going through..."
If he didn't before, he certainly did now. Her heart was completely open, and it was breaking his. He trembled in sharing her sadness, her loss... but there was something else there, a sense of happiness and hope. A little seed of warmth that ever-so-slowly spread... she looked to him again.
"Only you could, hm?" She teased, pulling him away from the couch and into the center of the room, where she could circle, sniff, and study him. "I never thought I'd see another one of us, to be honest... but, what will you do, now that..."
Before she could finish her question, the door creaked open again, and Lorenzo stepped in, along with the girl that Latias was imitating, his hands folded. He grinned and shook his head.
"If you were a latios, you should have said so... but, who am I kidding, as secretive as we are, I can only expect you to be moreso. But it looks like Latias saw right through you...!"
Latias giggled and pushed him about, and he nudged back affectionately as they slowly drifted about the room. The girl, Bianca, stared in disbelief.
"It couldn't... another...?"
"They're not quite unique," Lorenzo explained, watching the two play. "There are a few small groups scattered throughout the world, but I never thought that one would come here. I suppose it's only natural, though, with her here... Maybe it's some kind of fate that brings him here to us. What do you think, Latias?"
Latias simply let an elated, melodic croon and continued to drift about with him. Lorenzo pulled the door open, revealing the fading sunlight, and grinned.
"Why don't you let her show you around the city? I'm sure you won't be leaving for a while, and you're more than welcome to stay with us, with her... your secret will be kept all the same. Besides, I'm sure the two of you could use some time to become friends..."
Latias nodded and tugged on his hand, pulling him towards the door. He gave a curious look to the curator and his granddaughter, who simply watched. They seemed happy... genuinely happy that Latias wouldn't be alone, and could tell that they hoped he would stay. Truth told, he never thought about what he would do if he did find her...
Impatiently, she pulled him into flight, letting herself become invisible to all but his mind as they flew out the door. He quickly did the same, and together they lifted into the night sky, climbing higher and higher above the rooftops.
For a while, she didn't say a word. She simply sung out, and he accompanied her, weaving between high rises of buildings and back down through alleyways to skim the canals. They explored the emptying markets, the various houses, ducking this way and that through the city as the cool air washed over them.
After a moment, she perched upon an empty rooftop. He drifted past, and then quickly doubled back, shyly settling beside her. She crooned telepathically and brushed her muzzle against his neck.
"It's a wonderful night. Much warmer than it has been for a while..."
He smiled and rubbed back at her, timidly. This was the first time he'd met a latias, aside from his mother, and he didn't know quite what to do around her.
"Yes, it has..."
"So what do you think of the city, so far?"
"I like it. It's beautiful... it's the land, it's the sea, it's the sky... it's humans and nature living in harmony. And it's so very peaceful... it feels like nothing could ever go wrong. Like I could be happy forever..."
He emitted a squeak-like chirp as she grabbed his hands and tugged him up again, grinning.
"You haven't even seen the best part, yet! Let me show you my... our special little place."
His eyes widened as he mentally repeated her words.... 'our special place?' He supposed that he would see it soon enough, as she was once more dragging him into flight, over the city. They traveled to where the buildings were denser, and then where the trees grew taller, until he could swear that they'd just entered an enormous forest.
That's when she started descending, for the space between the trees was actually great, and the starlight shone through to the grass below. Within seconds, they'd drifted into the garden. Here, more than anywhere else, the flora grew in multitudes. Flowers bloomed on every corner, and the trees were among the healthiest he'd ever seen. She guided him through the protected, sacred garden, over the streams and lakes, over the paths, as he looked about in wonder...
"It's beautiful..." he murmured, glancing over at her. She smiled and nodded, brushing against him as she zipped past again, headed towards a protected fountain.
"It's my home... this is where my father and my brother were laid to rest, and where their souls watch, guarding over this city forever..."
Latios blinked a couple times. Although her voice was full of sadness when she said it, she seemed to cope better when she was here... perhaps because her father and brother had never truly left, although their bodies no longer existed. Again he joined her, and stared into the water as it cascaded seemingly out of nowhere, about a beautiful blue sphere... he could feel its presence strongly.
