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Even after adding Elite Four Drake as a friend and exchanging greetings, Lionel's excitement still couldn't be calmed.
Having discovered the mysterious meaning at Meteor Falls and learned the secret of Mega Evolution, he never imagined such a follow-up gain when handing over the Mega Evolution items to the League.
The trip to Meteor Falls had brought such a massive surprise.
After saying goodbye to Cynthia, Lionel planned to pack up and continue his journey.
He had already spent a considerable amount of time in Rustboro City.
Although he regularly streamed to share his Pokémon training and daily life, gaining some popularity, the viewership couldn't compare to the immense popularity of challenging Gyms or participating in grand tournaments.
Moreover, new Pokémon would be joining his team soon.
Especially for his future companions, it was necessary to accumulate more popularity points.
At lunchtime, Lionel's phone vibrated slightly.
It was a message from Cynthia, accompanied by a photo: On the massive cruise ship deck, Garchomp and Tyrantrum stood side-by-side, their heads peeking through the railings, gazing at the ocean.
The small yellow crown on Garchomp's forehead stood out vividly in the sunlight.
Lionel could also see Roserade's elegant figure and the appearance of the Unova League's representative.
Seeing Tyrantrum's delighted expression, Lionel's last trace of worry dissipated.
In the afternoon, he finished packing all his supplies: water, valuables, emergency medicine, and Poké Balls.
Lionel slung his backpack over his shoulder and walked out of the manor.
Meanwhile, Steven was waiting at the door with his Pokémon.
Upon seeing Lionel's Metang, Steven's Shiny Metagross immediately used its psychic powers to pull the smaller Pokémon to its side.
They affectionately cuddled each other, looking reluctant to part.
"Remember to let me know once you've arrived safely in Petalburg City." Steven patted Lionel's shoulder.
"Regarding the research progress on Mega Evolution, once there's a significant result, I'll let you know as soon as possible."
Lionel nodded his thanks.
After waving goodbye, he turned and set off. Passing through the bustling city edge, he entered the familiar Petalburg Woods.
Sunlight filtered through the layers of pine needles, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
The fresh scent of grass and earth mixed with the moist air, feeling exceptionally refreshing.
Lionel released Milotic, Metang, and Larvesta. For a moment, not seeing Tyrantrum there made him feel a bit empty inside.
"Do you remember this place?" Lionel asked Milotic. Milotic nodded gently, its tail wagging, its voice filled with deep nostalgia.
Back when it was still a Feebas, it had trained in this very forest for its first Pokémon Contest.
Ultimately, it had mastered the beautiful combination of a Water-Ice Tornado here.
"If you remember, then you lead the way! We probably won't be able to leave the forest today, so let's go to that waterfall we visited before."
Milotic let out a gentle cry, manipulating water vapor to hover as it led the way.
Metang hovered behind, occasionally observing the new environment with curiosity.
Larvesta seemed to be singing, full of interest in everything in the forest, spitting out small embers and drifting among the branches while making cheerful sounds.
Occasionally, it would pick some berries from the trees and present them to Lionel like treasures.
After more than an hour, the sound of rushing water came from ahead. Passing through a dense thicket, the familiar waterfall appeared.
"We're here." Lionel put down his backpack and chose a flat spot to set up camp.
"We'll rest here tonight."
It had been five days since he last used the Advanced Pokémon Energy Orbs on his team—just in time for another dose.
Lionel retrieved the energy roots from his system space and gave them to Milotic, Metang, and Larvesta.
The three immediately lit up at the sight of the familiar green energy and happily consumed them.
After absorbing the energy, Milotic submerged into the water, its tail gently swaying as a small waterspout began to appear.
Gradually, a Water-Ice Tornado began to form.
What would have required considerable effort for it as a Feebas was now done with ease.
Metang, seeing this, also flew over the pool, using its psychic powers to try and manipulate the water.
Meanwhile, Metang's silver body was pulsating with energy, emitting a faint glow. It clearly wanted to imitate Milotic's elegance.
Larvesta, observing the two, began to spin around.
Without warning, it released a fire-type move, creating a small fire tornado, intending to "interfere" playfully with the others.
Milotic quickly shook its fins, manipulating the water flow to extinguish the flames.
Lionel sat by the water's edge, preparing dinner while watching the three play. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on the ripples; everything seemed peaceful.
