As Rex passed over Slateport City, he saw people out on the streets clearing away debris. Despite the mess, there was a visible sense of relief and joy on everyone's faces—they had survived.
Wild Pokémon that had taken refuge in the forests and skies were now emerging again, basking in the sunlight they hadn't seen in days.
Seeing this scene, Rex felt a wave of peace wash over him. Though he'd acted primarily to save his own farm, he was glad he'd been able to help others—both people and Pokémon—as well.
Flying above Rex Farm, he looked down and saw that the floodwaters in the low-lying areas nearby were steadily receding. It wouldn't be long before they were gone entirely.
Thankfully, only part of the farm had been affected. The main buildings hadn't been touched by the water, so the overall damage wasn't too severe.
The berry orchard, however, was another story. From the air, Rex could see many trees uprooted by the storm, and most of the berries had been blown off.
He winced at the sight of the battered orchard—it would take a lot of time and effort to restore it.
"Yuli, I'm back!"
When Rex opened the door, he was met with a look of pure relief from Terada Yuli, who walked up to him with a smile.
"Welcome home, Rex!"
Yuli could no longer hold back her emotions. Tears welled in her eyes as she rushed forward and threw her arms around him.
Ever since Rex had ridden off on Swellow to confront the source of the storm, she had been gripped by fear, terrified something would happen to him.
She had busied herself making Pokéblocks nonstop, unwilling to let her mind wander to dark places.
"It's alright, I'm back safe and sound."
Rex gently patted her shoulder to comfort her.
To have someone worry about him so deeply warmed Rex's heart. The exhaustion from his battle with Tornadus and Thundurus seemed to melt away.
"You must be starving after all that—I'll cook something right away!"
Realizing how emotional she'd gotten, Yuli blushed and quickly shifted the topic.
"Thanks, that'd be great. I'm actually pretty hungry."
Now that she mentioned it, Rex could feel the emptiness in his stomach. When he triggered Diancie's Mega Evolution, it had drained his strength completely—he was only still standing thanks to his exceptional physical condition.
Diancie, a mythical Pokémon, had also collapsed after using just one move in Mega form. She was still resting in her Poké Ball.
Of course, she had already spent a long time battling Tornadus before the Mega Evolution, and her natural reserves were limited.
While Yuli worked in the kitchen, Rex went to the greenhouse. He needed to use the Jumpluff colony's Grassy Terrain to help his injured Pokémon recover.
At the greenhouse, he checked the surroundings before entering. Fortunately, the structure was intact, though a few glass panels had cracks from storm-blown debris.
He made a mental note to have Uncle Henry replace those later—any structural damage was a safety risk.
Inside, the greenhouse was thriving, untouched by the disaster.
Rex released Swellow, Diancie, and Machamp. All of them were in rough shape, especially Swellow and Diancie, though both were now awake.
Before initiating healing, Rex fed each of them a few Pokéblocks to help replenish their energy.
"Alright, I'm counting on you."
With everything prepared, he gave the command to the Jumpluff colony.
Immediately, vibrant green light filled the greenhouse as Grassy Terrain took effect. The wounds on Swellow, Diancie, and Machamp began healing visibly.
Machamp recovered first—he hadn't fought deeply, only shielded Rex from Tornadus's attacks.
Bathed in life energy, Swellow and Diancie closed their eyes in comfort. Their pain faded quickly, and their bodies began to feel warm and light again.
Though Shaymin wasn't too badly injured, it had used up a lot of energy, so it also began absorbing the surrounding vitality to recharge.
Soon, Swellow and Diancie looked as though they had never been in a battle at all—physically, at least.
Their bodies were healed, but the mental exhaustion from such a fierce fight would take time to recover.
The orchard was still a mess, but for the Swellow flock living in the treetops, the damage wasn't a major issue. Once healed, Swellow returned to lead its group back to their territory.
Rex had Swellow organize the flock to help clean up the broken branches and leaves. With their numbers, the orchard would be tidied up in no time.
What troubled Rex most now were the two Ultra Balls sitting on the table—Tornadus and Thundurus were sealed inside, but their volatile personalities and resistance to communication made them dangerous.
Looking at the balls felt like staring at ticking bombs. He had no idea when they might break free—and if they did, and no agreement could be reached, another fierce battle was inevitable.
Thankfully, Rex knew they wouldn't recover any time soon. He had decided to focus on mastering Mega Evolution with Diancie in the meantime.
As he thought, he headed back into the house with Diancie and Shaymin.
Inside, Yuli had just finished preparing a full table of food and was waiting for him.
"Rex, dinner's ready! Just wash up and we can eat."
She smiled warmly as he entered.
"I can smell it already—thanks, Yuli."
Rex's stomach growled at the sight of the feast. He swallowed involuntarily, then nodded with gratitude.
After washing his hands, Rex eagerly dug into the delicious spread.
Though they'd already eaten Pokéblocks, Diancie and Shaymin happily joined in the meal, fighting over dishes with Rex like playful siblings.
Meanwhile, Yuli—the one who'd made everything—only nibbled a little. She simply sat there smiling, watching Rex and the two mythical Pokémon playfully bicker over food, enjoying the rare peace that had finally returned.
(End of Chapter)