The Distortion World.
Latias flew anxiously behind Giratina while Lin Feng and Gardevoir rode on its back.
Latias was clearly panicking, but no matter how worried she was, even traveling through the Distortion World still required about five minutes to reach Alto Mare.
Gardevoir remained silent, quietly staying by Lin Feng's side.
Meanwhile, Lin Feng was thinking over everything he had seen through the Dream Projection.
"This doesn't quite match the original story..."
In the original events, Ash chased Bianca, who had been disguised as Latias, into the Underground Garden, where the Phantom Thief Sisters discovered them, setting off everything that followed.
But things had changed here.
The Phantom Thief Sisters had never captured Latios.
Instead of sending his younger sister away, Latios had called for her help.
During the Dream Projection, Latios and Latias had explained everything.
The two women had first appeared to challenge him, but their Pokémon had failed to overwhelm him in battle. Unwilling to waste time fighting them, Latios simply flew away.
However, when he returned...
The Soul Dew was gone.
Kanon had been kidnapped.
The only people left behind were Kanon's grandfather and the message he had left.
The Soul Dew had been stolen, and the Phantom Thief Sisters still needed the power of either Latios or Latias to activate Alto Mare's defense system.
Just as Lin Feng was organizing his thoughts, Giratina came to a stop.
It opened a portal connecting the Distortion World to reality before asking,
Do you need my help?
"No. If I need you, I'll call you later. When we get back, I'll bring you some more wine."
Lin Feng comforted it.
Time was short.
Without saying anything else, he asked Latias to lead him through the portal.
The Phantom Thief Sisters might be infamous thieves, but they weren't worthy of summoning Giratina.
Besides...
With Latias in her current condition, they probably couldn't even defeat her.
After all, Gardevoir had personally trained her for over two months.
Lin Feng glanced down at the Pokémon beneath him.
Pokémon: Serperior? Wait correction.
Pokémon: Latias
Gender: Female
Ability: Levitate
Type: Dragon / Psychic
Potential: Gold
Individual Values: ...
Strength: Level 57-58
Moves: Charm, Charge, Helping Hand, Recover, Mist Ball, Tailwind, Dragon Breath, Dragon Pulse, Dream Projection, Dragon Dance, Psychic, Zen Headbutt...
In the original story, even when Latios and Latias fought together, they couldn't defeat the Phantom Thief Sisters' Pokémon.
Now...
Latios alone could already battle both sisters at once.
As for Latias, she was even stronger.
"Let's go, Latias!"
For Latios, using Dream Projection to call his sister home had truly been a last resort.
In the past, the idea would never have crossed his mind.
But ever since that day...
His little sister had somehow found a job in a distant place and had been commuting there every day.
At first, he had strongly opposed it.
Still, he couldn't refuse her determination.
Later, he gradually realized that her new workplace was actually wonderful.
Every single day, she brought back delicious food.
After eating it, both of them had grown stronger at an unbelievable rate.
The changes were astonishing.
In the past, Latias had never been able to keep up with his flying speed or strength.
She had always followed behind him.
Now...
Whether it was raw power or flight speed, she had completely surpassed him.
It was difficult to believe such incredible growth had happened in barely two months.
Whenever she returned home, Latios would always ask her about her work.
His sister happily told him everything.
Every day, they made food for Pokémon called Pokéblocks.
Another Pokémon taught her how to master moves, improve her control, and become stronger.
She had also learned all kinds of delicious recipes.
Life had become fulfilling.
Unlike the old days in Alto Mare, when she simply wandered the streets without purpose, every day now felt meaningful.
After hearing all that, Latios gradually let go of his original resistance.
Instead, he wholeheartedly supported her.
He encouraged her to study hard and become as strong as possible so she could better protect Alto Mare in the future.
He simply hadn't expected...
That future would arrive so soon.
At this moment, Latios couldn't help worrying.
Would even his sister fail against those two humans?
"..."
"If she managed to bring the person who trained her..."
"...Then maybe they can do it."
Standing guard inside the Underground Garden, Latios silently prayed.
The importance of the Soul Dew to the Latias and Latios siblings needed no explanation.
If the Soul Dew was stolen while they were protecting Alto Mare, causing the city to be destroyed...
Neither of them could bear such responsibility.
Please...
I hope she brought him.
Just as that thought crossed his mind...
A long, urgent cry echoed throughout the Underground Garden.
Latios instinctively turned toward the sound.
The moment he saw its source...
His entire body froze.
The first figure to burst from the water was a beautiful blue dragon.
His little sister.
Someone he knew better than anyone.
But that wasn't what shocked him.
The lake itself had transformed.
The once-clear water now resembled a shattered mirror.
Above it floated a swirling black-and-purple vortex.
From within that vortex...
A massive crimson head slowly emerged.
Although it disappeared beneath the surface only a moment later, Latios was certain he hadn't imagined it.
Its fierce face was decorated with golden markings that resembled a regal crown.
Its cold, majestic gaze carried a pressure unlike anything he had ever experienced.
Even more astonishing...
Its head alone was larger than his entire body.
What kind of Pokémon... was that?
Before Latios could recover from the shock...
Latias had already flown to his side.
"Lu?"
Only then did Latios notice that someone was riding on her back.
A human.
And beside him was a Pokémon he had never seen before.
Is that... my sister's employer?
A white robe... and a mask?
"Lu... lu..."
Latias looked at her brother before glancing back at Lin Feng on her back.
Lin Feng nodded.
"All right."
"Take me to where the Soul Dew was kept first."
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