Kukui's explanation made Kai perk up, his ears practically twitching in thought.
A typhoon… Could it have been Typhoon, the one that had formed over the South Paldean Sea a few days ago?
Did Kukui actually get caught in the typhoon while flying over the ocean, then manage to survive the storm alongside his Braviary before finally making it to the outskirts of Los Platos?
Typhoons that form over open water, without any land obstacles to weaken them, are far more dangerous than those that have already made landfall.
No wonder Braviary is known as the Warrior of the Sky in Unova and the Sky's Brave Warrior in Alola.
As that thought crossed Kai's mind, he noticed a flaw in Kukui's story. Frowning, he asked, "During a typhoon, wouldn't it be possible to temporarily take shelter underwater to avoid the winds and waves?"
"I noticed you had a set of compact diving gear among your belongings. With the oxygen in that setup, you could have stayed submerged for at least half an hour—more than enough time to move underwater to a less turbulent area."
Kukui could only shake his head helplessly. "You probably noticed this already, but none of the Pokémon I had with me were capable of diving. Without their help, I wouldn't have been able to submerge deep enough before the waves dragged me back up."
Kai rubbed his chin as he mentally reviewed Kukui's Pokémon lineup.
Incineroar, Braviary, Venusaur, Lucario, Lycanroc and… Snorlax.
Not a single one of them could swim underwater.
Where did Kukui get the confidence to attempt a full-on ocean crossing with a team like that?
Then, as if something had just clicked in his mind, Kai's expression grew serious.
"Now that I think about it, Kukui-kun… You've been unconscious for the past few days, so I've been the one taking care of your Pokémon~"
"…Huh?"
Kukui was momentarily stunned, unsure why Kai had suddenly brought that up.
Kai smiled warmly. "Your Snorlax is pretty amazing—it's got a great appetite and is in perfect health~"
Kukui: "…"
A few seconds passed before he hesitantly asked, "What about the Pokéblocks I packed?"
Kai's expression was calm. "I'm guessing they got lost along the way?"
He then turned toward Dragonite. The Dragon Pokémon immediately nodded in understanding before lumbering out of the room.
A short while later, Dragonite returned carrying a thoroughly cleaned backpack, which it handed directly to Kukui.
Kukui blinked, then—under Dragonite's expectant gaze—opened the bag and began checking through its contents.
After a moment, he let out a small sigh of relief. Some of his supplies were missing, but they were mostly consumables—nothing too important.
That is… except for all the Pokéblocks he had prepared for Snorlax. Not a single one was left.
Snorlax's appetite was legendary. If fed only regular food, an average Snorlax needed to consume over 400 kilograms per day just to stay full.
But this seemingly monstrous appetite was actually due to Snorlax's powerful digestive system and highly efficient metabolism.
Rotten food? No problem. Muk's toxins? Easily digestible.
As long as Snorlax was given nutrient-rich food, it wouldn't need to eat anywhere near 400 kilograms a day.
Pokéblocks were highly concentrated in nutrients, with even a small piece providing substantial sustenance. For a Snorlax's Trainer, they were by far the most convenient food to carry.
It seemed that while Kukui was unconscious, this farm owner had struggled to keep up with Snorlax's massive appetite.
Kukui set his backpack aside and gave Kai an apologetic look. "I'm really sorry about this. How much food did Snorlax eat from your farm? I'll compensate you accordingly."
"Also, we've been talking for so long, but I still don't know the name of the person who saved me."
Kai chuckled. "I'm Kai, just an ordinary farmer. As for compensation… well, your Pokémon have been helping out with farm work these past few days, so let's just call it even."
Snorlax may have been a big eater, but once Kai had his Pokémon gather some high-energy food from the wild, feeding it for a couple of days wasn't too much of a burden.
Still, Kukui felt a little guilty. Not only had Kai saved him, but he was also being so generous.
As someone from Alola, Kukui felt the need to repay kindness in some way.
But if he asked outright, Kai would surely refuse.
After thinking for a moment, Kukui decided to accept Kai's goodwill for now. In the next few days, while he recovered, he would observe and find a way to help out in return.
Before long, a small bowl of plain rice porridge was brought to him. Starving, Kukui instinctively raised the bowl, ready to gulp it all down in one go.
But the Dragonite Kai had left behind to watch over him let out a disapproving cry, reminding him that he needed to eat slowly—otherwise, it would be too much of a strain on his stomach.
With an awkward chuckle, Kukui reluctantly slowed down, carefully drinking the mild-tasting porridge one spoonful at a time.
Even after finishing the bowl, his empty stomach continued to protest. To distract himself, he asked Dragonite to open the window by his bedside and help him adjust his position so he could look outside.
As soon as the window was opened, he was greeted by an endless expanse of blue sky and rolling fields stretching as far as the eye could see.
Looking down, he spotted large, neatly arranged farmlands divided by irrigation channels, giving the entire area a well-planned and orderly appearance.
Most of the fields had already been planted, with several figures working busily among them.
Among them, Kukui spotted Kai, but what caught his attention most was the presence of his own Pokémon.
Venusaur had its vines buried in the soil, working alongside several Toedscool to enrich the land with nutrients. Lucario and Incineroar were efficiently sowing seeds into pre-dug holes, while Braviary and Lycanroc carried supplies back and forth in a well-organized manner.
…Well, aside from Snorlax, who was fast asleep not far away.
Beyond the fields, Kukui could see the outline of what seemed to be either a pond or a lake, as well as a wide, open pasture covered in lush, healthy grass.
From what he could tell, this farm seemed to be in its early stages of development.
Kukui's Pokémon quickly noticed his gaze. They immediately paused their work, turning toward him with bright, excited expressions.
Feeling some strength returning to his body after finishing the porridge, Kukui tentatively raised his hand.
It worked—his limbs no longer felt weak.
Slowly, he waved his right hand toward his Pokémon, his face breaking into a radiant smile.
Kai watched the scene unfold, taking in the way Kukui's Pokémon, upon realizing their Trainer was awake, redoubled their efforts with renewed enthusiasm.
A small smirk played at Kai's lips.
With the way things were going, he might just be able to get the entire spring planting finished with Kukui's Pokémon alone.
Compared to hiring workers who demanded wages, Pokémon—who only needed food and rest while possessing far superior strength and endurance—were far more efficient.
Kukui's Pokémon, for example, could work tirelessly from morning until night.
If Kai pushed his own Pokémon that hard, he'd feel bad for them.
But if it was Kukui's Pokémon?
…Well, that was a different story entirely.
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