Chapter 1

Far off in Kanto, at the Indigo Plateau, a massive battle was about to take place. Hundreds of fans and spectators were screaming and cheering in the stands.
"And here he is folks, the challenger, who has triumphed over three of the Elite Four, is about to face the final member, will he prevail or will he fall. Ladies and gentlemen I give you Gary Oak."

Gary sighed as he stepped into the sun-filled stadium, one hand shaking slightly in eager anticipation. One more battle 'till he faced the champion, just one more. The previous fights had been intense, he had barely beaten Agatha yesterday, but the old woman's words at the end of the battle still haunted his mind. She had somberly gazed at him and said,

"be careful trainer, for your next match is against the final and most powerful of the Elite Four. And although he is young and received the position a mere week ago, be warned for none of the other members, not even myself, have come even close to beating him. Even the champion can barely hold his own against the final member." Gary was starting to wonder just who this guy was, when the announcer's voice blared over the speakers once again.

"And here he comes folks, the final member of the Elite Four." The area on which Gary's opponent would stand split apart and slid away, revealing a tunnel, the sounds of a rising lift echoing through it.

"Now folks", the announcer spoke up, "a bit of info on the final member. He happens to be the youngest person to join the Elite Four worldwide. The previous record holder being Aaron of Sinnoh, who joined at age 19. The final member is a user of Electric type pokemon and was just initiated only last week." Gary was still trying to figure out who the final member was, when he heard a bang and clicking sound. Pulling himself out of his thoughts, Gary looked up and saw that the lift shaft had just closed over, the final member stepping back on his area. Gary immediately started sizing him up. His opponent had black eyes that looked strangely familiar, raven black hair that poked out around his hat as if trying to get get free, and looked to be about 18 years old. He was wearing an outfit that Gary recognized as one worn by those Lucario users in Sinnoh that called themselves guardians of aura, except there were a few differences in the design. The biggest one being a bunch of yellow orbs embedded in the suit; one in the chest, one on the back of each gloved hand, one on the front of his hat, one on each shoulder, and one just above each kneecap. Yellow lines radiated from each orb, all around the suit until they connected to each other. The hat also had lines wrapping around it. Gary had to admit this guy looked really , really familiar, but he just couldn't place him. It was like a key piece of the picture was missing, preventing him from figuring out who this guy was. That was when Gary noticed a yellow pokemon run up the trainer's leg, past his arm, and come to a rest on his shoulder. It was a Pikachu, and upon seeing that pokemon, everything clicked into place.

Far away, in the quiet, quaint city of Altomare, an old man with a small white beard, and balding hair was watching television in his home. He was flipping through the channels looking for something good on when he came to the pokemon league channel.

"And here he is folks," the announcer's voice blared, "the final member of the Elite Four, Ash Ketchum." There was a clattering sound as the remote hit the floor. Lorenzo just stared, too speechless to move. Ash Ketchum, an Elite Four member?

"Bianca, get over here,you have to come and see this," Lorenzo hollered out. A loud frustrated grunt was heard from upstairs, then Bianca shouted,

"Grandpa, I'm getting ready to paint here, can't it wait!"

"Not this time Bianca."

"All right, all right I'm coming." Bianca then came downstairs and sat beside her grandfather on the couch, still holding her empty pallet.

"This had better be good," she sighed and looked at the screen, then the announcer's voice was heard.

"All right folks this is it, the final battle is here with the challenger Gary Oak, vs Elite Four member four, Ash Ketchum." There was a clattering sound as Bianca's pallet hit the floor, landing beside the remote. Lorenzo was about to say something, but then heard the front door slam shut. Lorenzo went over and looked out the front window and couldn't help but chuckle. Bianca was blazing down the street at a speed that would make Suicune green with envy.

"All right then," said the announcer, "the trainers will have a ten minute intermission to formulate their strategies, as for the rest of us, a word from our sponsors." Lorenzo checked the clock and saw that it was a little past noon. He then headed to the kitchen to make some lunch.

