"Rex! Over here!"
As Swellow touched down, Mai waved enthusiastically at him.
Rex hopped down from Swellow's back and walked over with a smile. Beside Mai stood a blonde girl in roller skates, her bright and energetic aura impossible to miss.
"Oh, right! Rex, let me introduce you," Mai said excitedly before he could even approach. "This is Korrina, granddaughter of Master Gurkinn, the Gym Leader here at Shalour Gym. She's my best friend since I arrived in Kalos!"
"Nice to meet you. I'm Rex—you can call me that. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Korrina."
Even though he already knew who she was, Rex still greeted her politely.
"Nice to meet you too, Rex! Just Korrina is fine. Welcome!" she replied warmly, shaking his hand.
After some casual chatting, Mai finally voiced the curiosity that had been bothering her.
"Rex, your Swellow looks totally different now—bigger, and it gives off this really intense aura. It's kind of intimidating!"
She'd spent over a month with Rex in the Hoenn region and was very familiar with Swellow. The change was immediately obvious.
"That's because Swellow is now a Totem Pokémon," Rex explained with a smile. He gave them a quick summary of his time in the Alola region and how Swellow had undergone a transformation.
"That's amazing," Mai said, clearly impressed. "I don't know much about Totem Pokémon, but the energy around Swellow definitely feels... different. Stronger."
Even though she'd made a lot of progress herself training at the gym, she could tell Rex had taken another big step ahead.
"Hey, Rex, how about a battle?" Korrina grinned, leaning forward with anticipation. "I want to see your Swellow in action!"
Her eyes sparkled with excitement. Kalos and Alola had direct flights, so news of Totem Pokémon had made its way over. She had a basic idea of what they were: leaders among their species, much stronger than average.
Korrina was currently undergoing training in Mega Evolution under her grandfather Gurkinn, but she and her Lucario still hadn't reached the level of resonance needed to activate their Key Stone and Lucarionite. For Korrina, battling strong opponents was the best way to deepen that bond.
"Sure, I'm always up for a good match," Rex replied, smiling.
Since Swellow had evolved, he'd only battled once—against Kiawe's Charizard. He was just as eager to see how far Swellow had come.
"Okay, you two battle maniacs, settle down," Mai said, cutting in with a grin. "You'll have plenty of time for that later. We should head back—Master Gurkinn is probably getting impatient."
They'd been in the middle of training when Rex had called. Mai had taken a quick break to welcome him, and Korrina had tagged along as the host.
"Yikes, you're right! If we keep him waiting, Grandpa's going to scold me again!" Korrina said, grabbing Mai by the hand and skating off in a rush.
Rex followed the two into a large training area. Several students were going through what looked like strength and conditioning drills—proof that the gym also maintained martial arts traditions.
Atop a raised platform stood an elderly man with graying hair and sharp eyes. He carefully watched over the students, sternly correcting any who performed a technique incorrectly, but always followed up with patient, thorough explanations.
"Grandpa, this is Rex—Mai's friend," Korrina introduced once they arrived.
"Ah, welcome, Rex," Gurkinn said with surprising warmth.
"Sorry for interrupting your lesson," Rex replied respectfully.
"No need to apologize," Gurkinn waved it off. "We're just doing our routine training today. If you'd like to join, you're more than welcome—it's good for the body."
Pleased with Rex's manners, Gurkinn even extended an invitation.
"You should do it!" Mai chimed in. "I remember you used to practice some pretty intense moves."
Back in Meteor Falls, she'd often seen him performing his mysterious martial training, though she'd assumed it was just a fancy fitness routine.
"Oh? So you've trained in martial arts before?" Gurkinn asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Years of practicing the Heart-Forging Technique had granted Rex a strong command over his own body, and he could now sense subtle energy fluctuations. At that moment, he felt an unfamiliar force sweeping over him—a kind of probing, as though he were being scanned or read.
His body tensed instinctively, shifting into a defensive posture. It only lasted a moment, but the sensation left him uneasy. Mai and Korrina, meanwhile, looked confused by his sudden stance.
"Impressive," Gurkinn finally said, voice low. "If I'm not mistaken, you're not far from crossing into true martial mastery."
Rex realized then that the probing aura had come from Gurkinn.
"You flatter me—I still have a long way to go," Rex replied humbly.
But in truth, he could feel it too. His body was close to its natural limit. Once he reached that threshold, he could begin striving toward becoming a true martial artist.
"But Grandpa," Korrina cut in, "didn't you say it takes years of intense training to become a martial artist? Even I'm nowhere close!"
As the future heir to Shalour Gym, she was no stranger to martial arts. The idea that someone her age might already be approaching that level was hard to believe.
(End of Chapter)