Pokemon: I'm a Farmer

"My name is Lana. Nice to meet you, Rex!"

After hearing Rex's introduction, Lana smiled politely and introduced herself in turn.

"If I'm not mistaken, those are a Chimchar and a Bagon, right? Both are really rare Pokémon!"

Lana's eyes lit up with surprise as she noticed the two little ones playing at Rex's feet.

Since she was now enrolled in the Trainer School, Lana's knowledge base was strong enough to recognize Chimchar and Bagon, and she was well aware of how rare they were—especially in Alola, where such Pokémon were virtually unseen.

"You got it right, Lana. You really know your stuff!" Rex smiled. "Chimchar, Bagon—go ahead and say hi to Lana."

Having watched her reel in a massive fish earlier, Chimchar and Bagon already had a good impression of her. They greeted her warmly and quickly began playing around, even making friends with her Popplio.

"Rex, sorry, but I've got to head back now. It's getting late, and I need to make dinner for my sisters."

Lana glanced at the setting sun and gave an apologetic wave.

"No worries. I should get going too. Take care on your way back."

Rex didn't press her to stay—he was never the type to overstep. He simply offered a polite farewell.

He watched her walk off with the big fish in tow, then turned around and headed back the way he came.

That night, Rex stayed one more evening in Hau'oli City. He planned to leave for Professor Kukui's research lab the next morning.

Thanks to the day's outing, Chimchar and Bagon were finally tired out and didn't cause any chaos in the evening—a rare peace that Rex was grateful for.

That night, Rex's phone rang—it was Professor Birch.

"Rex, you've arrived in Alola, haven't you? Why haven't you checked in with Professor Kukui yet? Did something happen?"

Kukui had reached out to Birch earlier in the day after not seeing any sign of Rex, prompting the latter to call and check on him.

"I'm fine, Professor Birch, no need to worry. I spent the day sightseeing in Hau'oli. I was planning to visit Professor Kukui tomorrow morning."

Rex scratched his head, feeling a little sheepish.

He hadn't expected Kukui to go out of his way to contact Birch just because he hadn't shown up. After all, they hadn't set an exact meeting time.

But thinking it over, it made sense. As a teacher at the Trainer School, Kukui might've subconsciously treated Rex like one of his students—naturally concerned about his whereabouts.

After the call, Birch sent Rex Kukui's personal contact number so he could reach out directly and avoid further misunderstandings.

"Hello, may I ask who's calling?"

A slightly puzzled voice answered the call.

"Hello, is this Professor Kukui? This is Rex. I heard from Professor Birch that you were wondering where I was."

"Ah, so you're Rex! Everything okay? Have you made it to Alola safely?"

Kukui's voice instantly brightened with relief.

"I arrived in Hau'oli last night. I spent today exploring the city. Sorry for worrying you!"

"Haha, no worries at all. Welcome to Alola!" Kukui laughed heartily. "I've got a class tomorrow morning. How about you come find me at the Trainer School?"

"Sounds perfect. See you tomorrow, Professor Kukui!"

Rex ended the call feeling glad he had reached out—it meant he wouldn't waste time searching aimlessly in the morning.

He also called Yuli to let her and the others know he'd arrived safely in Alola, sparing them any concern.

The next morning, Rex didn't rush out. He waited until 9 a.m. before checking out of the inn.

After all, it was a school—arriving too early might mean the gates were still closed. Besides, the Alola Trainer School was known for its laid-back curriculum. Students had short school days and spent a lot of time on outdoor activities.

A quick search on his phone revealed just how relaxed the education system here was. Rex couldn't help but feel envious. It seemed more like a free-range approach than formal education.

After all, this was a school meant to train future Pokémon Trainers. As long as students grasped the essential knowledge related to Pokémon, they were good to go.

Just think about Ash—he'd barely memorized type matchups when he began his journey. He mostly battled using sheer passion and instinct.

Once Rex reached the city's central square, he released Swellow and mounted up, heading toward the Trainer School.

Since Alola was made up of scattered islands, people commonly used flying Pokémon as transportation. Many even had custom riding gear for comfort.

Though Melemele Island was one of Alola's largest, it was still relatively small. Swellow only needed about ten minutes of flight to reach the school.

Rather than swooping straight into the school grounds, Rex had Swellow land outside the main gate. He understood the importance of basic courtesy.

"Hey there, young man—who are you looking for?"

As he approached, a security guard at the gate stopped him.

"I'm here to see Professor Kukui. He's expecting me. My name's Rex."

"Oh, you're Rex? Yeah, Professor Kukui told me to keep an eye out for you. He said to send you to Class 3A."

With the name drop, the gatekeeper nodded and waved him through.

Inside the school grounds, Rex saw students engaged in battles across the fields, while others played and trained with their Pokémon.

After asking for directions, he quickly found Class 3A.

The door was open, and at the front of the classroom stood a man—shirtless save for a loose white lab coat, tanned skin glowing under the light. Without a doubt, this was Professor Kukui.

(End of chapter)