Alex and Victini crouched near the tree line, necks craned upward as the sky put on a terrifying fireworks show.
Explosions of blue, red, and golden fire ripped through the dark smoke clouds.
"Remind me never to get on the bad side of overgrown birds or flying jets," Alex muttered under his breath.
Victini nodded rapidly, its little face completely pale.
The sky battle finally reached its climax when the two Latios and Latias, clearly battered and running low on stamina, broke formation and bolted toward the distant clouds in defeat.
Moltres hadn't gotten off easy either. Its brilliant plumage looked like it had been through a shredder, several tail feathers were missing, and its flames flickered weakly, looking more like a dying campfire than an apex predator.
The tired bird glided heavily back into the crater, disappearing into its volcanic cave.
Alex checked his console timer.
"Three... two... one..."
SCREEEEEEECH!!
A furious, ear-splitting shriek blasted straight out of the volcano's throat.
Moltres had just discovered that its precious snack had magically sprouted legs and vanished.
For the next whole hour, the volcano threw a full-blown temper tantrum. Boulders the size of trucks went flying into the air, geysers of molten lava splashed across the sky, and angry screeches echoed across every corner of the crater.
The wild Pokémon living in the inner ring didn't need an invitation to run. A massive stampede of Geodude, Graveler, and panicked Slugma poured toward the outer forest like their tails were on fire.
High up in a thick tree, completely invisible thanks to Victini's power, Alex clung to a sturdy branch with white knuckles.
"Remind me whose brilliant idea it was to rob a Legendary bird?" Alex whispered, eyes wide.
Victini pointed an accusing little paw directly at Alex's nose.
"...Fair point," Alex whispered back.
It wasn't until late afternoon that the island finally fell dead silent. The smoke thinned out, and the stampeding Pokémon settled down.
Alex leaned against the tree trunk, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Looks like our flaming landlord finally ran out of juice and passed out."
Seeing that the coast was clear, Alex climbed down from the branches.
He unhooked the Premier Ball from around his neck, held it out, and pressed the release button.
Click.
A flash of bright red light spilled onto the soft grass, solidifying into the small, sleek form of the Shiny Latias.
The little Latias was still lying weakly on its side, groaning softly, its golden-and-white body scorched with black soot.
"Alright, emergency rescue operation, step two," Alex announced.
While Victini placed its tiny paws on Latias's back and poured continuous waves of soothing Heal Pulse over the wounds, Alex got to work. He darted between the bushes, picking the ripest sweet berries he could find, cracked open fresh coconuts using a sharp stone, and mashed everything together inside a hollowed-out coconut shell.
The sweet, rich scent of mashed berries and coconut nectar drifted through the breeze.
A tiny golden snout twitched once.
Then twice.
Latias's large yellow eyes snapped open with surprising speed.
Before it could even panic, wonder where it was, or notice the human staring at it, its eyes locked dead-center onto the coconut bowl.
Alex pushed the makeshift bowl forward with an amused smirk. "Go ahead. It's safe."
Latias stared at him, then at Victini, hesitating for roughly half a second before diving in face-first.
Chomp! Slurp! Gulp!
Crumbs and purple berry juice splattered everywhere. The baby Latias practically inhaled the food, making muffled, happy little noises as it scraped the inside of the shell clean.
Alex's jaw dropped. "Hey, slow down! Nobody's taking it from you!"
Victini floated beside them, clutching its belly as it burst into silent, helpless giggles.
Within thirty seconds, the bowl was so clean you could see your reflection in it. The little Latias let out a tiny, undignified burp, licking its lips with sheer satisfaction.
Alex stared at its slender, shining body, which barely measured a single meter in length.
"You're the size of a pool noodle, but you eat like a starved Munchlax," Alex muttered, shaking his head. "Look at you, shining like pure treasure. From now on, your name is Gold Bar. Though at this rate, you'll bankrupt me before I even turn ten."
Gold Bar tilted its head, chirping happily at the new nickname.
After the feast, they explored a little further along the rocky base of the ridge and stumbled upon a natural hot spring bubbling with crystal-clear, pleasantly warm water.
Alex practically shed tears of joy.
