After returning to Shalour Gym, Rex began training under Master Gurkinn. He felt his progress accelerating—so much so that he could now faintly sense the aura radiating from his own body.
According to Gurkinn, once Rex could use his own aura to perceive external stimuli, it would mean he was on the cusp of opening "the door."
To push that door open was to enter the realm of a true Aura Fighter.
Rex knew he was still some ways off from mastering Aura Body Conditioning, though he was close to maxing out the Tianshin method's physical training regimen. That, at least, meant his physique was nearing its peak—and it wouldn't be long before he could begin his breakthrough toward Aura Fighter status.
"Korrina, thanks for everything. It's about time I headed back to Hoenn."
That day, Rex found Korrina training with Lucario and said his goodbyes.
"You know, you could stay a bit longer. Flights between Kalos and Hoenn run every few days," she replied, clearly reluctant to see him leave.
Having Rex around had been a huge help—Lucario's strength had grown much faster with such a strong rival to spar against.
"Thanks for the offer, but I've been away from the farm for a while now. It's time I got back. I hope you'll visit sometime—you're always welcome at Rex Farm."
Though he'd been comfortable at the gym, Rex missed his people, his Pokémon, and his home.
Especially now that Carbink had successfully evolved into Diancie, there wasn't much left in Kalos that he needed to attend to.
"Okay, I will. After hearing all your stories about the place, I'm really curious about your farm."
Seeing that his mind was made up, Korrina didn't try to convince him further.
Rex then said his farewells to Mai and Master Gurkinn before mounting Swellow and flying toward Shalour's train station.
Arriving once more at the bustling terminal, Rex paused to take in the crowd of people and Pokémon. The smiles on everyone's faces told him that life in Shalour was good.
Their joy was contagious. Without even realizing it, Rex began smiling too. Every time he locked eyes with a passerby, he would nod politely—and they'd return the gesture with a warm smile of their own.
Buoyed by the atmosphere, Rex booked the next train out—this time choosing a daytime departure. That way, he could enjoy the Kalos countryside rolling past the window, making up for the missed scenery during his previous nighttime trip.
He was lucky enough to get a private cabin to himself. With no other passengers around, he released three of his smaller Pokémon—Bagon, Monferno, and Jumpluff.
Jumpluff floated to the window seat, basking in the sunlight as it watched the world go by. It was content with peaceful days like this.
Bagon and Monferno, on the other hand, were bouncing off the walls—examining every corner, poking around, and full of restless energy. Still, they were careful not to make too much noise. Rex was especially cautious with Bagon—it was rare and valuable, the kind of Pokémon that could easily catch the eye of a poacher.
That was the only reason he'd let Bagon out now—because they had the entire cabin to themselves.
Back at the gym, Bagon had been training like a Pokémon possessed. Ever since Chimchar evolved into Monferno, Bagon had been nursing a quiet determination to catch up.
Thanks to the height of the gym's Aura Tower, Bagon had been practicing a risky but effective drill—scaling to the top and diving off to harden its body through impact training. At first, this had given the gym's students quite the scare.
Eventually, though, they got used to it. Some even made a habit of watching the "Bagon Dive Show," cheering each time it clambered out of the crater it created on landing. Encouraged by the applause, Bagon tried new dive styles every day.
What Bagon didn't know was that while it was pushing itself, Monferno wasn't slacking off either. In fact, it was in the middle of a post-evolution power surge and had kept up its own grueling regimen.
Ironically, the gap between the two had actually widened.
Rex hadn't told Bagon the truth—it would only discourage the little dragon. Better to let it keep believing it was gaining ground.
Suddenly, the train lurched violently. It braked hard, and Rex was almost thrown across the cabin.
Thankfully, he'd managed to grab a railing in time, avoiding a nasty spill. Bagon and Monferno weren't so lucky—they rolled across the floor several times before stopping.
Dazed but unharmed, they wobbled to their feet. With their thick hides, the tumble had done no real damage—just left them a bit dizzy.
As for Jumpluff, it had been so light it barely even noticed the jolt.
"What the heck was that?"
"We stopping for something serious?"
"Oh no… I'm not even a trainer—I don't have any Pokémon to protect me!"
The train's interior erupted in chatter and confusion. Many passengers rushed out of their cabins into the aisles, murmuring anxiously.
"Attention, passengers. Please remain calm," came a voice over the PA system. "A group of Victreebel and Weepinbell has blocked the tracks ahead. Our onboard trainers are already working to drive them off. Please be patient—we expect to resume shortly."
People calmed down once they had a clear explanation. Fear of the unknown always stirred panic—but with the situation clarified, they returned to their cabins and waited for the issue to be resolved.