Ange teased Friede, "Has the Pokémon Professor's curiosity flared up again?"
"Sorry!" Friede scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "If it's inconvenient to disclose, just act like I never asked."
Ange waved his hand. "It's not that inconvenient. Volcanion is a Mythical Pokémon, just like Magearna and Diancie."
"So it really is a legendary Pokémon?" Friede understood. "No wonder I've never seen it or heard of it."
"What else? What type of Pokémon is Volcanion?" Friede continued to press.
Ange went on, "Volcanion's types are Fire and Water, and its ability is Water Absorb. It can use the moisture and high temperatures inside its body to generate powerful steam. The reason so few people discover it is that it generally lives deep in the mountains and sprays steam to create thick fog to hide itself. The steam ejected from the arms on its back even has the power to blow away a mountain."
The more Friede listened, the happier he became. As he recorded the information Ange provided on his phone, he muttered to himself, "What a discovery! A Water and Fire type combination—among currently known Pokémon, Volcanion must be the only one!"
While recording, he also pulled out his phone and took a series of rapid-fire photos of Volcanion galloping across the grass.
After Ange finished introducing Volcanion and was planning to take the group to other places, Mollie said, "Ange, can I stay here and watch the Pokémon play soccer for a while?"
She felt that Ange's Nebel Plateau was truly a magical place. The Pokémon here lived carefree lives, having their own jobs and entertainment... This was practically the ideal model of humans and Pokémon living in harmony.
Ange nodded. "Of course."
Hearing this, Mollie found a patch of thick grass and sat down to quietly watch the Pokémon play soccer.
Shortly after Ange and the others left, Buneary and Pachirisu came and sat down next to Mollie, watching the soccer match side-by-side with her. Mollie looked at the two Pokémon in surprise, but seeing them so focused on the game, she didn't speak to disturb them.
After a while, the match went into halftime. Buneary pulled out a bag of potato chips from somewhere, opened them, and started eating with a loud crunch. Noticing Mollie's gaze, it held up the bag. Bunne bunne~ Want some?
Mollie asked in surprise, "You're offering me some?"
Bunne bunne~ Buneary nodded.
"No, you should eat them yourself." Mollie felt embarrassed eating a Buneary's food, so she waved her hand.
Bunne bunne~ Take one.
Buneary held its hand up stubbornly. It knew how it was—humans loved being politely modest when they actually wanted to eat something desperately!
"Alright then." Mollie helplessly reached out and took a chip from the bag. "Will this do?"
See? I told you so!
Only then did Buneary nod with satisfaction and return its gaze to the field, eating chips while watching the match.
Seeing this, the nearby Pachirisu brought its bag of popcorn over to Mollie and held it up, mimicking Buneary's gesture. Mollie looked helpless. She scratched Pachirisu's chin and took a piece of popcorn, popping it into her mouth. "Is this okay now?"
Pachi pachi~
Pachirisu nodded and actually sat right in Mollie's lap, looking quite pleased as it watched the game. Nice, nice. This is much more comfortable than sitting on the grass.
After leaving the grassland, Ange, Friede, Orla, and Grandpa Ludlow arrived at the fishery. As soon as they reached it, the Poliwag used their little toys to swim quickly toward Ange. One after another, they ran to his side and threw themselves into his arms.
Friede said with a smile, "Ange, you really are popular with Pokémon."
Ange laughed while holding a Poliwag. "Everyone is just very enthusiastic!"
Hearing Ange's words, the Poliwag burrowed into his arms even more eagerly.
"That's wonderful," Friede said.
The look he gave Ange was full of admiration. To be loved by so many Pokémon, Ange must be a great guy! He loved making friends with people like this.
"By the way, should we tour the lake together?" Ange pointed toward a fishing boat not far away.
"Sure!" Friede readily agreed.
"I had the same thought," Grandpa Ludlow said with a smile.
Thus, the four of them boarded Ange's fishing boat and drifted slowly toward the center of the lake. The Poliwag crowded around the boat, providing the propulsion.
"Ange, may I fish?" asked Grandpa Ludlow, who had been holding his fishing rod the whole time.
"Of course. Please feel free, old man," Ange said.