He rinsed the crusty dried saltwater out of his clothes, hung them over a sun-warmed boulder, and sank up to his shoulders in the steaming pool.
"Aaaah... this is the life," Alex sighed, leaning his head back against the smooth stone. "Surviving a plane crash, robbing a Moltres, and soaking in a private spa. Truly a balanced childhood."
Victini splashed around happily near the edge, while Gold Bar hovered nearby, thoroughly enjoying the warm steam on its healing wings.
Once they were dried and relaxing on the grass, Alex looked at Gold Bar with a curious expression.
"So, Gold Bar... do you have a way back home?"
Gold Bar froze. Its wings dropped, its head tilted downward, and its big eyes turned dramatically gloomy.
"Lati... latias..."
Through broken psychic murmurs and wildly expressive gestures, the little Latias poured out its grievances like a dramatic soap opera star.
Back in its home flock, all of its brothers and sisters constantly teased and picked on it just because its scales were golden-yellow instead of the usual sleek red. Because it was the smallest, weakest, and always lagging behind during flight practice, Moltres had swooped down from nowhere, snatched it like a drive-thru snack, and dragged it away.
Alex listened carefully, then couldn't help poking its forehead gently. "You know, your parents actually showed up. They fought Moltres like absolute maniacs to save you before they had to retreat."
Gold Bar puffed out its cheeks into two round golden balls, crossed its tiny front wings over its chest, and turned its head away with an audible "Hmph!"
It broadcasted a very clear thought into Alex's mind: I knew they cared, but I'm still mad. I'll visit them whenever I feel like it, and not a second sooner!
Alex chuckled at the blatant tsundere act. "Sure, sure. Play hard to get with your own parents, see how that works out."
Watching the little dragon pout, the amusement slowly faded from Alex's face.
A sudden pang twisted in his chest. His mind flashed back to his own parents—his father Draven, who was probably losing his mind and tearing apart fossil records in search of him, and especially his mother, Elara.
A cold shudder ran down his spine. If his mother discovered that the commercial plane carrying her only son had literally blown up in midair...
Alex swallowed dryly. Elara was normally gentle and calm, but her strict, unyielding side was downright terrifying. She would probably mobilize every psychic in Kalos, drag Aunt Cynthia along, and turn the entire ocean upside down. And if he took too long to get home, the lecture—or worse, the doubled psychic conditioning drills—would haunt him for the rest of his life.
The lingering fear of his mother's wrath snapped Alex completely out of his relaxed mood.
He slapped both hands against his cheeks and shot up straight.
"Wait! The most important question!"
Alex leaned forward, his expression dead serious as he stared right into Gold Bar's eyes. Even Victini stopped hovering, noticing Alex's sudden panic, and leaned in with wide ears.
"Gold Bar, think carefully! Have you ever seen human cities, towns, or ships anywhere near here? Anything with people?"
Gold Bar jumped a little at his intense tone, then tapped its chin with a wing tip, squinting its eyes in deep concentration like an old philosopher.
After a few tense seconds, its eyes lit up.
It pointed one sleek wing toward the western horizon, letting out a cheerful chirp: "Lati!"
Gold Bar projected a faint mental image into Alex's head—about a hundred miles to the west, past the open ocean, was a cluster of scattered green islands where wooden ships sailed and human buildings dotted the shores.
The little Latias proudly puffed out its chest, flapping its wings with a confident grin that practically declared: Leave it to me! Once my wings are rested, I can carry you straight there!
Alex stared for a split second, the weight of his mother's impending fury instantly lifting from his shoulders. He grabbed Gold Bar and swung it around in a massive, relieved hug.
"You're a lifesaver, Gold Bar!" Alex cheered. "If you get me to civilization before my mom tracks me down, I'll buy you a mountain of berries!"
Gold Bar squeaked in surprise, its face turning pink beneath its golden color, but it happily nuzzled his shoulder.
"Alright," Alex said, gently setting Gold Bar down and grinning at both of his companions. "We leave the second your wings are at one hundred percent."
Victini raised a tiny fist in the air with a triumphant cheer, and Gold Bar nodded with absolute determination.