Scouting

While Yuga was talking with Clemont, he heard Hatsuki calling him from not far away. He then said to Clemont, "I have to go. Hopefully, we'll have a chance to meet again."

"Alright, take care," Clemont nodded.

"Hey, big brother, are you leaving?" Upon hearing that Yuga was leaving, Bonnie, holding hands with Vivillon, seemed very reluctant.

"Yeah, I have some things to attend to, but Bonnie can come and play with me and Vivillon next time. I live over there," Yuga said, pointing to a massive aircraft not far away.

"Really? That's great! Vivillon, I'll come to play with you again next time. Goodbye, big brother!" With that, Bonnie's sadness disappeared, and she hugged Vivillon, then waved cheerfully to Yuga.

"Vivillon..." Vivillon nodded at Bonnie, then flew over to Yuga's side, where he recalled it into its Poké Ball.

"Who are those two kids? Do you know them?" Curious, Hatsuki asked as Yuga approached.

"I just met them. Are we ready to go?" When Yuga said "ready to go," he meant they were prepared to head to the city center of Lumiose City, where the Pokémon Exchange Conference was being held to scout it out.

"Yes, we're all set. We're just waiting for you," Hatsuki urged Yuga to hurry.

By the time Yuga returned to the aircraft, Momiji and her employees were already prepared to depart, waiting for him.

Once Yuga and Hatsuki were in the car, the Aroma Day Care's convoy set off toward the city center of Lumiose City.

As the car drove through the suburbs, Yuga looked out the window and saw the splendor of Lumiose City, which served as the heart of Kalos, combining the essence of technology and art.

Yuga had visited several metropolitan areas in different Pokémon worlds, such as the lively Goldenrod City in Johto, the nature-filled Rainbow City in Kanto, the joyous and vibrant Mauville City in Hoenn, and the ultra-modern metropolis of Castelia City in Unova, each with its own unique characteristics.

Goldenrod City was filled with the unique human sentiments of Johto; Rainbow City was saturated with natural and dreamy vibes; Mauville City was known as the City of Joy and Light, giving a feeling of the past and present intertwined due to its peculiar development; Castelia City was a typical modern metropolis with skyscrapers and a high-tech atmosphere.

In Lumiose City, the streets were paved with cobblestones, typical Parisian-style buildings lined the streets, and various office buildings stood on the outskirts.

It could be said that Lumiose City possessed a strong modernization similar to Castelia City but also had an artistic atmosphere that Castelia City lacked.

Through the window, Yuga saw Espurr sitting in a café with its owner, Furfrou accompanying its owner on a walk, and Helioptile playfully frolicking with its owner...

In short, this was a lively city even in the early morning. Yuga could even spot Prism Tower, the landmark of Lumiose City, despite its distance from his current location.

When Mr. Wyatt, the executor of the renovation plan for Mauville City, revamped Mauville City, he took inspiration from Lumiose City and even built a replica of Prism Tower, which is why Mauville City gave people a feeling of the past and present intertwined.

However, the urban planning and layout of Lumiose City were indeed very rational and well-regulated.

The city's history was not as ancient as cities like Goldenrod City or Rainbow City, so it was designed and planned well during its construction.

The destination Yuga and his group were heading to was not in the city center of Lumiose City but in a forest park in the northeast of Lumiose City.

This forest park did not belong to the public domain of Lumiose City; it was said to be privately owned, and the Pokémon Exchange Conference was being held there.

The owner of the forest park was the sponsor of this event, reportedly a well-known philanthropist.

After about an hour's drive, the Aroma Day Care's convoy stopped at the entrance to the forest park that Hatsuki had introduced to Yuga.

Even before entering, Yuga could see the lush trees and playful Pokémon inside the park through the gate and railing.

After showing their identification to the park's gatekeeper, a park staff member came out to guide Yuga, Momiji, and the others on a tour of the forest park.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Moriki. I'll be responsible for guiding you and introducing the exhibition areas assigned for this event."

Moriki, a tall young man with a polite smile on his face, gave a very friendly impression.

Momiji: "Thank you."

Once they were outside, Momiji, the head of the Aroma Day Care, finally restrained her friendly demeanor when she was with Yuga. Her every move exuded the aura of a powerful woman, and combined with her stunning appearance, she gave off a strong commanding presence.

This version of Momiji reminded Yuga of the photos he had seen of her before.

Before meeting Momiji in person, the image Yuga had of her was pretty much what he was experiencing now.

Moriki: "Follow me, everyone."

Guided by Moriki, Yuga, Kazuma, and Shin followed Momiji into the forest park.

As they entered the forest park, the first thing they saw was a shaded pathway, surrounded by trees and grasslands. Yuga even spotted a group of Dwebble and Crustle, Pokémon that were typically found only in Harmony, in the grasslands.

Surrounded by the dense forest and breathing in the fresh air, it was hard for Yuga to believe that he was in the city center of a super metropolis.

Yuga guessed that to have such an extensive forest park in a place like Lumiose City, the owner of this park must be an incredibly influential individual.

Despite the natural ambiance of the forest park, Yuga could still see bio-mimetic lampposts along the paths.

Walking along the long shaded path, Yuga and his group encountered various Pokémon from different regions that living in this place.

"These Pokémon originally lived in areas that were affected by natural disasters. After losing their homes, they were brought here," Moriki explained as he led Yuga and Momiji's group.

Upon hearing Moriki's words, Yuga and the others couldn't help but feel admiration for the owner of the forest park.

Caring for and providing shelter for such a large number of Pokémon was an undertaking of immeasurable scale, and they could tell that the Pokémon living here were well taken care of.

Seeing these Pokémon reminded Yuga of the stray Pokémon living in his own Pokémon Paradise, but in comparison to this forest park, his Paradise seemed like a miniature version.

The forest park covered a vast area, nearly equivalent to one-fifth of Verdanturf Town's size. The park's terrain included forests, lakes, sandy areas, and artificial rock formations.

Of course, these terrains were all man-made and on a miniature scale, designed to simulate the natural habitats of the Pokémon, essentially serving as a semi-open Ecopark built on the foundation of Lumiose's natural environment and climate.