As Rex and the three girls finished preparing lunch and laid everything out on the picnic cloth, Chimchar and Bagon, still fast asleep just moments before, were instantly awakened by the delicious aroma in the air.
They rubbed their sleepy eyes, drooling as they got ready to dash over and dig in. But when Chimchar noticed Shaymin still asleep, it quickly reached out to nudge it awake.
"Raa!"
Bagon let out a few loud calls too, trying to wake Shaymin up.
After a morning of playing together, Chimchar and Bagon already considered Shaymin a good friend. So even in the face of tempting food, they loyally tried to include Shaymin.
"Mii!"
Thanks to their persistence, Shaymin finally woke up, letting out a confused little cry.
But once it caught the scent of food, it perked up immediately and ran over with them to join Rex and the others.
"You're all awake, huh? Come eat something!"
Rex patted Chimchar's head and called out to them.
Hearing his words, Chimchar and the others didn't hold back—they grabbed the food from the cloth and started chowing down enthusiastically.
"So, what are your plans for this afternoon?"
Rex asked as he picked up a snack and took a bite.
"Boss, can we go explore the jungle? I've never been in there before!"
Yui looked excitedly toward the treeline at the edge of the beach.
Yuli and Karen exchanged intrigued glances, clearly tempted by the idea too. After all, none of them had ever ventured into the depths of Petalburg Forest before.
"I'm fine with that, but the jungle is a complicated place. There could be unexpected dangers, so you'd better be mentally prepared—and no running off on your own."
Rex wasn't particularly worried thanks to their Pokémon's strength, but he still gave a warning in advance to make sure they'd follow his lead once inside.
"Then let's head out right after lunch! On the way here, we saw tons of wild Pokémon by the river—there must be even more inside the forest!"
Now that Rex had agreed, Yui was even more excited. She picked up her pace eating lunch, eager to get going.
With their minds made up, everyone quickly finished eating. Rex recalled Milotic and the others back into their Poké Balls. Since they were heading into the jungle, it was best to be well-prepared.
With their full lineup, Rex was confident that even if they ran into a powerful group of wild Pokémon, they'd be able to make it out unharmed.
Once everything was ready, Rex led Yuli and the other two girls into the jungle. Shaymin rested in his arms, while Bagon and Chimchar scouted ahead.
To protect the rear, Rex left it to Politoed and the two Poliwags, while Yui's and Karen's Swellow patrolled the skies above.
With such a setup, weaker wild Pokémon didn't even dare approach. Most that noticed the group from a distance simply slipped away to avoid them.
So, even after walking for quite a distance, they hadn't encountered any attacks. Still, the sights and sounds of the jungle amazed Yuli and the others.
"I can't believe this Oran Berry tree is still here! Want to try one?"
They had come upon a tree heavy with Oran Berries—the very tree that had once saved Rex when he first arrived in this world.
To Rex's surprise, the tree looked healthier than ever, even more bountiful than before.
But thinking it over, it made sense. This area used to be home to large numbers of Swellow, but many of them had been drawn to live at Rex Farm by the presence of the boss Swellow. With fewer wild Pokémon around, the tree's fruit was no longer being eaten as quickly.
"Uh, I feel like these berries don't taste as good as the ones we grow on the farm."
Karen plucked one, peeled it, and took a bite, offering her honest opinion.
"Heh, for me, the berries from this tree are the most delicious food in the world."
Rex wasn't fazed by Karen's comment. He plucked a berry himself and ate it whole, clearly savoring it.
"Oh? Why's that?"
The girls looked puzzled and asked Rex.
"Come on out, Swellow!"
Rex didn't answer directly. Instead, he released his Swellow from its Poké Ball.
"Swah! Swah!"
Swellow flew excitedly around the tree, then picked a berry and began eating it.
"When I washed up on that beach, I had no food or water. I risked my life entering this jungle, and I was lucky enough to find this very tree. These berries were what kept me alive during that roughest time."
Looking at the Oran tree, Rex was suddenly reminded of the moment he first arrived in this world.
Back then, he didn't have a single Pokémon and had to brave the jungle in a desperate search for food. If he hadn't found this tree, he might not have survived.
"So things were really that tough for you back then, boss…"
It was the first time Yuli and the others had heard about Rex's early struggles. Only now did they realize how difficult and helpless his situation had been.
"Anyway, it wasn't all bad. I ended up saving a Taillow with some of these berries, and with its help, I crossed the jungle and made it to Vernal Town. The rest, Yuli, you already know."
Rex ended the story lightly, breaking the heavy mood.
They soon continued their journey. To increase the chances of encountering wild Pokémon, Rex recalled Swellow and Politoed—their auras were too intimidating and would scare off most Pokémon before they could appear.
As for Shaymin, Rex had no worries—it could mask its presence so well that other Pokémon wouldn't even notice it.
Sure enough, before long, a group of Ariados blocked their path, clearly having mistaken them for prey.
"Boss, let me take this one! I want to see how strong my Swellow really is!"
Just as Rex was about to send in Chimchar and Bagon, Karen stepped up, eager for battle.
With Rex as backup, Karen wasn't worried about what might happen. She could give her Swellow full freedom to fight.
"Alright, it's all yours."
Rex agreed without hesitation.
(End of Chapter)