Pokemon: I'm a Farmer

Rex had actually asked the Totem Gumshoos about Dusk Stones and Z-Crystals before, but the Gumshoos had simply shaken its head, indicating it had neither.

Though he was skeptical, Rex couldn't force it to hand over a treasure. After all, he wasn't someone chosen by a guardian deity.

Up to now, Rex couldn't even be sure whether his actions in Verdant Cavern had been secretly monitored by the higher-ups of the Alola region.

In a world like this, with both advanced technology and mysterious Pokémon abilities, there were plenty of ways to watch someone without them knowing.

Rex knew that if he ever did anything too extreme, he might find himself in serious trouble—or worse, expelled from Alola.

In the days that followed, he often took Combusken and the others out to explore, hoping for some sort of discovery. But aside from picking a few Berries, he found nothing noteworthy.

While Rex didn't uncover much, Swellow surprised him in a big way.

Thanks to the time it had spent beside the Totem Gumshoos, constantly bathed in its aura, Swellow had gained a deeper understanding of that unique energy found only in Alola.

Now, Swellow could even begin absorbing the energy from the air into its body. However, since it lacked a proper vessel or medium to stabilize the energy, whatever it absorbed quickly dissipated. It couldn't retain or store it.

But Rex wasn't disappointed. Swellow had already taken the most important step.

He'd named the energy "Z-energy"—a mysterious force with a multitude of uses. Helping Pokémon break past their limits was just one of them, though for Swellow, it was the most relevant.

At this point, staying near the Totem Gumshoos was no longer necessary. Swellow now understood what Z-energy was.

When Rex announced his departure, the Totem Gumshoos was surprisingly reluctant. Gone was the initial desire to drive Rex and Swellow away as quickly as possible.

Over time, the Totem had gotten used to Swellow's presence, and it could clearly feel how much stronger its underlings had become through training battles with Rex's Pokémon.

After saying farewell, Rex headed straight back to the Pokémon School. He'd already contacted Professor Kukui beforehand, who told him to meet him at the school directly.

This time, Rex wasn't stopped at the gate. The old guard even greeted him with a wave—familiarity goes a long way.

When he arrived at the Class 3-A room, he found that class wasn't in session, and Professor Kukui wasn't there either.

"Hey everyone, long time no see!" Rex greeted as he stepped inside.

"Whoa, Rex! You're back! How was the wild?" Māmane ran up excitedly.

Despite dreaming of becoming an astronaut, Māmane really wanted to go camping in the wild—though his parents had never allowed it due to how dangerous it was.

"I heard from Professor Kukui that you beat the Totem Gumshoos. Is it true?" Kiawe followed up, eager to confirm the story.

Kiawe had been planning to challenge the Totem Gumshoos himself and wanted a first-hand account of what to expect. That was pretty standard for most Alolan Trainers.

The rest of the group also looked at Rex with curiosity—they clearly wanted to hear all about his adventure.

Seeing everyone so interested, Rex didn't hold back and recounted everything he'd experienced in Verdant Cavern over the past several days.

Though he mentioned how much stronger the Totem's subordinates had become, that didn't dampen Kiawe's enthusiasm. If anything, it fired him up even more.

He didn't shy away from strong opponents. The tougher the challenge, the better the training for him and his Pokémon.

"By the way, where's Professor Kukui?" Rex finally asked after wrapping up his story.

"The principal called him away—probably to discuss something school-related. Happens all the time," Mallow replied nonchalantly.

The others nodded in agreement. It was nothing unusual.

"Rex! Let's see Chimchar and Bagon again—I've missed them!" Lana chimed in, barely able to contain her excitement.

Her enthusiasm quickly spread, and soon everyone was calling for Rex to release his Pokémon. They'd all had a great time playing with them last time.

Before long, the classroom was filled with laughter and movement as Rex's Pokémon played with the others. Only Rex and Lillie remained on the sidelines.

"Lillie, I can tell you want to join in. Why not try giving one of them a little pat?" Rex said gently.

He knew it wasn't likely she'd get over her fear this quickly, but he still wanted to encourage her.

"M-Me? Could I really?" Lillie murmured, more to herself than to anyone else.

It wasn't a question for others to answer. She was asking herself, trying to summon courage.

After a moment of mental preparation, Lillie slowly walked over to Jumpluff. She felt that its Grass-type nature and gentle personality made it the safest choice for her first attempt.

Mallow, who had been playing with Jumpluff, noticed Lillie's approach and watched with hopeful eyes. She too wanted her best friend to overcome her fear.

After some hesitation, Lillie tentatively reached out with one finger—only to quickly pull it back. She hadn't quite gathered the courage.

But finally, under everyone's quiet, expectant gaze, she bit her lip, closed her eyes, and lightly touched Jumpluff's fluff.

And then, Rex saw it.

Lillie froze. Her body went stiff as stone, and for a second, it looked like her soul had just left her body.

Several moments passed before she finally came back to herself. Though still clearly uncomfortable, the disappointment in her eyes didn't last long.

"Lillie, that's amazing. You've already taken the most important step—you reached out and touched Jumpluff," Rex said with genuine praise.

"You're right. I really did it... I'll keep working hard to overcome this," she said, her spirit visibly lifted.

Reflecting on what she'd just accomplished, the weight of failure lifted from her heart. She had made the choice herself—and that was what mattered most.

(End of Chapter)