Ash's Eon Journey!

The Grand Tour de Altomare!

Chapter 7

For the next two days, I trained for the Tour de Altomare and Nurse Joy kept working on my wounds until they were completely healed. Overall, things were going pretty well. Not much happened during this time, so I won't recount it. But now it was time for the Tour de Altomare!

"Ready Michael?" asked Ash.

"I'm ready as I'll ever be," I replied.

"Hello everyone and welcome to the Tour de Alto mare!" I heard the announcer shout. "Racers, when you hear the Xatu, the race will begin!"

I didn't know what a Xatu was, but I did see three little birds perched on top of a big one and I just assumed that the larger one was the Xatu.

"Ready Politoad?" I asked the frog Pokemon.

He replied squealing happily. I couldn't make out what he was saying, so I just assumed that it was his way of showing confidence.

"Alright then," I said, "let's do our best!"

"Nau," "Nau," "Nau," "Xatu!"

"Let's go!" I heard Ash shout.

As soon as I started the race, however, I heard a familiar voice in my head.

"Michael!? Is that you?"

'Latias?'

"Yeah, it's me! Listen, before you say anything, I'm sorry I didn't come back for you like I said I would. Remember how I told you I wasn't supposed to leave Altomare? Well, my brother didn't believe that I had seen you and thought that I had just made it up so I could leave again. So he trapped me inside the garden and I couldn't come and get you," said Latias apologetically.

'That's what happened?' I asked.

"Yeah, I'm sorry you got hurt so badly, I spend the last few days hoping you were ok,"

'It's ok, I forgive you,' I said, thoughts whizzing around in my head.

"Thanks, Michael, I have to go now. Good luck racing!" Latias giggled.

'Ok, bye Latias!'

"Bye! I'll meet you later ok?"

'How will I find you?' I asked.

"Don't worry, you will!"

Before if could say, or rather think, anything else, I felt the connection break and realized that I was more than halfway through the race already!

"You can do it Politoad!" I said, realizing that we might have a chance to win! He didn't say anything, but I could tell we were going a little faster now. As we rounded a corner I saw Misty and an older boy struggling for the lead.

"Hi, Michael!" I almost jumped when I heard Ash's voice right next to me. I turned around and saw him smiling with Pikachu on his shoulder. His Pokemon, Totodile, seemed to be just as energetic as Politoad.

"Hi, Ash!" I said. I could see Politoad trying to keep up with Totodile. It seemed like the two pokemon were in their own little race, each trying to keep up with the other.

Ash and I were both neck and neck for the rest of the race Politoad and Totodile were panting heavily, but still kept up a very fast pace. Eventually, I caught sight of the finish line.

"Come on Politoad! Just a bit faster!" By now, we had almost caught up to Misty and the other boy. A few yards from the finish line, we caught up to them, and just barely crossed the finish line before them.

"An impressive show of speed!" shouted the announcer. "Judges, will you roll back the video?"

I looked up at a large screen to see a slow-motion video of Politoad and Totodile crossing the finish line. I held my breath as they inched closer and closer and...