Sootopolis City lay at the heart of the eastern seas of the Hoenn Region, a mysterious city steeped in history. Rainwater had gathered in a meteorite crater formed a thousand years ago, and over centuries, it had shaped a place with a unique natural landscape fit for people to live in.
Because of its unusual geography, Sootopolis City could not be reached directly without a boat or the help of a Flying Pokémon. Even so, it welcomed plenty of tourists every year.
In the center of Sootopolis City, beneath a towering tree growing on a grassy island, Mingyou crouched in the grass. Sunlight filtered through the leaves as he studied a closed flower at the tree's base with curiosity.
Then a sweet voice drifted over from behind him on the breeze blowing across the glittering lake. "That's the Eternal Flower. Legend says that whenever it blooms, disaster is sure to follow..."
Akari stopped beside Mingyou. Today she wore a blue low-waisted dress that showed off her figure and gave her a lively, youthful air. By now, she had grown completely comfortable dressing this way.
As Mingyou stood, she broke an orange-flavored twin popsicle in half and held one piece out to him.
"Open wide~"
"Ah~"
Mingyou bit into the popsicle and took it from her, smiling. Behind them, Diancie, Meloetta, and the others had gone to buy ice cream. Each held a strawberry sundae and ate it happily.
Summer break had finally arrived, just in time for his next Pokémon World Championships match and the meteor shower on Qixi night. He had decided to spend a while in the Hoenn Region and relax with everyone.
They had arrived the night before and spent today exploring Sootopolis City. He wanted to be in good spirits for tomorrow's match against Wallace on