"This... this is my brother..." she reached in and brushed the Soul Dew with a wing. He stared into it, wordlessly... slowly, surely, he felt something wrap about him. The presence of another Latios, this much older and stronger than himself. It was brief, and left as soon as it had come, but it did so in planting a single thought within his head...
~Take care of my sister... she needs you...~
And still he continued to stare off, until she nudged him.
"Are... are you okay?" she murmured. "You've been out of it for minutes..."
Latios shook his head. Had it truly been that long? But again, before he could contemplate the matter, she stole him up into the air. Prefering her touch to somber thinking, he hardly fought it, and sighed in contentment.
Their journey did not last, this time, as she settled him down against the broad base of a branch, far up on one of the larger trees. As she sprawled out, she inhaled deeply and sighed.
"This... this is where we always slept, where I sleep now. It still smells like him..." she trailed off...
He breathed deeply, and found that both of their scents had been long ingrained into the tree. As he lightly sniffed the bark, she pulled him again, this time gently, beckoning for him to lay against her. Although shy, he found himself curled against her side, one hand resting over hers. Silence... and the faint hefts of her breath, that filled him, little by little...
"Stay here with me, tonight?" She asked, almost begging, and he replied with a faint nod, squeezing her hand. If he had anything to do with it, then he would never...
"And, maybe, answer me now..." she murmured... "What will you do, now that you have found me? You lived in the wild... you don't have to do anything with your life, you don't have to stay..."
Almost instantly he replied, looking up at her to croon. "I want to! I never want to leave your side..."
Her face turned bright red, and she looked up at him, startled.
"Latios..."
"Laitas..." He squeezed another paw around hers and gazed up into her perfect golden eyes. "I mean it. I want to stay with you forever. I'll become a guardian, like you... and I won't ever let you be alone again. Like the shadow that is by your side, through day and dark, I will not part from you..."
Latias trembled, and let a faint, song-like cry... tears streamed down her face, but in those were hope, joy... she tilted her head.
"I... I... but you could..."
"Could what? Wander the world, fateless and alone, until just maybe I found some chance for happiness, some guess at a purpose?" He shook his head, and lapped her face clean as the tears flowed. "Here, I have you. I have happiness. I have this city..."
Latias nodded, crying silently still. She lifted her head to catch him on another lick, pressing her open beak to his, letting him lap at her tongue. He froze up, eyes wide, looking upon her until he finally melted into the kiss. His heart raced as she drew him close, and warmed him, curling nearly around him. Without breaking her hold on his lips, she spoke into his mind.
~I... I think I love you...~
Latios lidded his eyes and let himself become lost in her touch and warmth, feeling the stretch of her body against his, the touch of her hand... her very soul next to, brushing against his with surges of warmth. And her heart, at its very core... so very alive, so very full of love...
~I know you do... and, we know that I love you, too...~
She could sense it, too, and let the faintest of nods, still holding his muzzle. ~Yes. I love you, Latios. Oh, Latios...~
~Latias...~
The sun finally dipped below the horizon, and they finally broke their kiss, only to stare at one another as twilight set in. Until finally, she draped her neck over his. The rest of the world faded away as they drifted off to sleep, together... Latios stared off into nothingness, dreamily. Little did he realize how alone he would have been, lost in the world, if he did not have her... and he swore that he would always remain a beacon of happiness and love within her life.
~
Latios snapped awake. The sun had not yet risen, and his body still ached with tiredness, although it was numbed by the pleasant sensation of Latias laying against him. Something had disturbed him into waking... a psychic projection of sorts. He scanned the walls and entryways... there! A small pink flash. It was a porygon... he could barely read it, but it seemed to have hostile intend.
No, it couldn't be... not the one that belonged to the woman? She did seem odd, but he couldn't quite put a wing on it...
Cautious not to wake Latias, he slipped out from beneath her, leaving her to slumber alone for a brief time, or so he hoped. Then, donning his invisibility, he bolted for the corridor he'd seen the digital pokemon in. It seemed to be at the very edge of his senses, and he followed it through seemingly endless darkness, until he manifested on the other side again.
