After strolling around the berry grove, Rex contentedly picked some fresh berries and a few bottles of juice made by Shuckle before leaving the area.
These days, the Shuckle's favorite pastime—besides eating and fermenting juice—was lounging on warm rocks under the sun. So Rex usually didn't disturb their peaceful routines.
Leaving Swellow's territory, Rex made a quick stop at the pasture to check on the Mareep and Miltank. Seeing them in great spirits, he finally made his way to his last destination: Moon Jade Lake.
Strictly speaking, Moon Jade Lake was simply the area where Rex released his Water-type Pokémon. He had never invested in developing it, so it remained a pristine, wild zone.
That said, its scenery was stunning—lush green meadows, and a lake surface that shimmered with a jade-like glow.
"Hey, Pyukumuku, why aren't you with the others?"
As Rex reached the lakeshore, he quickly spotted Pyukumuku sprawled out on a rock. Its body looked a bit shriveled, clearly having been sunbathing for far too long.
Upon seeing Rex, Pyukumuku's beady eyes turned a few times but it still didn't move—clearly, it liked this spot and had no intention of giving it up.
Splat!
Suddenly, a stream of water shot out from the lake and splashed directly onto Pyukumuku, rehydrating its body and visibly improving its condition.
"So it's you, Skrelp! Thanks for taking care of Pyukumuku."
Rex smiled as Skrelp popped its head out of the water.
It clearly wasn't the first time Skrelp had used Water Gun to rehydrate Pyukumuku. Without its help, the stubborn sea cucumber would likely be in far worse shape.
Happy to be praised, Skrelp spun in circles in the water before bounding up to shore—though on land, its movement was limited to slow hopping.
Rex pulled a few Pokéblocks from his bag and placed them in front of Skrelp and Pyukumuku, letting them refuel.
"Is Milotic not at the lake today?"
Once Skrelp finished eating, Rex asked curiously.
Skrelp tilted its head at him, then nodded.
Lately, Skrelp and Pyukumuku had been following Milotic's group, even venturing through the waterways to reach the coastal bay and making new friends there.
However, for some unknown reason, Pyukumuku had recently decided to stay put in its current spot, forcing Skrelp to remain in Moon Jade Lake just to keep it hydrated—lest it dry out and become a sea cucumber jerky.
"Pyukumuku, can you ever change that stubborn streak? And don't forget to thank Skrelp for looking after you!"
Rex picked up Pyukumuku and gave it a little scolding.
In response, Pyukumuku simply turned its face away—clearly unimpressed.
"You really are a piece of work—off you go!"
Sighing, Rex gave up and chucked Pyukumuku toward the center of the lake.
"...I gotta say, tossing Pyukumuku really is oddly satisfying."
Looking at the sticky residue left on his hand, Rex muttered to himself.
After comforting Skrelp a little, Rex turned and headed back. Whether or not Pyukumuku returned to its favorite sunbathing rock, he'd check again tomorrow—it wasn't in any danger for now.
Still, not seeing Milotic or Gyarados today left Rex a bit disappointed.
"Rex, did you finish checking the whole farm?"
Yuli looked up as Rex pushed open the door and entered.
At the time, she was helping Diancie practice making Pokéblocks. Most of the teaching was already done—Diancie just needed to refine her technique.
"It all went well overall. It's just a bit of a shame I didn't run into Milotic and the others at the lake."
Rex walked over and gave Yuli a quick overview of what he'd seen during his rounds.
"Oh, by the way, where are Yui and Karen? I didn't see them around."
Rex noticed only Yuli and Diancie were present in the hall and asked curiously.
"They went to the orphanage in town. Yui wanted to say goodbye to Grandma Nieno and the kids before leaving, and Karen went to the store to buy some supplies for their trip."
Yuli explained as she took the berries and juice Rex had gathered.
"I see. While I was at the lake, I noticed quite a few Lotad living there. It got me thinking—maybe we could plant some lotus flowers along the banks. Not sure what variety would be best though."
"You know way more about this stuff than I do. Could you help me choose?"
Rex shared the idea he'd been mulling over.
"That's a great idea! I'd love to help. I'll look into what type of lotus would work best."
Yuli nodded in agreement and pulled out her phone to start researching.
Meanwhile, Rex stayed near Diancie, watching her practice her Pokéblock-making.
Diancie's technique had already become quite polished. Using telekinesis, she manipulated the blender with precision—like an invisible hand controlling the entire process.
She had even begun producing mid-grade Pokéblocks. There weren't many yet, but it was a remarkable achievement for only a day or two of practice.
Yuli had been praising Diancie's natural talent, saying she'd likely surpass her soon.
As a mythical Pokémon, Diancie's mental and physical stamina far outstripped that of a human. She could make Pokéblocks endlessly without tiring—unlike Yuli and the others, who needed frequent breaks or risked lowering the quality due to fatigue.
Just before the sky turned completely dark, Yui and Karen returned to the farm riding their Swellow.
"Yuli! Rex! Grandma Nieno gave me these cream puffs for you—they're super delicious!"
Yui waved a box excitedly as she entered the hall.
"Ooh, I'll have to try one right away!"
Rex took the box from her with a smile.
Sure enough, after biting into one, he found them soft, creamy, and addictive. He couldn't help but eat a few more.