Surrounded by a group of Water-type Pokémon, the group quickly arrived at the beach. Seeing the soft, white sand, everyone's mood instantly lifted.
"This place is so nice. We should come here to play more often!"
Yuli said cheerfully to Rex, barefoot in the sand.
"Of course! You could even stay here permanently if you wanted—just build a wooden cabin and you're all set!"
Seeing Yuli so relaxed was a rare sight, and Rex responded with a joking tone.
"Sounds great! Boss, hurry up and start building the cabin, so we can stay longer next time!"
Yui joined in as she overheard their conversation.
"Uh… I think I'll just go set up a temporary camp."
What started as a joke was immediately seized on by Yui, and Rex had to make an excuse to slip away.
This place was deep within the Petalburg Forest, teeming with wild Pokémon. Even if he spent the time and energy building a cabin, it might easily get damaged. Rex wasn't about to waste effort like that.
"Hehe!"
Seeing Rex flee in defeat, Yui laughed gleefully like she'd just won a major battle.
"You're still as mischievous as ever."
Yuli shook her head in amused exasperation.
Rex was extremely efficient when it came to setting up camp. In no time, he had a shaded tent pitched and several lounge chairs arranged underneath it.
"Huh, Shaymin—you're back!"
Rex waved when he saw Shaymin emerging from the bushes.
After arriving at the beach, Shaymin had wriggled out of Rex's arms and bolted into the forest so fast that he didn't even have time to react.
Although the jungle could be dangerous, Rex wasn't worried about Shaymin's safety. As a Mythical Pokémon, there likely wasn't anything in this forest that could truly threaten it.
And as for Shaymin running off—Rex was even less concerned. He hadn't officially caught Shaymin yet. Even at Rex Farm, it could leave whenever it wanted. If it really wanted to go, it would have left long ago.
"Mii!"
Hearing Rex greet it, Shaymin called back in response.
But instead of sticking around, Shaymin ran over to play with Chimchar and Bagon.
Shaymin had no idea how long it had been in this world, but with its small size, it fit right in playing alongside Chimchar and Bagon.
"Boss, can I go swim in the sea?"
Karen asked excitedly.
Among Karen's many job experiences was a stint as a beach lifeguard. Back then, she had worked hard to learn swimming just to land the role.
Unfortunately, not long after she got hired, the beach owner brought in Floatzel as a lifeguard instead. She was let go soon after.
It was a common story in this world—people not only had to compete with others for jobs, but sometimes also with Pokémon. And more often than not, Pokémon would win out thanks to their natural abilities.
"Sure, but you should stay within this area. Going too far might be risky. I'll have Milotic keep an eye on you for safety."
Rex thought it over before answering.
By now, all the Pokémon in this bay had submitted to Milotic's presence, so with it around, Karen was unlikely to be attacked. Still, Rex gave Milotic a few words of caution.
Milotic gave a small nod, indicating it would keep her safe.
"Yuli, Yui, you two should join me! I can teach you how to swim!"
Thrilled by Rex's approval, Karen called over to Yuli and Yui.
"No problem! But I've never really learned how to swim before, so you'll have to be patient with me, Karen!"
Yui quickly agreed, though a bit nervously.
"Don't worry! I'll definitely teach you how to swim!"
Karen thumped her chest with confidence.
Eventually, Yuli gave in to the two of them pestering her and agreed to swim as well.
The three of them quickly changed into swimsuits inside the tent. When they came out, Rex felt his heart skip a beat.
"Hehe, boss—how about joining us for a swim?"
Yui teased, seeing Rex momentarily stunned.
"Ahem... you girls go ahead. I think I'll rest on the lounge chair for a bit."
Rex coughed awkwardly and declined.
Yuli and Yui then began their swimming practice under Karen's guidance. Like Rex, they only knew how to splash around a little before.
But with Karen teaching them proper technique, they quickly picked up the basic strokes and started swimming with decent form. Though they couldn't swim for long yet, they were all clearly having a great time.
As for Rex, he lay back on a lounge chair, soaking in the rare peaceful moment. Slowly, his eyelids grew heavy. The gentle breeze on his face relaxed him completely.
Just as Rex was about to doze off, he felt something press against his chest. It was Shaymin, who had run over from playing with the others and climbed onto him. After a few yawns, it curled up and fell asleep.
Chimchar and Bagon, seeing this, hopped onto the lounge chairs on either side of Rex, mimicking him and getting ready to nap.
Rex gently patted their heads, then finally succumbed to sleep himself.
When Rex woke up again, it was already close to noon. Shaymin was still snoozing on his chest, and Chimchar and Bagon were sound asleep beside him.
After the nap, Rex felt completely refreshed. At this point, even if he tried, he wouldn't be able to fall back asleep.
He carefully lifted Shaymin and, once he sat up, placed it on the lounge chair so it could continue its nap.
"Boss, good thing you're up! I was about to come over and wake you!"
Yuli, Yui, and Karen were sitting on a picnic blanket chatting. As soon as she saw him awake, Yui waved her hands animatedly.
"Sorry, it was just so relaxing here that I fell asleep without realizing it."
Rex scratched his head, a little embarrassed.
"So, how's the swimming coming along?"
"What do you think? Yuli and I are naturals! We can swim pretty far now. The only problem is I'm sore all over—it really takes it out of you."
"That's because you overdid it. I told you to pace yourself, but you just kept swimming!"
"It's fine! I'll be good after a short rest."
"Really, Karen?"
As the girls chatted away, noon arrived. The sun was scorching, but their spirits remained high.
(End of Chapter)