Early the next morning, Rex and the others arrived at the same beach where he had first gone fishing with Lana. Today, their plan was to spend the morning having fun here.
Through casual conversation, Rex learned that both Lana's and Mallow's homes were near the beach. So after fishing, they planned to head to Mallow's family restaurant for lunch.
"Sorry I'm late. Hope I didn't keep you waiting," Rex said as he reached the beach and saw the others already gathered, dressed like seasoned anglers, each holding a bucket and looking impressively prepared.
"No need to apologize! We agreed to meet at 8 a.m., and you're still on time," Mallow replied after checking the time.
The group then followed Lana to a familiar rocky area—one of her favorite fishing spots. Since it was close to home, Lana often came here to fish after school.
Given that she was with Rex and the others today, Lana swapped out her usual fishing hooks for lures designed to catch Pokémon rather than regular fish.
Everyone else did the same. With Rex and Kiawe around, they weren't too worried about reeling in something they couldn't handle.
"Haha! This is my first time fishing for Pokémon. I've got to reel in something super strong today!" Mallow declared, hands on her hips, brimming with confidence.
Of course, Mallow was just trying to liven the mood. She wasn't big on fishing and usually preferred Grass-type Pokémon.
Even Lillie, usually timid around Pokémon, sat watching her bobber intently, daydreaming about hooking a rare catch.
Since the others were mostly here to keep him company, Rex took on the role of lookout, staying alert in case anyone ran into trouble. Fishing was just a bonus.
"It's biting! I've got something!" Lana cried out excitedly.
Seeing that Lana had hooked a feisty one, Rex set aside his own rod and moved beside her, ready to jump in if needed.
The others also dropped their rods and gathered around to cheer Lana on.
After a long struggle, the Pokémon's strength began to wane. Lana gave one final tug and flung it out of the water.
Rex couldn't help noticing how strong Lana was for her size. Her stamina and strength were impressive for someone her age—probably from years of fishing.
"It's a Mareanie!" someone shouted as the Pokémon hit the ground.
The Water/Poison-type Pokémon, Mareanie, had a dozen poisonous tentacles and a small, hidden core body—its yellow eyes and fang-filled mouth barely visible through its arms. It lived in groups and scuttled along reefs looking for prey, often going after Corsola and Toxapex's fallen spines.
"Are you thinking of catching it, Lana?" Rex asked as he saw her staring at the Mareanie in silence.
Irritated from being pulled out of the water, the Mareanie glared at them with narrowed eyes. If it weren't for the size of the group, it likely would've attacked.
Mareanie had a nasty reputation—often ganging up with its kind to bully others in the ocean.
"I'll pass. Let's let it go," Lana said after some thought.
Even though she loved Water-types, she couldn't bring herself to catch it. Its bad temper and off-putting appearance were too much of a turn-off.
After a moment's standoff, Mareanie must have decided it was outnumbered. It bounced a few times and slipped back into the water.
But it didn't leave right away. Once it thought everyone had relaxed, it popped its head back up and fired a Water Gun straight at Lana.
Thankfully, Popplio reacted quickly and jumped up to block the shot. Otherwise, Lana would've ended up drenched.
The attack wasn't meant to harm—it was more of a prank, just the Mareanie trying to save face before it swam off for good.
The group resumed fishing afterward, with each person landing a few Pokémon—mostly weak ones like Magikarp and Wishiwashi. No one was interested in catching them, so they let them go after enjoying the thrill of the catch.
By midday, the group followed Mallow to her family's beachside restaurant.
Once everyone was seated, Mallow grabbed an apron from the wall and tied it around her waist before disappearing into the kitchen—clearly planning to show off her cooking skills.
"Rex, you're in for a treat! Mallow's food is amazing," Sophocles said, practically drooling.
"Yep! She's been training with her dad every day. Her dream is to become a top chef," Lana chimed in.
"Well, now I'm really looking forward to it," Rex replied with a smile.
"Don't worry—she won't let you down," Lillie added, her tone full of confidence.
The group chatted cheerfully as they waited for the surprise meal Mallow was preparing.