//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: Through Open Skies 
// by FaelaArts 
//------------------------------//

For Latias, it began with a dream. Flying through the sky with her brother.  Arms folded to her sides, she zipped along at mach speeds. Slowing down into a glide, she raised her red and white head to look back, and cry playfully to the blue form trailing behind her. A cry answered her, and the blue form darted ahead.

Latias cried out in glee and chased after her brother. Latios, as was his name, was slightly older than her, and a light blue in color. Latios normally had the advantage in speed due to the age difference, but Latias was crafty. Lowering her head, she dived into her brother’s slipstream, and used it to slingshot herself in front, flipping onto her back to cry out, jeering playfully at him.

And then Latios vanished, right in front of her eyes. The world faded to black, and Latias opened her eyes to the garden. The city of water hadn’t changed much in the time she had protected it. Stifling a yawn, she looked around for what had roused her from her dream. Seeing nothing, she shifted position and curled back up to sleep.

Latias jolted awake in annoyance. There was that feeling again. Raising her head, she rose up from the tree and took to the sky, looking in all directions. After a moment, the feeling grew stronger, pulsing before fading once more. Latias raised her head, looking to and fro as she tried to find the source.

There it was, something bright and blue in the sky, barely visible unless you had the eyesight Latias was gifted with. Shimmering for a moment, Latias turned invisible and slowly floated up toward it. It pulsed again, and Latias widened her eyes, that felt like...No, it was impossible. Turning, she looked down toward the shimmering orb that was her brother.

There was no mistaking it. Both the orb and this shimmering blue thing had the same feeling. Latias floated closer, was this her brother? Would it lead to her brother? It pulsed once more, and slowly formed into a circle, showing a strange, new sky in the center. Latias felt the pull of her brother, stronger than she had felt it since he had sacrificed his life.

Latias glanced down toward the city, her duty. Her memories of the humans stirred. Was her brother’s gift safe? Turning, Latias hovered near the thing, indecision eating her. What was more important? The city, or her brother? Of course the city was more important. Latias had to protect it, as her brother had died doing.

And yet, her eyes were drawn to the strange thing. Loneliness ate at her, and she felt her duty to the city waning. Surely the humans could take care of it for a while while she looked for the source, for her brother? Latias nodded her head, yes, the humans would be able to take care of it. Or so she convinced herself.

So, Latias reached out a hand, and touched the center. It wobbled, but otherwise nothing happened. Feeling braver, Latias stuck her hand through it, feeling it pass through. Pulling it out, she noticed no bad effects. Latias quickly grew tired of being cautious, and stuck her head inside, pulling the rest of her body through with her.

It was breathtaking. An entirely new sky, full of clouds so different from what she was used to. Latias looked around in wonder, knowing no one could see her due to her being invisible still. Latias felt around for the feeling of her brother, but tilted her head, it was gone. Turning, Latias made to return through the blue thing.

It was gone. Latias flew through the last area it had been in, crying out as she tried to tear away the sky to reveal it. No, with it gone there was no way for her to return to her city! Even if she found her brother, with no way to return, she was going to be trapped here with him, and the city would eventually fall.

Crying out, Latias dropped her invisibility, circling around in a blind panic. Flinching, she noticed the sky above her move, and turned to watch as the sun set. Latias looked around at the world below her for the first time since she had entered the portal. 

As it slowly darkened, she knew the high hills and rocky mountains below her were unfamiliar. But with night approaching, she wouldn’t be able to see the ground, meaning no landmarks. What if she needed to get back here? What if this was the only way home? 

Latias slowly lowered toward the ground, peeking around the mountain tops. Finding a suitable cave, she slowly flew inside and looked around. It was large, dank, and dripping with a pool of water on one side, but it would do. Curling into the ground, Latias watched the sun go down, and whimpered.

’Oh brother, forgive me. I have made a terrible mistake.’




After a fitful rest with a strange creature after her, similar to a flaming Pokemon she had seen once, she opened her weary eyes to the dawn. Latias lived in a small city, seeing new Pokemon was always an exciting venture, something which kept her amused during the day. However, this creature had seemed to be trying to converse. Dark blue, similar color to her brother.

Latias rose into the sky, and took off from the mountain. Not that Latias would know this, but it had once house a red dragon. Looking around, she took in the forest around her, curiosity drawing her to a strange shape. It looked like an old human dwelling. Or so it seemed to Latias. After all, in her world the only creatures that built castles were humans. Floating down, she traveled through it, stopping by some fabric showing two of those new creatures. One looked familiar, Latias moved on, floating back up to the sky.

The second place that caught her attention was a hut sitting in the woods. Floating down to it, Latias glanced in the window. Another one of the new creatures, this one striped and without wings or a horn. Latias moved on, floating back into the sky to look for more new things. There was a strange forest with leaves that were many shades. Latias flew by them, crying out in joy as they fell off in her path. A lot stayed on the trees, and Latias had the feeling that during certain times they could be completely shaken of their foliage.

The next thing to catch her attention was an orchard full of bright red fruit. Biting one, she cried out in joy, it was better than any she has tasted before. There was also a few more of the creatures, again without wings or a horn. One was wearing a hat, and had three red fruit on her flank, similar to the kind in the trees. Latias gobbled a few, before reluctantly moving on. Turning, she followed a trail from one building toward a small town. It was filled with many of the new creatures.

Latias looked down in amazement. Some had horns, some wings, and a lot had none. Just where was she? Her attention was quickly drawn by the large sparkling building in the center. Flying up to it, Latias took it in, crying out as she tilted her head, curious. It was almost tree like, light blue 'tree' holding up the larger purple part of the building. Latias jumped as something loud sounded behind her, and she turned to see one of the creatures looking warily at her.

“Excuse me, but who and what are you?” Strange, this purple creature was able to speak human. Latias mewed slightly at it, and flipped onto her back, blowing bubbles into the air. Maybe if she convinced it she was friendly, it would let her see more wonders. For a small moment her mind returned to the situation of not knowing where to go.

No matter, no one said her search had to not have pit stops!