The Soul Dew exploded, and the two female thieves were locked inside the out-of-control cathedral apparatus.
Red lightning raged through the Grand Cathedral, and the energy—no longer suppressible—surged in violent convulsions.
It was a product of ancient, mysterious science. No one truly knew how this relic device controlled the sea's tides, raising and lowering the waters. Perhaps that, too, had been one facet of the Soul Dew's power.
Regardless.
Alto Mare's doomsday had arrived.
In the town, Jessie with her red hair, James with his lavender hair, and a Meowth that could speak human language clung to a stone pillar in a narrow alley, staring in terror as the Water City transformed.
Since this was one of Ash's movies, the Team Rocket trio naturally had to show up and "join the fun." Even though they hadn't actually done anything, they had spent the entire time running for their lives.
"What? What's going on, nya?" Meowth cried out, frightened and bewildered.
The water that had once flowed leisurely and peacefully now moved like an enraged dragon, rushing out of the city at astonishing speed. The water that had been everywhere in this town was vanishing—fast.
The water level kept dropping, exposing green moss on the bricks of the canals. Wooden piles that had been submerged one by one emerged from the water. All the water streamed rapidly in the same direction, like a roaring river in full spate. The sound of surging water—something that should have symbolized life—now became a horn calling forth the end.
Boats and gondolas were dragged away with the current, and then, all at once, Alto Mare's waters were gone.
A muddy yet solid seabed was laid bare. This city had been built upon the sea, and after the water vanished, it wasn't only the city—
When Ash and the others reached the top of the Grand Cathedral and looked into the distance, they saw a vision that froze their blood.
A profound, dark blue swallowed the entire view, turning sky and earth into the same color—the terminal hue that comes before the end of the world.
The sea had disappeared.
Vast stretches of seabed were exposed. In the southern waters of Johto, changes of this magnitude were nearly unheard of.
The emptiness extended almost to the horizon's edge. Not a single drop of water could be seen.
With the sea's retreat, ancient ruins were revealed as well—broken beyond repair, standing on platforms on the ocean floor, old and rotten, as though they were warning the prosperous city in the distance that it would soon share the same fate.
Latios heard his younger sister asking him.
Her voice was gentle, and a little afraid.
"Latia…"
Is Alto Mare going to be destroyed?
Big brother, what should we do now?
Latios stared into the distance.
Because he hadn't struggled much earlier, he had preserved some stamina. But the cathedral device's drain was real, and the crackling lightning had struck him too. He was injured now.
If he forced out all his remaining power, he would lose his life.
Latios did not fear death. What he feared was that even if he died, he still might not be able to save this city.
"Ash, what exactly is that flute for?"
Among the travelers, Brock questioned Ash about the flute that had appeared so abruptly.
The scene before them was terrifying enough.
But Latios's behavior was off.
With the keenest instincts in the group, Brock immediately found the critical point.
"I don't know. Latios told me to use it. Right after we rescued him, he kept urging me to play this flute."
"It's really strange. As long as I put it to my mouth, it plays music by itself."
Ash truly didn't know what the flute was for, so he answered honestly.
But Brock sensed something.
Misty remembered something too, and she spoke up at once:
"Ash, do you remember? Last time, in Celebi's forest, at the Lake of Life, there was a Celebi that could play a flute…"
Ash said, "Of course I remember!"
Since this was movie Ash, the memory issue wasn't that severe. Something he had experienced not long ago was impossible to forget.
Misty continued, "Back then, that Celebi played a white flute, and then lots of Celebi showed up, right?"
"That Celebi appeared out of nowhere too!"
"I'm thinking… could this flute be the same kind of thing as that flute?"
Ash scratched his head. "Misty, what are you talking about? How could that be? These two flutes are obviously different."
"No. Maybe they're the same," Brock began to analyze. "A flute that appears out of nowhere. A flute that appears in a moment of danger. Celebi used that white flute to call other Celebi."
"And Latios is having you play a flute too! Ash, do you remember Alto Mare's legend? The one about Latios and Latias visiting this place? Bianca-san, please repeat it for us."
Bianca, the girl in the hat, looked anxious and tense. Staring at the dried-up sea, she summarized it simply:
"Because Alto Mare has close ties with the Eon Pokémon, every year some Latios and Latias travel from far away to visit this city."
"We don't know where those Latios and Latias come from. Maybe they come from a very distant place."
"Yes, that's it," Brock said gravely. "Ash, play the flute again."
"Maybe this flute is meant to summon Latios and Latias. Let other Eon Pokémon know that something dangerous is happening here!"
Ash froze for a moment. He felt it was unlikely, but this wasn't the time to debate it.
Something terrible was about to happen, so anything was worth trying.
So Ash didn't overthink it. He did what he always did as an athlete: let his body move first—do it, and think afterward.
The boy played the Eon Flute. That wondrous music crossed faraway time and space like a distress signal, sweeping over the dried seabed and the dim, heavy sky.
Latios watched the boy playing with all his might and gave a small nod.
A bit reckless.
But he should be the right person.
