The next morning, sunlight streamed through the hotel curtains, casting dappled shadows on the floor.
Lionel woke up early, washed up, and then packed his already prepared backpack.
He woke up his still-sleeping Larvesta and Metang.
He took them, along with Milotic and Tyrantrum, to the designated Pokémon feeding area at the back of the hotel for breakfast.
After his Pokémon finished eating, Lionel headed to the shopping street in Fallarbor Town to purchase supplies for the rest of his journey.
After a busy day, Lionel, carrying his heavy backpack and his Pokémon, officially set off to leave Fallarbor Town.
Just outside the town, traces of volcanic ash still clung to the branches of the trees lining the road, like a gray veil.
But as they continued forward, the "veil" gradually receded, revealing the trees' original verdant branches and leaves, brimming with life and vitality.
The Meteor Falls mountain range is surrounded by numerous mountains, dotted with waterfalls of all sizes, nourishing this land.
The abundant water makes the soil exceptionally fertile, the trees grow ever denser, and the air is filled with a moist mist, carrying the fresh scent of grass and earth.
Lionel followed the winding path, passing small lakes along the way. The water was crystal clear, reflecting the green trees on the banks and the white clouds in the sky.
Occasionally, a few goldfish would leap from the water, creating a string of glistening droplets before splashing back into the water with a "plop," rippling outwards.
Looking into the distance, a massive waterfall cascaded like a silver river between the distant, mist-shrouded mountains.
Water cascaded down the cliff, disappearing halfway down as if vanished into thin air, appearing mysterious and magnificent!
That was the source of Meteor Falls!
In the roadside grass, several Pokémon could be seen:
Rattata darted and rolled in the grass, while several Leafeons stood on rocks, their big eyes warily observing their surroundings.
Lionel's Pokémon were also having their own fun. Tyrantrum and the Larvesta huddled together, heads close together, chattering away.
It was obvious that these two were still reliving their glory at yesterday's Pokémon Contest.
Perhaps immersed in the joy of victory, they were much more well-behaved than usual, not frolicking or causing trouble as they typically did.
They simply followed obediently beside the group, occasionally stopping to gesture at each other, as if arguing about whose performance was more outstanding.
Metang stayed close to Lionel, gently supporting his backpack with its psychic powers, lightening its trainer's load.
Its red eyes vigilantly scanned the surroundings, like a loyal bodyguard.
Milotic, unlike usual, wasn't in its Poké Ball.
Perhaps the abundance of water vapor in the surrounding lakes made it particularly comfortable.
It manipulated the water vapor to levitate, gracefully displaying its beautiful form.
Every now and then, it would leap into the roadside lake, elegantly swaying its tail fin, the golden scales on it shimmering in the sunlight.
Whenever Milotic entered a lake, the Goldeen, Magikarp, and Tentacruel would gather around, watching it curiously as it swam around.
Milotic didn't chase them away, but simply swayed gently, playing with them.
As Lionel reached the foot of a small waterfall, Milotic suddenly swam towards it, enjoying the rushing water at its base.
Then it slowly swam to the center of the lake, stopped, tilted its head back slightly, and began to sing softly and melodiously.
When Milotic sang, its voice was like celestial music, ethereal and pure.
Like a clear spring flowing over a rocky beach, or a gentle breeze rustling through a bamboo forest, it instantly attracted the attention of all the surrounding Pokémon.
Many Pokémon darted out from the meadow and forest, quietly listening to Milotic's song.
Even Pidgey and Pidgeotto flying overhead slowed their pace, circling low, seemingly reluctant to leave.
Their faces were filled with rapture, their eyes brimming with enjoyment.
Lionel stopped, leaning against a tree, listening quietly, closing his eyes to enjoy the moment of tranquility.
The Milotic's song seemed to possess a certain magic, calming the soul, gradually dispelling all weariness and worries.
Sunlight shone on the lake, shimmering and intertwining with the Milotic's song, creating a dreamlike scene.
After a while, the Milotic's song gradually stopped, the lake returned to calm, leaving only the rustling of leaves in the wind.
A few seconds of silence followed around the lake, then a burst of joyful shouts erupted.
The little Pokémon drawn by the song seemed to snap out of their reverie, all moving closer to Lionel.
A long-nosed leaf Pokémon carefully offered a red berry to Lionel;
Several hooded toddlers skipped and hopped to him, looking up at him.
They knew that the human before them was Milotic's trainer.
Lionel smiled and accepted the berries, taking some Pokémon food from his backpack and distributing it to the little creatures.
The Pokémon, having received the food, immediately skipped and scattered, the little hooded child even turning back to wave at him, as if to thank him.
Although the outline of the Meteor Falls mountains was already visible, there was still quite a distance to go; clearly, they wouldn't make it that day.
As evening approached, Lionel stopped by a beautiful lake and decided to camp there.
He skillfully set up the tent, then took out a portable stove, and then took out ingredients from his backpack, methodically preparing them.
Soon, the air was filled with the aroma of food.
Several Pokémon played by the lake:
Milotic swam to the center of the lake, sometimes diving underwater, and sometimes surfacing, swimming and playing to its heart's content.
The Larvesta and Metang worked together on the lakeshore, deliberately splashing water at the Tyrantrum, causing it to dodge and weave, creating a hilarious scene.
After playing for a while, Milotic suddenly swam to the Larvesta, opened its mouth, and released a transparent bubble that perfectly enveloped the Larvesta.
The bubble blocked the view of the lake water, but allowed a clear view of the outside world. With a gentle flick of its tail, Milotic carried the Larvesta to the bottom of the lake.
Inside the bubble, the Larvesta excitedly waved its antennae, gazing at the colorful corals, swaying seaweed, and various small fish swimming by. Its eyes widened, and it chirped excitedly.
Metang, using telekinesis, directly sank to the bottom of the lake to join Milotic and the Larvesta in enjoying the underwater scenery.
The Tyrantrum on the shore was getting impatient; its three companions had gone to play, leaving it, a lone Pokémon, on the bank.