The direct flight from Paldea to Alola that Geeta had booked was set to begin check-in at 5:00 PM, with takeoff scheduled for 5:30 PM sharp.
That left Kai and Kukui with only half a day to get everything ready.
"I'll head out to stock up on enough Pokémon food and Pokéblocks!"
Kukui hopped onto his Braviary, adjusting his hat as he gave Kai a confident farewell. However, Kai's parting words nearly made Kukui slip right off Braviary's back.
Kai grinned. "Be careful not to get stranded again!"
Kukui let out a helpless laugh. "The weather's great today! That won't happen!"
Kai glanced up at the sky, nodding thoughtfully.
True enough, the weather was clear and sunny. Most of Paldea's skies were cloudless, with no storms or thunderstorms in sight.
As Kukui and Braviary soared into the distance, Kai stretched lazily, shielding his eyes from the bright sun. He muttered to himself, "Alright, time to get my preparations done too."
Selecting the Pokémon for the Trip
With the ranch and lake areas temporarily empty, there weren't too many responsibilities left on the farm. Arranging everything wouldn't be difficult.
Kai had already chosen which Pokémon to bring for his trip to Alola.
A rookie trainer would typically be limited to six Pokémon, mainly because caring for too many at once could be overwhelming. That number was considered just right for a beginner.
However, as a Champion-level trainer, Kai wasn't restricted in the number of Pokémon he could carry. That said, he couldn't possibly take all of his farm's Pokémon with him—so he had to choose wisely.
1. Dragonite
To ensure mobility, Dragonite was always Kai's first choice.
The moment it was called, Dragonite let out an excited snort, puffing steam from its nostrils as it raised both arms, flexing its strength.
2-4. Three Eldegoss & Serperior
The main reason for this trip was to learn Grassy Terrain, so the three Eldegoss and Serperior were essential.
The Eldegoss were hopping excitedly, clearly looking forward to the journey. Serperior, on the other hand, looked much less enthusiastic.
The reason? It had already attempted to learn Grassy Terrain countless times, with little success. Because of this, it wasn't particularly hopeful about the upcoming training.
5. Mimikyu
For the sixth slot, Kai picked Mimikyu.
Even though Mimikyu could also be found in Paldea, Alola was its place of origin. Kai thought it would be nice to take Mimikyu along to see the sights of its homeland.
6. Mudbray
The seventh Pokémon Kai chose was Mudbray.
When there was no mud to play in, Mudbray was calm and steady—traits that might make it compatible with Tapu Bulu.
There was even a chance that Tapu Bulu might teach it the essence of land cultivation moves.
7. Growlithe
Lastly, after getting annoyed by his system's constant nagging about staying battle-ready, Kai reluctantly added Growlithe to the team.
Securing the Farm
Even though Kai would be away for a week, the farm's safety would be in good hands.
With Luxray, Ceruledge, and Swampert acting as the three main defenders, there was little to worry about.
As for Moltres… well, it could barely fly properly anymore. The best he could hope for was that it wouldn't eat through the entire week's food supply.
"Luxray, Ceruledge, Swampert—I'm leaving the farm in your care. Make sure to protect everyone here, and always put our Pokémon's safety first."
Summoning the three Pokémon, Kai could tell they were feeling a bit down. After all, this would be the longest time they'd ever been apart from him.
That was only natural.
Understanding their feelings, Kai gently patted each of their heads. The three proud, battle-hardened males looked a little embarrassed but didn't pull away.
Then, more Pokémon gathered around.
Poliwhirl brought along the group of Poliwag, Milcery, Fidough, and Smoliv, all of them clearly struggling to accept Kai's sudden departure.
With no other choice, Kai took the time to calm each of them down, promising that he'd bring back souvenirs from Alola.
It was time-consuming and draining to reassure each Pokémon one by one, but Kai found joy in it.
Somehow, without even realizing it, he had become so deeply attached to this farm and everyone on it.
He loved this feeling.
A Certain Pokémon's Expectations…
Off to the side, Moltres had been waiting.
It had stood there for ages, expecting Kai to give it instructions, but he never did.
Its gaze kept shifting between Kai and empty air—clearly puzzled.
Even if it hadn't been officially caught, it was still part of this farm, right?
So why wasn't Kai saying anything to it?
Moltres' stare was so blatantly obvious that Kai couldn't ignore it even if he tried.
Letting out a small chuckle, he finally said, "I'll count on you to watch over the farm too, Moltres."
Moltres puffed up its chest, exuding an undeniable aura of pride.
As long as it was here, no evil, malicious force would dare approach—the entire farm would be reduced to cinders before that happened!
Kai broke into a cold sweat. "Let's… uh, not turn everything to ashes, okay? If it's a person, just catch them and hand them over to Officer Jenny."
The last thing he needed was a phone call from Officer Jenny while he was halfway across Alola.
Final Preparations & Departure
Before long, Kukui returned with a massive shipment—enough Pokémon food and Pokéblocks to last two whole weeks.
When Kai raised a brow, Kukui simply shrugged.
"It's better to be over-prepared than underprepared. Just bringing enough for a week would be risky."
Kai had to agree.
Time flew by, and soon, it was time to leave.
Before departing, Kai repeated his instructions to Luxray and the others, making absolutely sure they knew where the food was stored.
Then, with every single Pokémon watching him intently, Kai mounted Dragonite, flying off in sync with Kukui, who rode Braviary.
Their destination: Levincia, where their journey to Alola would officially begin.
After Kai Left…
Even after Kai vanished from sight, the Pokémon remained frozen in place.
It took them nearly half an hour before they slowly resumed their usual activities.
Luxray increased the frequency of its patrols, ensuring that the entire farm was under constant surveillance.
Swampert stationed itself in Thunder Lake, standing guard over both the lake and pasture areas.
Ceruledge took on the role of a silent knight, watching over the younger Pokémon as they played, keeping them safe from the shadows.
Even Moltres perched itself on the rooftop of the farmhouse, closing its eyes in rest—yet never once lowering its guard.
With a defensive lineup like this…
Even Hunter J would think twice before making a move.
A Sleepless Flight
By the time night fell, Kai was already aboard the direct flight from Paldea to Alola.
Leaning against the window, he absentmindedly stared into the clear, cloudless night sky.
The cabin lights had been dimmed, leaving only the faint glow of the stars outside.
It was quiet. Most of the passengers were fast asleep—even Kukui, sitting next to him, was drooling in his sleep.
But for some reason, Kai couldn't fall asleep.
Was it because this was his first time flying in the Pokémon world?
Or was he just worried about a random Rayquaza suddenly appearing to shoot the plane down?
Or maybe…
Maybe it was simply because he wasn't used to traveling without his Pokémon by his side.
Either way, sleep wasn't coming anytime soon.
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