So Grandpa Ludlow sat quietly at the bow, cast his line, and began fishing without a word.
The boat drifted along. Just as they reached the center of the lake, they heard laughter and the sound of splashing water.
Orla asked curiously, "What is that sound?"
Ange replied, "It should be the Water-type Pokémon playing with a ball."
Sure enough, after the boat drifted a bit further, they saw Wooper, Barboach, Whiscash, and Poliwhirl chasing a ball floating on the water. They nimbly dove in and out of the water like champion swimmers, their intensity no less than that of Volcanion and the others on the soccer field.
At that moment, Ange suddenly saw a long neck emerge from the water with a smooth silhouette, a blue head, and a white jaw. Who else could it be but Lapras?
Lapras is back? Ange looked surprised and happy. When did this happen?
"Lapras!" he shouted, waving his hand repeatedly.
La la~
Lapras noticed Ange instantly. It let out a long cry and swam rapidly toward the boat, followed by its kin. Once Lapras reached the side of the boat, Ange hugged its neck. "When did you get back? Why didn't you let me know?"
La la~ Just got back.
Lapras affectionately rubbed its head against Ange. It and its pod had just migrated back from the upper reaches of the Nebel River. Seeing Wooper and the others playing with a ball, they found it interesting and joined in for a bit. They hadn't expected Ange to show up.
Ange patted Lapras's head. "Did you all come back earlier than expected?"
La la~ Yes, I wanted to come back early to eat the food Ange makes.
Lapras rubbed against Ange affectionately once more. Ange said happily, "You and everyone else should come over to the house for dinner tonight."
La la~
La la~
The other Lapras raised their heads and sang out one after another, looking forward to tonight's dinner.
Friede looked at the group of Lapras and asked curiously, "Ange, these Lapras..."
Ange laughed and explained, "Because of their migratory habits, the Lapras leave the Nebel Plateau every autumn and winter and then return during the spring and summer. I didn't expect them to return early this year. We haven't seen each other in a long time."
Friede realized, "So that's how it is."
He knew about Lapras's migratory habits, of course; he just hadn't expected it to be such a coincidence that the Lapras of the Nebel Plateau would return today.
La la~
At that moment, Lapras grabbed the corner of Ange's clothes with its mouth.
"Do you want me to sit on your back?" Ange asked.
La la~ Lapras nodded with squinted eyes.
"Then I won't be formal!" With that, Ange jumped from the fishing boat onto Lapras's back.
The other Lapras also swam forward, signaling for Friede and the others to ride on their backs as well. Friede and Orla followed Ange's lead and each jumped onto a Lapras, but Grandpa Ludlow said, "This old man will pass. I'll stay on the boat and fish. I'm getting on in years and can't handle too much excitement."
Hearing this, Ange didn't push him but instead instructed the Poliwag, "Take good care of Grandpa Ludlow!"
Poli poli~
Poli poli~
The Poliwag surrounding the boat nodded obediently and then led the boat off in another direction.
After parting with Grandpa Ludlow, Ange and the others, carried by the Lapras, headed toward the Great Waterfall. Of course, the Lapras wouldn't jump down the Great Waterfall with them; instead, they swam down through a spot where the current was slower next to the falls. This was the same path Lapras had taken when it sent Ange to the Azoth Royal Capital. It wasn't easy for other Water-type Pokémon to pass through here, but Lapras could swim through smoothly and steadily.
Looking at the curtain of water falling straight down, Orla couldn't help but marvel, "What a spectacular waterfall."
As she spoke, she pulled out her phone and started filming. Such a wonder wasn't easily seen. Friede did the same.
Looking at his phone screen, Friede suddenly froze. "What is this?"
He moved his phone away and stared at the waterfall. Inside the white current, fish-like Pokémon over two meters in size were darting through the water. Orla also quickly spotted the Pokémon in the water.
Ange explained, "They are Veluza. They are training!"
"Training this way?" Orla asked.
"Yes. Is something wrong?" Ange asked.
Of course something's wrong! Orla thought. In a waterfall with such a turbulent current, she couldn't imagine how much it would hurt to fall. And... could a Pokémon really climb to the top of the waterfall?