Bianca ran as fast as her legs could carry her to the secret garden. She had to tell Latias the news about Ash. Quickly making her way through the maze like streets of Altomare, she turned a corner and into a dead end, only to pass straight through the wall and into the secret garden. Stopping for a bit to catch her breath, Bianca surveyed her surroundings. Everything was where it should be, the flowers, the swing, the soul dew. She walked down towards the central pool of the garden and looked around for Latias.

"Latias, Latias," Bianca called, "Latias, where are you?" Immediately some bushes began rustling and out came Latias rubbing her eyes, which were puffy from a recent bout of crying. Bianca turned to see her dragon friend, but upon seeing Latias her mood darkened a bit.

"Thinking about Latios again?" Bianca asked sadly Latias wiped her eyes a bit then nodded. Bianca then looked around the bushes where Latias showed up. Finding nothing but a small puddle of tears, she then asked, "Have you been trying anything funny?"

'N-no' Latias replied telepathically, her words stuttering out by the sorrow flooding her mind, 'I ha-ha-haven't.'

"Just making sure."

Bianca sighed. Ever since Latios died, Latias had become a wreck. She no longer laughed, she no longer smiled, and she began to do things that made Bianca and Lorenzo fear for her safety. One year after Latios died, Latias had raided Lorenzo's alcohol storeroom, and began drowning her sorrows in a bottle. This continued for seven months until Lorenzo caught her red handed (pun not intended ). After three weeks she had managed to quit. Then she had tried cutting herself, but was caught by Bianca before she could make an incision. Then, after six years of bottling up her emotions, Latias could no longer take it and attempted to commit suicide. The first attempt she made was by strangling herself using the swing , but Bianca made a surprise visit and managed to stop her. Immediately after she was free, Latias told her that she had been flying around the garden, but wasn't paying attention and got caught in the swing. Bianca had believed her. Then just a month ago, she got a hold of some pesticide and tried to poison herself. If Bianca and Lorenzo hadn't swung by for a picnic when they did, it would have been too late. After that, Latias stopped trying, only because she was under constant watch from security cameras in the garden. Bianca had also placed a special device on Latias that kept her inside the garden at all times as long as it was on her. If she did try to leave the device would send a signal to the various posts surrounding the exits and in turn the nearest one would deconstruct her, much like a pokeball would, and send her back into the garden. Surprisingly however, Bianca was removing the device from her arm.

'What are you d-doing?'

"I want you to come to my place. There's something I really have to show you, but we've got to hurry."

Latias was confused . Normally she wasn't allowed out of the garden by any means, so why was she being let out now? Bianca led Latias to the exit of the garden, but then turned around to face her.

"Latias, I need you to turn human". Latias complied, a soft blue glow enveloping her as she changed into her human form. Bianca smiled and took her hand.

"Okay let's go, but we got to hurry."

Lorenzo had just finished setting everything up when he heard the door opened, then closed.

"Okay grandpa, I brought her."

"Did she make a fuss or try to run off?"

"Nope, she did exactly as I told her to."

"Good to hear, now hurry up you two, it's starting". Bianca rushed into the room, Latias, who had resumed her true form, nervously followed. When she saw all the snacks on the table, she was really confused.

'What's going on?', she asked nervously, 'what's with all the snacks?' Lorenzo just smiled.

"You'll see", he said, and motioned her to get comfortable by the couch.. She was just getting settled when the image on the screen changed, and her heart nearly stopped, for even though the clothes were radically different, that face was the exact same face that had haunted her dreams since that horrible night seven years ago.

"Latias, do you want anything?", asked Lorenzo.

'I'll take a sandwich', said Latias with a smile not seen in seven years.

Well, what do you think?

Love it, like it, hate it?

Constructive criticism is much appreciated, but I just know I'm gonna get flamed to hell and back for Latias' behaviour.

Next chapter, Ash vs Gary, The lord of lightning