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Drip… drip…
Liam and Delia hadn't walked far into the cave when they began to notice the damp ground and rock walls. In some places, water was even dripping down continuously.
As they ventured deeper, the sound of rushing water—loud and forceful—came from ahead.
Hearing the roar of a waterfall, a look of excitement spread across Liam's face. He grabbed Delia's hand and quickened his pace, pulling her toward the exit of the cave tunnel.
Splash—Rumble—!
The moment they stepped out of the tunnel, a massive underground cavern came into view. On one side of this vast space, a towering waterfall poured down from the rock wall. Sheets of white water crashed violently against the surrounding rocks, creating an echo of thunderous roars throughout the cavern.
"Wow! This is the Tohjo Falls? It's incredible! I never imagined such a breathtaking sight could be hidden deep inside a mountain! I'm so glad we came!"
Delia gasped in awe as the grandeur of the waterfall unfolded before her. She couldn't help but praise the stunning scene.
"Right? This trip is totally worth it. Actually, the Tohjo Falls aren't even that special compared to some other wonders in this amazing world. There are countless places out there waiting for us to explore, each more magnificent than the last. Once we've traveled more, you might not think this waterfall is that impressive anymore."
Liam turned to her with a smile, a gleam of longing in his eyes. His voice was warm as he tightened his grip on her hand and continued.
"There are so many sights like this—mountains, rivers, and valleys. Delia, you have to see them all with me. Without you, even the most beautiful view wouldn't mean much to me."
Delia blushed furiously at his tender words. Even though they were already engaged and living together, she still couldn't handle Liam's sweet talk. Her eyes darted away shyly, and she lowered her head slightly, but the soft, happy smile on her lips betrayed her joy.
...….
The Tohjo Falls spanned across the cavern, and the water flowed swiftly and forcefully. There was no way a normal person could cross it unaided. Liam had initially thought of flying over with Aerodactyl, but to his surprise, a rickety suspension bridge stretched across the chasm in front of the waterfall. Clearly, someone had built it to connect both sides of the cavern.
The bridge looked old and worn, but when Liam tested it, he found it unexpectedly sturdy—more than capable of carrying both him and Delia across. As for Aerodactyl…
"Aerodactyl, you fly over first and wait for us on the other side. Delia and I will take the bridge."
Liam called out to his Pokémon after inspecting the bridge.
"Raargh!"
Aerodactyl found it foolish that Liam wouldn't just ride on its back, but it didn't protest. With a low growl, it flapped its wings hard and soared across to the opposite side.
"Haha, let's go, Delia. Don't worry—the bridge is stable. We'll get a closer look at the waterfall from there."
With Aerodactyl gone, Liam took Delia's hand again and led her onto the bridge.
Delia cradled the Pokémon egg tightly in one arm, a hint of fear on her face. She looked uneasy as she stepped onto the bridge beside Liam.
Creak… creak…
The wooden planks groaned beneath their feet. Liam walked slowly, guiding Delia gently. He could tell she was nervous about the height and swaying bridge, so he didn't rush her. They weren't in any hurry anyway.
Walking side by side on a suspension bridge like this was something you didn't easily forget.
"Eek!!"
Suddenly, a splash of water sprayed out from the Tohjo Falls and hit Delia squarely. Though it was early spring, the temperature was still chilly—especially in a place untouched by sunlight.
The waterfall's icy water was even colder than usual. Drenched, Delia gasped from the shock, letting out a startled cry.
"Hahahaha!!"
Liam couldn't help but burst out laughing at the sight of her soaked and flustered.
"You jerk! Liam, you're the worst! Laughing at me like that?! I'm not talking to you anymore!"
Flushed red—whether from the cold or embarrassment—Delia angrily yanked her hand away and glared at him, puffing up her cheeks in frustration.
"Hahaha, sorry, sorry! I won't laugh—promise… Hey! Delia, look over there! It's a Magikarp! It looks so silly—come on, quick, look!"
Seeing that Delia still wasn't responding, Liam tried to hold back his laughter, offering a half-hearted apology. Then he spotted something out of the corner of his eye—downstream from the waterfall, a Magikarp with golden whiskers was thrashing its body furiously, fighting to swim upstream.
"Huh? Where? Oh wow, it is a Magikarp! What's it doing? Why's it struggling so hard?"
Delia immediately forgot her earlier irritation. She ran to the edge of the bridge, holding the rope railing with one hand, excitedly pointing at the Magikarp as it slowly made its way up the current.
"Heh, who knows? That Magikarp looks as dumb as a rock. Who can tell what it's thinking? Maybe it's just bored after a big meal…"
Liam mocked the determined Magikarp as it swam closer, already reaching the height of the bridge.
As if responding to Liam's taunt, the Magikarp suddenly flipped its eyes upward, gave a powerful kick with its tail, and launched itself out of the waterfall. With one swift motion, it smacked Liam across the face with its tail before diving back into the waterfall.
Then, its round head poked out of the water, and it sprayed water straight into Liam's face—catching him completely off guard. With the surge of the falls, the Magikarp was swept away and disappeared into the large lake below.
"…You bastard!! You've got the galls to spit water at me but not the guts to fight me head-on?! Come out here! I swear I'll turn you into grilled fish!!"
It wasn't until the Magikarp splashed into the water and vanished that Liam finally reacted. Face stiff, he touched his aching cheek and wiped off the water before exploding with rage, shouting down toward the lake with his pride clearly wounded.
"Pfft—Hahahahaha!!"
Delia couldn't hold it in anymore. She laughed so hard she had to bend over, tears welling up at the corners of her eyes. She looked absolutely delighted.
But just as she was laughing joyfully, deep in the darkness at the top of the cavern—where the light did not reach—multiple pairs of glowing red eyes slowly opened, burning with fury.