Just as this thought arose, she heard a burst of cheering from the group in the pool below. A Veluza significantly larger than the others leaped up, trailing a string of crystalline water droplets. Facing the sun, it soared into the sky above the waterfall. Under the sunlight, Orla even saw a curved rainbow surrounding its body.
With a splash, the Veluza leaped through the air and landed at the top of the waterfall. Orla opened her mouth in disbelief. A Pokémon had actually succeeded.
Hearing the cheers from the Veluza, Goldeen, Seaking, Magikarp, and Feebas below, a smile appeared on Ange's face.
"Finally succeeded!"
Lately, the staple food for the fish Pokémon on the plateau had been switched to the fish feed Ange created, and their training efficiency had greatly improved. Ange hadn't expected the Veluza leader to officially succeed in climbing the Great Waterfall today!
On the other side, Friede had already captured the moment the Veluza leader succeeded with his phone. Looking at the photo on his screen, he couldn't help but feel shaken. This was the vitality of Pokémon!
"I've only seen Magikarp climb waterfalls like this to evolve into Gyarados before. I didn't expect the Pokémon here to train this way," Friede said with deep emotion.
In truth, even a Magikarp wouldn't choose a waterfall of this magnitude. The Magikarp from the lower reaches of the Nebel River that came to climb every year didn't use the turbulent Great Waterfall before their eyes, but rather the smaller waterfall nearby with a slower current.
The success of the Veluza leader served as a massive inspiration to the other Veluza, Goldeen, Seaking, Magikarp, and Feebas. They all began flicking their tails and climbing toward the waterfall. Simultaneously, the Veluza leader leaped down from the top and began climbing again. Although it had succeeded this time, it still found the climb a bit taxing. It vowed to completely conquer this Great Waterfall.
Watching the Pokémon constantly climb, fall, and then resolutely go back to climb again, Friede and Orla felt an incomparable light radiating from them.
As if on cue, light actually appeared.
To the shocked eyes of Friede and Orla, several Goldeen were covered in a bluish-white light.
"They're... evolving!" Orla said.
Under their witness, the Goldeen evolved into Seaking. A Pokémon's evolution wasn't something one could easily see.
Ange laughed. "What a coincidence. It's getting late; let's head back. Jeremy's materials should have been delivered by now."
Speak of the devil—at that moment, a roar came from the sky. Ange and the others looked up to see a black aircraft streaking through the air.
"Sure enough, Jeremy is here," Ange said.
Afterward, Friede and Orla, with hearts full of excitement, followed Ange away from the Great Waterfall and Nebel Lake.
On the way back, Ange and the others saw Mollie surrounded by several Pokémon in a circle. He walked over and asked, "What's wrong?"
Mollie replied, "Poliwhirl's leg was accidentally sprained. I'm taking a look for it."
Ange entered the circle and sure enough, saw Poliwhirl sitting on the ground with a grimace, its ankle red and swollen. He quickly asked with concern, "How is the injury? Is it serious?"
Poli poli~
Poliwhirl shook its head.
While taking out medicine to spray on Poliwhirl's ankle, Mollie said to Ange, "Don't worry, it's not serious. With a good rest, it will be fine soon."
Ange said gratefully, "Mollie, thank you."
Mollie waved her hand. "No need for thanks. This is what I do, after all."
At that moment, a Skiddo squeezed in. A verdant light surged from its body, and emerald blades of grass surrounded the injured Poliwhirl. Before long, Poliwhirl slowly stood up.
Poli poli~
It twisted its ankle and found that it didn't hurt at all. Instantly happy, it hugged the Skiddo.
Skii skii~ Skiddo stuck out its tongue and licked Poliwhirl.
Mollie laughed. "As expected, Pokémon moves are very effective."
She had a Chansey that knew the healing move Heal Pulse, but it had stayed on the airship and wasn't with her.
Poli poli~
Then Poliwhirl walked over to Mollie and expressed its gratitude to her. Although Grassy Terrain was effective, if it weren't for Mollie's medicine, it wouldn't have recovered instantly.
Mollie patted Poliwhirl's head. "You're welcome. Be careful next time."
Poli poli~
Poliwhirl nodded and dashed back onto the field.