"Again?"
Natsuhiko frowned deeply and looked at Beedrill.
Beedrill shook its head at him, indicating it hadn't heard anything.
If it was unexpected the first time, twice is more than just a coincidence, especially when the sound is heard not only by Togetic but also by Abra.
"What did the sound say?" Natsuhiko asked.
"Chaka Yi..."
Togetic stammered, unsure how to describe it.
"Kai Si."
Abra was also hesitant because it couldn't hear clearly, vaguely sensing a hint of melody.
The two Pokémon couldn't explain what the sound was saying, making Natsuhiko even more curious.
The point is, why can only Togetic and Abra hear it, while he and Beedrill cannot?
He couldn't recall any Pokémon, even legendary ones or Divine Beasts, using such a method to convey sound; this was beyond ordinary people or Pokémon's capabilities.
But it seemed not to have malicious intent.
Otherwise, with Togetic's sensitivity to the Aura of Happiness, it would have sensed any danger.
Instead, Togetic not only felt no danger but seemed quite taken with the sound; it was the first to hear it.
Natsuhiko pondered slightly.
"Let's rest first, get our states right. If the sound appears again tomorrow, we'll attempt to delve deeper to find its source."
The exploration is to continue because the Pokémon here are insufficient for Beedrill's training needs.
Thus, Natsuhiko doesn't mind combining Pokémon training with seeking the sound's source.
The Pokémon did not oppose.
...
...
The next day.
Natsuhiko and Beedrill woke up on time.
Abra hadn't slept all night, remaining in deep meditation, with its psychic frequency increasing remarkably.
He awakened the sleeping Togetic with messy sleeping posture.
"Today won't be easy, be prepared."
After organizing his equipment and backpack, they continued deeper into the Meteor Falls.
After passing through several long and complex tunnels, Natsuhiko finally led the Pokémon into Meteor Falls' inner section.
How to distinguish the phases of Meteor Falls: initial phase, middle stage, and inner section?
Look at the water.
The initial phase, close to the massive waterfall, has humid air; the glowing moss on the walls thrives.
Entering the middle stage, the air's humidity decreases noticeably, and fewer glowing moss grows on rock walls, making the environment suitable for many Rock-type Pokémon.
Due to the meteor crash causing Meteor Falls, the surrounding area has rocks rich in minerals and trace elements, which many Rock-type Pokémon favor.
Therefore, the middle stage area houses many Rock-type Pokémon, such as Graveler and Solrock, which Natsuhiko previously encountered.
The mineral-rich rocks provide enough energy for the Rock-type Pokémon to grow well, with strength evident advancement over the initial phase.
These middle stage Pokémon managed to block most trainers trying to enter the inner section.
Passing the middle stage, you see water again—the underground water and the source water of Meteor Falls—indicating entry into Meteor Falls' inner section.
The wild Pokémon here, rarely disturbed, along with abundant minerals and nutrients from underground water, become more powerful.
This information Natsuhiko gathered from both the internet and books when choosing Meteor Falls as a training site.
It's one of the reasons he chose the inner section of Meteor Falls as his target location.
Upon entering the inner section.
Expansive underground cave.
Sounds of rushing water were heard, visible beneath exposed rocks were purifying rapids, and traces of wild Pokémon could be vaguely seen.
No proper paths, forcing Natsuhiko to rely on Abra's psychic powers to ensure not falling from the rocks.
Thanks to the generous water mist, rock walls became smooth with patches of faintly glowing moss.
"Hiss Bzz."
Suddenly, Beedrill's expression froze, uttering a low sound.
Along with it, were Togetic and Abra.
Their expression changes made Natsuhiko realize they heard the sound again.
The difference was that Beedrill, who couldn't hear it initially, was now hearing it.
Natsuhiko's expression turned odd.
What does this mean?
Just him who can't hear?
"Cha~~Cha~ka~Yi Yi~~" Togetic hummed along with the sound softly.
It was the first to hear the sound, which became clearer after entering the inner section.
It could now hear the melody and sang along.
Abra nodded gently along with the rhythm, its psychic waves pulsating with it.
"Hiss Bzz!"
Beedrill suddenly turned, striking with its long needle.
A Barboach, leaping from the water, was hit and fell on the ground, flapping without losing mobility.
"Togetic, Magic Leaf."
Togetic stopped humming, waving dozens of Magic Leaves at Barboach.
The Water and Ground-type Barboach only has one weakness—four times weak to Grass, an excellent attribute combination.
Bang!
Magic Leaf struck Barboach effectively, rendering it incapable of battle.
"It seems the wild Pokémon here are more hostile to outsiders than expected," Natsuhiko remarked while focusing on the underground stream water surface ahead.
Dozens of heads popped from the water, hostile gazes falling on them.
"Barboach and Whiscash, aren't they usually lazy and docile Pokémon?"
No time to delve further.
Seeing Barboach fall, fellow Barboach and Whiscash launched attacks.
However.
The attacking Barboach and Whiscash weren't particularly strong. With Beedrill in formation and Togetic and Abra's collaboration, all were swiftly cleared.
"Kai Si."
While clearing Barboach and Whiscash, Abra sharply detected some unusual traces.
In damp ground near underground water, a faintly visible blurry footprint was seen.
"Human?"
Though trainerless, Meteor Falls 'inner section' still had some; footprints weren't surprising to Natsuhiko.
Question remained whether those footprints were related to Barboach and Whiscash's hostile reception.
Without much thought, Natsuhiko threw a Pokeball at the strongest Whiscash, reaching Senior Level.
But...
"Hiss Bzz!"
Nearby Beedrill suddenly growled, wings vibrating, leaving a golden arc of destruction in dark space,
A figure suddenly charged, covered in black energy waves.
Surprise Strike!
Beedrill's double needle intercepted the attack, clashing with a glowing blue insect-type energy.
Bam!!
A dull sound erupted; Beedrill's body flew backwards uncontrollably.
The attacker didn't gain much with halted charge.
The impact blew away the Pokeball Natsuhiko had just thrown.
His focus diverted from the Pokeball.
He gazed at the suddenly ambushing Pokémon, capable of evenly matching Elite Level Beedrill's counter.
Recognizing it, his pupils contracted.
"Flygon?!"
Elite Level!