"Was he kidnapped by Latias?" Gary wondered silently.
According to the original storyline, Ash first met Latias during a water race—but he didn't realize it at the time.
"It's happening! A competitor is catching up—it's Ash and his Totodile! Oh my goodness, Ash has just passed Misty and Ross! We're about to witness the emergence of the champion!" the host exclaimed.
Gary immediately turned his attention to the three racers charging toward the finish line and noticed something odd. Totodile was gliding across the water with an almost supernatural lightness. Most spectators didn't see anything unusual, but Gary saw everything clearly.
[LV60 Latias / Quasi-Legendary]
A name was floating just above Totodile—and it was moving along with it. As Totodile neared the finish line, another name suddenly darted in from the side and collided with Latias's label.
[LV65 Latios / Legendary]
Latios had come for Latias. He snatched her up and soared toward a nearby alley. Naturally, Totodile—still carrying Ash—was dragged along, veering off the course.
"Ah! Totodile has lost control and veered off the main route!" the host cried out in surprise.
With Ash out of the race, only Misty and Ross remained in the competition. Their Pokémon were neck-and-neck, the gap between them barely visible. It looked like they crossed the finish line simultaneously.
Footage from the race was reviewed and slowed down several times. Upon close inspection, it was revealed that Corsola's horns crossed the finish line first.
Final Winner: Misty!
Afterward, Ross—who had come in second—graciously invited Misty to celebrate aboard his boat.
In Alto Mare, traveling by boat is like taking a taxi in a major city—except it's much more expensive. Gary, ever cost-conscious, was determined not to foot the bill.
Once Misty claimed the championship title, the group found Ash again and joined Ross on his boat for a sightseeing trip along the Grand Canal. During the tour, they passed by the famous stone statues of Latios and Latias. Ross took the opportunity to explain their significance.
"Gary, do you know these two Pokémon?" Ash asked, intrigued.
Ash knew Gary well. Since childhood, Gary had been a walking Pokédex. Whenever the actual Pokédex failed, asking Gary usually yielded the answer.
"Yeah. Latios and Latias are Legendary Pokémon. They're extremely fast—almost Mach 4—and can be found across many regions. From what's currently known, the scales on their bodies can render them invisible. Also… there's a Trainer who reportedly captured a Latias," Gary said.
"What?! Someone actually caught Latias?!" Ross exclaimed in shock.
Ash and the others were just as surprised. Capturing a Legendary Pokémon sounded almost impossible—but then again, Gary was standing right in front of them, and he'd done it before. So they weren't completely stunned.
"I'm not exactly sure," Gary explained. "But I saw detailed Latias data in my grandfather's research database. It was incredibly thorough. There's no way to have that much data without either capturing or closely observing one."
"With my grandfather's principles, he would never study a Pokémon that was captured illegally. So the only possibility is that someone caught one and submitted it ethically."
Ash and the others nodded thoughtfully. They had all met Professor Oak and trusted his judgment.
After the canal tour, Ross dropped them off back in the city. He told them about a popular pancake shop nearby and encouraged them to give it a try.
As a girl who loved snacks, Misty was naturally excited. Everyone headed to the shop.
"Hey… where's Ash?" Misty asked, glancing around as she held her pancakes.
"Should we go look for him? Maybe he got lost," Gary offered.
According to the movie's plot, Ash was supposed to encounter Latias and then battle the mysterious Team Annie and Oakley.
"It's fine. Ash always dawdles. He's probably just slowing us down again, like usual," Misty said with a shrug.
Gary frowned. He knew Ash well too—but something felt different this time. Was everything really alright?
Sure enough, a moment later, they spotted Ash standing on a nearby rooftop.
"See? Told you," Misty said smugly.
She called out, "Ash! The pancakes are getting cold!"
"Hurry up and eat—we still need to visit the cathedral," Brock added.
Ash stood on the rooftop, dazed. Stephanie had just led him all around the city—yet somehow, they'd ended up right back where they started. And now… Stephanie was gone.
Puzzled but not wanting to overthink it, Ash quickly climbed down and returned to his friends. Brock handed him his share of pancakes.
Clearly a bit worn out, Ash ate heartily and even gave some to Pikachu.
"Ash, where'd you go?" Gary asked.
"I went looking for Pikachu. Then I saw a girl being harassed by two adults, so I stepped in and helped," Ash explained.
"Oh? And where is that girl now?" Misty asked immediately.
"Well… after I helped her, she dragged me all over the city. We ended up on the rooftop… and then she vanished," Ash replied, a bit confused himself.
"Really?" Misty said skeptically.
When they'd found Ash, there hadn't been any girl nearby.
"Of course! If you don't believe me, ask Pikachu," Ash said.
"Pika!"
Pikachu nodded emphatically—it had seen the girl too.
"Maybe she had something urgent to do. Anyway, Ash, hurry and eat. We've got a cathedral to visit," Gary said.
"Yeah."
Ash didn't dwell on it. The girl seemed to be safe—nothing more to worry about.
After finishing their pancakes, the group headed to Alto Mare's iconic cathedral.
The cathedral was open to the public and welcomed many tourists each day. Its interior was lavishly decorated—so extravagant that even the floor was paved with ancient Pokémon fossils. Clearly, the benefactors weren't short on money.
Soon, an elderly man named Lorenzo approached them and offered a guided tour. He was a cathedral staff member, specifically tasked with explaining the site's history to visitors.
Under Lorenzo's guidance, the group arrived at a towering structure.
"This is the Defense Mechanism of Alto Mare—a device capable of controlling the sea," Lorenzo explained.
Gary narrowed his eyes. This is the device that triggered the tsunami in the movie, he thought. If it were destroyed now, would the tsunami still happen…?