This time he came out in a narrow corridor, far away from the garden, tucked between a couple of the residential buildings. There, waiting on one of the bridges, were three humans, two male and one female. Even he recognized their uniforms right away: Team Rocked. Although he was invisible, they still pointed his direction, guided by their machinations, and laughed.
"That's not going to help you now, little latios... why don't you come out and play? Or maybe you're afraid we won't play nice..."
There was a sound like a gunshot, and something sticky hit his wing. He found that he was quickly unable to move it... although he could still fly about with his psychic powers alone, he was unused to the ackwardness. The unpredictable movement did give him some leeway, though, and he lunged towards the rockets, aiming to knock them into the canal. Before he could get there, though, they flipped off the back of the bridge, and onto the boat below. As he turned about, the porygon flashed in front of him. He screamed out as a blinding light filled his vision, and smacked straight into a wall.
"A little too rough for you?" One of the agents sneered. "Don't worry, you won't be feeling a thing, soon enough..."
The sound of a cannon being launched, and a net of energy wrapped around him. He screamed out as it engulfed him, numbing his nerves with pain. As he tried to break it with his mind, the psychic energies were forced back upon him, until he gave up, simply writhing on the street in pain.
"That's one down..." one of the agents said, leaping up onto the sidewalk. "Maybe we should just take him and go."
"If the other doesn't show up soon, we may as well. Giovanni is sick of us showing up empty handed because we got greedy..."
The three of them began to drag his helpless form towards the boat. As he began to slip off the edge and onto the bed of the vessel, he felt something rapidly approaching...
~L.... latias... don't!~
The three looked up again, grinning as the invisible latias weaved towards them. Before the porygon knew what was happening, she flew straight through it, knocking it into the water. The female rocket whipped out a ball, and retrieved it in a beam of red light.
"There she is... aim carefully! We want to take them both alive."
Again, the sound of gunfire, but the venomous goo simply splatted onto the walls. Again and again the shots resounded through the air, but struck nothing. Latios felt a gust rush over the boat as she passed... and stopped, right behind the boat. Right in front of the cannon. She threw off her disguise and glared hatefully at the agents.
~Run... please..~
~No!~
More darts fired, and this time they bounced harmlessly off of her barrier as she growled.
"I'll kill you first! You won't do this... you won't take another that I love away from me!"
"Heh, Sassy little bitch," one of the rockets spat, swinging the cannon to point at her. "Should take your little lover's advice and run while you still can..."
But she didn't flee. Instead, she just glowed, brightly... as the agent fired the cannon, she flared. The net of energy flew into the air... and as it opened, slowed to a halt in front of her. It then flipped around and whirled back, capturing instead the three agents. They screamed out this time as they became entrapped and fell to the floor of the boat. Delicately, Latias lifted Latios from the ship and began to guide him up onto the streets. Latios looked up at her pleadingly... while he was in agony, the energy did not effect her, being on the outside.
"Y... you can't.... aaagh!" One of the agents struggled against the net, but could not break it, and soon passed out alongside his comrades.
~L... Latias...~ Latios cried out, torn between numbness, relief, and agony. She started to pull at the little nodes that kept the net upon him, when the window above opened up, and an elderly woman peered out.
"What's all that racket? A Latios? Latias...? Team rocket!? Oh, by Mew... I'm calling the authorities right now. You poor, poor thing..."
Latios moaned and looked pleadingly up at Latias. Even if he was in pain, he didn't want any more people to see them than necessary. Nodding, she scooped his form up, capture net and all, and began to drag him back to the garden.
~You... why did you have to go alone? I could have lost you already...~ Latias said, clearly upset. Latios shuddered and cried softly.
~I... I didn't want anything to happen.. I wanted to protect...~
She sighed and looked down at him. ~Love... you're not strong enough yet. Not by yourself. You can't put yourself out like that. The... the only reason I could draw on so much strength is because you were there. It was the same way they tried to capture myself and my brother... so I knew what I had to do, and...~
~I... I know. I won't leave your side, ever. For any reason at all.~
~Promise me!~
~Latias, I...~ He shuddered and cried out again. The pain was simply getting to be too much, but he had to say it before he lost consciousness. ~I pro...~
Too late, his thoughts cut off, and he blacked out as they entered the garden.