The sound of the flute resonated in Latios's heart. Judging by his sister's expression, she was curious and delighted as well.
But this was not the time for joy.
"Latios!"
Come, little sister. Let's go to the very top of the Sun Tower and look.
So Latios and Latias flew to the peak of the Sun Tower, where they could see higher and farther.
Latios scanned the distance again and again.
Not yet?
The Eon Flute had been played. Was it truly because there wasn't enough time?
Latios didn't know how far Hoenn's Southern Island was from here.
But the mysterious craftsman had said it lay to the southwest of Alto Mare.
So Latios stared—hard—at the sea to the southwest.
In this deep, terrifying blue that divided sky and earth, when would the call of their kin finally answer?
"Latia…?"
The red Latias didn't know what her brother was searching for. She asked, but her brother only glanced at her.
As though he had made up his mind.
[Even if I had the boy play the flute, we still won't make it in time?]
[Then I'll give my life here.]
In the distance, the horizon changed.
It rose higher and higher, until it became a towering wall spanning the space between heaven and earth.
But that wasn't a wall at all.
It was the sea—returned in a far more violent form.
A perfectly straight line split the world, blocking everything beyond.
It was a tsunami. A colossal tsunami.
"The city… it's sinking!"
Mr. Lorenzo-san's shout, Bianca-san's sobbing, and the nervous swallows of the visiting boys and girls blended together.
The distant tsunami had already smashed the ancient ruins to pieces.
[A great disaster will happen tonight, just like the stories humans tell. That "monster"—the tsunami—will swallow the entire island, and you will lose the Soul Dew.]
The craftsman's prophecy echoed in Latios's mind again.
Up to this point, it had been accurate down to the last detail.
But he would never allow Alto Mare to vanish.
[Latias, let's go.]
Latios looked at his sister.
That's right. He didn't need her to unleash an overwhelming amount of power. He only needed her to shine together with him.
And then, as the older brother, it would be time for him to gamble his life.
Latios and Latias shot forward at tremendous speed.
They skimmed over the dried seabed.
They charged toward the towering wall of seawater.
Latios had made his decision.
Even without help from the flute, he could stop this tsunami.
With the boy's flute music accompanying him, he would succeed.
Thank you, human boy. Thank you for still playing that flute, even now.
Even if—
Even if his sister might lose him—
It would be all right. There would be another. There would be a new brother who would help her.
And he would unleash everything—
But at that moment, from the far side of the sea, two powerful waves of presence surged toward them.
No, not from the southwest.
From the northwest.
Latios abruptly slowed, and Latias sensed something approaching as well.
Was it their kin?
No. The aura wasn't like that. It was stronger—there was a feeling of something standing above them.
Then what was it?
As the siblings wavered between confusion and alarm, two purple "Eon Pokémon" appeared in the sky above the sea to the northwest.
They came screaming in like jet fighters, sonic booms bursting in the air behind them. Their shapes resembled exaggerated versions of the Water City siblings.
"Look! Something's appearing over the sea!" someone shouted from the cathedral. "It's unbelievably fast!"
On the Grand Cathedral, everyone stared in shock toward the northwest. They saw two white streaks cut across the sky, racing straight toward the tsunami.
Brock said, "So I was right! That flute is something Latios uses to summon companions!"
Misty said, "If I remember correctly, in Alto Mare's legend, Latios and Latias got the Soul Dew from their companions and stopped the monster, didn't they?"
What was that monster?
Even if the legend was vague, everyone now had a clear guess.
The monster that could swallow an entire island was, without question, that colossal tsunami.
And over the sea to the northwest—
Mega Latios and Mega Latias saw the raging waves coming in. The scale was absurd. It had actually drained all the seawater around Alto Mare.
Mega Latios: [Terrifying. How could a disaster like this even form?]
Mega Latias: [Big brother, hee-hee. There are Latios and Latias up ahead too.]
Mega Latios glanced at his sister.
Mega Latios: [Yeah. Before the other companions arrive, let's go help first.]
Mega Latios: [The sound of the Eon Flute is coming from Alto Mare. So that flute song is a request for aid. We'll go take a look after this.]
Mega Latios: [It looks like Alto Mare's Soul Dew has disappeared?]
A dazzling white light erupted from the two Mega-Evolved Pokémon. They merged into one and plunged into the world-shaking wave.
Their companions had truly arrived.
The Eon Flute had worked.
Alto Mare's Latios stared at those strange "kin," stunned. And then he remembered.
The same tale the human craftsman had told.
On Hoenn's Southern Island, their kin guarded the secret of Mega Evolution.
A further evolution—one that granted vastly greater power.
A Mega Evolution form.
After a brief shock, Latios snapped back to himself.
The Water City was their city.
He couldn't let their companions fight alone.
He and his sister had to help too.
Only this time…
It seemed he didn't need to offer up his insignificant life.
Thank you.
And thank you as well…
Craftsman from the dream.
Will we meet again?
Latios's thoughts drifted into the distance.
And in that instant, a fierce light burst forth.
The furious sea was calmed at last.
(End of Chapter)
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