Suddenly!
Just as Metang was about to freeze a water vortex, its psychic powers surged out of control, and its body began to emit specks of intense white light.
The water it was controlling exploded, spraying everywhere and drenching both Larvesta and Lionel.
Larvesta paused, then immediately huffed, flames leaping from its feelers toward Metang as if saying, "You did this on purpose!"
But the white light on Metang grew brighter and brighter, quickly enveloping its entire figure.
It looked exactly like when Beldum evolved! Larvesta's anger vanished, replaced by awe.
Milotic immediately swam to the edge of the pool, surveying the surroundings to prevent wild Pokémon from interfering.
Lionel held his breath, his heart pounding.
In the white light, Metang's figure constantly changed.
A white silhouette appeared beside it—initially just a small dot, it grew larger, eventually transforming into a duplicate phantom.
Visible streams of energy flowed from Metang's body into the phantom until it solidified.
Then, the two forms merged within the light.
"METAGROSS!"
A deep, metallic shout emanated from the light, which grew blindingly bright.
When it finally faded, four massive, metallic arms stretched out. It was a large, gleaming, silver-and-gold metallic mass, its face marked with a brilliant golden "X".
The contrast of gold and silver made it appear exceptionally majestic.
Finally, a pair of red eyes slowly opened, reflecting Lionel's surprised face.
It was a Metagross!
Pokémon: Metagross (Shiny)
Type: Steel/Psychic
Category: Iron Claw Pokémon
Ability: Clear Body (Prevents other Pokémon from lowering its stats)
Moves: Meteor Mash, Zen Headbutt, Psychic Fangs, Bullet Punch, Light Screen, Reflect, Iron Defense, Agility, Meteor Mash...
The information appearing before Lionel made his heart surge.
Metagross had learned many new moves, especially Meteor Mash, a move he had seen Steven's Metagross use.
This Beldum, being a variant related to Steven's Shiny Metagross, naturally possessed immense potential that was finally being revealed.
Metagross moved its four limbs, each step causing the ground to dent with a dull thud.
It seemed unaccustomed to its weight. Suddenly, waves of electricity surged from its body, and its four limbs tucked in as it shifted into its flight form.
Blue psychic energy and golden electricity enveloped it as it began to ascend.
Larvesta, watching intently, circled around Metagross with great interest.
Seeing this, Metagross used its psychic energy to gently lift the bug and place it on its broad back.
Before Larvesta could react, Metagross let out a sharp cry and soared into the sky with a "whoosh," creating a powerful gust of wind.
Larvesta's piercing cry of excitement shattered the forest's tranquility.
Lionel and Milotic exchanged a smile.
Metagross hovered above the forest for a long time, rushing over the waterfall and climbing higher into the clouds, until it finally descended back to the campsite.
"Come on, let's test your power," Lionel said with a smile.
Metagross stood up, demonstrating its skills: Hammer Arm struck the ground, creating a crater; Shadow Claw left black trails in the air; and Psychic Fangs surged with magical energy. Larvesta acted as the dutiful cheerleader, spitting tiny sparks with every move.
Finally, Metagross used Meteor Mash.
Lionel watched as energy gathered on its metallic fists.
It struck with the force of a falling star, scorching a deep crater into the hard earth. Lionel nodded in approval.
The power was considerable, though it still lacked the "meteor" effect seen in Steven's ace.
"Looks like we still need to practice," Lionel muttered, though he wasn't in a hurry.
Metagross had only just evolved; with time, it would unleash its full potential.
After dinner, Metagross's appetite proved to be much larger than before.
Larvesta tried to keep up but couldn't eat even half of what Metagross consumed.
As night deepened, Metagross took over guard duties, resting while its four brains monitored the surroundings.
Larvesta acted as a large, warm pillow for Lionel, and they slept peacefully in the cool forest air.
The next morning, Lionel packed his tent.
Milotic returned to its Poké Ball to rest in the water environment, while Larvesta lay happily on Metagross's back as it hovered beside Lionel.
The evolved Metagross had fully adapted; its computing power was staggering.
It used telekinesis to clear obstacles in Lionel's path while simultaneously entertaining Larvesta with bursts of psychic energy.
This level of multitasking was effortless for the new Metagross.