~
~Please... please wake up...~
Her voice continued to coax into his mind, into the blackness in which he stared. And slowly, gradually, the world came back to him. He was no longer in the capture net, and it was day again. They were in the garden together, on the grass at the base of the hill, this time. The sun shone gently upon them as he turned... a little sore, but otherwise well. She latched onto him the moment he opened his eyes.
"Latias... what happened...?"
"You passed out on the way back... Mister Lorenzo got a private nurse to come and look at you. She removed the net, and there was no lasting damage. The police showed up and arrested those horrible people. And I... by Mew, I couldn't sleep, I worried so much about you..."
Latios managed a smile. "Thank you... so much..." and then sighed, looking away. "I recognized that woman. She's the one who told me to go to the museum... to look for you. Why? She seemed so nice, so honest..."
Latias shook her head and licked his cheek. "Perhaps she didn't lie. It's easy to tell if someone is lying, but they can mask their motives really well. She really did want you to find me... even if it was to satisfy her selfish ends. You can't blame yourself for it."
"I put you in danger, Latias..."
She nipped his nose firmly and pinned him to the ground, shaking her head violently.
"No! Who knows, if you hadn't asked, you may never have found me... I don't want to think what life would be like right now without you. No regrets, Latios. We face the good and the bad together, always."
He clutched her hands and leaned back up against her. "That's right. I promise.... I will never leave your side. No matter what."
She blinked a couple times... then smiled... then laughed, until tears were streaming down her face. Latios tilted his head to the side.
"What's so funny...?"
"You said that, while you were passing out. You also said you loved me... and goodness, you said so many wonderful things..."
Latios blinked. Without realizing it? He spoke his heart without any connection to consciousness whatsoever. And did he sense her... bashful? Just what /had/ he said that could make her blush so? Admittedly, there were some instincts that he... oh, by the gods, he couldn't have said that...
She gave him an affectionate lick to the cheek and smiled. ~Mmmhm.~
This time, he turned red, and he wondered if he didn't look like a latias himself, on the outside. She leaned down and nuzzled him again, letting her weight rest upon him as she stole him into another kiss. Her heart raced against his... he could feel her body heat rise.
~You know, I...~ Latias trailed off.
He squirmed beneath her as her feathers started to mingle with his, and her breath fell hot against his tongue. Once more he felt the whole of her heart engulfing his, and they shared that blissful warmth, showing one another their love. But there was another sensation... one that excited them both, as it shared and grew like wildfire. At first buried, but quickly consuming... passion, lust, the need for one another's touch.
They rolled about in the grass, together, rubbing against one another, simply basking in the touch of the other. Her tail fanned out against his, as she gazed into his eyes with an increasing haze.
"I love you, Latias..." Latios murmured, stroking her sides. She crooned a loving 'laaa...' and nuzzled his neck.
"I love you too, Latios. And I... I..."
She turned even redder, and he nuzzled her in curiosity... turning red, too, almost sponging her shyness. What she could not say in words, she quickly sent to him...
~Latios... I want you in me. Please mate with me... please stay with me, always...~
Latios' ruby eyes went wide as she panted against him. ~A.. are you... I mean, does that mean that you...~
~Yes...~ She whined. ~I want you to be my mate! Latios...~
She rolled off of him, slowly... and he couldn't help but notice just how... pleasant she smelled. There was a firm, almost sweet scent rising from somewhere on her underside, and it consumed him. In the back of his mind, he recognized his own musky scent that he'd only recently known, as his mind and body matured. And he was very aware of the uncomfortable, wet rod that protruded from him, and rubbed in the grass as he turned over.
Latias lay out upon her back, her arms wide open, her wings splayed... never before had he looked at another in such a light, and never before did anyone seem as beautiful and alluring as Latias was right then. With a flutter of his wings and a little glide, he settled down on top of her, soaking in her touch once more.
~I'll be your mate,~ Latios sent to her... ~I'll be yours forever...~
She responded in a mental shush, gazing up at him. Latios squirmed as he felt her warm folds pressing against his stomach, and the slickness of his member brushing against her underside. So close... so very close. He shifted a little, not removing his gaze from her once, until he finally felt his dripping tip settle against her folds. She raised her hands to his... and they weaved their claws together, locking their grip.
~Please, now...~ Latias whined.
Latios nodded, and thrust his body forward. Both of them sung out in unison as his shaft sunk into her, spreading her virgin sex around him. In one swift push, he tore through her barrier until his body rested against hers, penetrated to the deepest. She gasped for breath and held him tight, laying her head back in the grass, giving a weak little push to beckon him on.
He leaned his body back and began to push into her, a slow, definite rhythm of flesh stroking against flesh... her thin sexlips wrapped around the base of his shaft and squeeze. Although she'd known little control of those new muscles, she still had enough psychic know-how to squeeze and ripple around him, milking away at his shaft...
The sensations drove her wild, too, as her warm honey spilled out against his stomach, and hers. They both gasped deeply for breath as he found his passage into her cunt easier on each stroke, and her body throbbed with her heartbeat... his own racing inside of her. Trickles of sweat washed over them both as they poured all of their energy into their mating...
~L... latios...~ she cried out mentally... time seemed to stand still as she welcomed him into her body, coaxing out every drop of lubrication he had to spare, and then some. Somewhere inside, he felt his seed stirring to life. As much as he loathed for it to end so soon... it wouldn't be too long in coming.
He called out again and again, using the force of his beating wings to drive deeper into her, stroking every little press of flesh with his probing shaft. And as he drove himself into her, to her inner rose again and again, he fell more into her form... her heart was completely open, and her whole body seemed to be wrapped around his as she squeezed her palms to his.
"Laaaaaaaa...!"
To his surprise, Latias climaxed first, in a strong and sudden burst. Her body tensed, squeezed, and pulled him in, at the same time releasing a deluge of liquid that soaked his underside. Wave after wave of ecstasy washed over them both... and she lidded her eyes, letting the experience take her as Latios fell over the brink as well. His cries joined hers once more, in song that reached the peaks of the garden and parts of the city...
And he felt that sudden stiffness take his body as a raw pleasure jammed through him, and he thrust himself against her one last time, his cock jerking against her inner folds, and spraying heavy streams of cream deep into her, filling her and splashing against her cervix. They both blushed through their feathers, dripping... eyes almost entirely shut as they fell into their waning climaxes...
Latios finally slumped against her, his shaft sliding out of her with a quiet pop and a trickle of liquid. Latias moaned and pulled him closer, embracing him, and he returned it... his heart still beat in unison with hers. And so they passed a minute, and another, just gasping for breath, and feeling one another's love and pleasure.
"I love you, Latias... my mate... I always shall..." Latios panted, using each breath he managed to catch. She nodded and nuzzled him, tucking her neck against his.
"I shall always love you, too, my Latios..."
They rolled onto their sides, still holding one another, and laughed, rubbing up against one another's soaked form elatedly.
"I love you..."
"I love you so much..."
"More than anything..."
"More than life itself..."
His eyes began to drift shut, further, and she allowed hers to the same. The wind blew through the garden, carrying the cool sea air, but they were perfectly warm in their bed of soft grass. Hidden from sight, she cooed and nuzzled him. Spent, they realized just how exhausted the were, and began to drift off together.
~I promise I'll always be with you... forever...~ Latios sent to her, faint in his fatigue. ~That I will protect you, and do my best to always make you happy, and stay with you in the darkest of times... that I shall be your mate... and the best latios that I can be...~
~And I promise you the same...~ she cooed, smooching his cheek, letting out a little happy 'laa...' ~Rest, love... we're not going anywhere, and we can face tomorrow together.~
Nodding gently, he tucked tightly against her form and held her close. So Latias was joined with her new mate, and Alto Mare gained another protector. Somewhere beyond their senses, another latios watched, smiling fondly.
~You'll be good for her, brother...~ he thought, and then looked over the city. ~Maybe it will be worth it to stick around for a while yet. Maybe another latias will arrive... well, either way, I still can't help but look after him. Heh... Suppose I should make myself known when they wake. In the meanwhile....~
He shook his head and swooped off again, fading into the sunlight as he began to survey the city.
And so, another day begins in the Water Capital, and in the pokemon world...
Chapter End Notes:
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended, and is applicable for all consecutive chapters that follow.