"So, Rex, what are your plans now?"
Cynthia asked with curiosity.
"I've basically accomplished what I came to Unova for. If nothing unexpected comes up, I should be heading back to Hoenn pretty soon."
Rex had already thought through his itinerary.
After all, his journey in Unova hadn't been short—it was about time to return to Rex Ranch.
"I see. I was thinking of inviting you to vacation with us… What a shame."
Cynthia said with a hint of regret.
"Actually, I wouldn't mind delaying my return—"
Rex almost blurted out, but seeing the amused smirks on Cynthia and Diantha's faces, he swallowed the rest of his words.
Clearly, Cynthia had only been joking. It made sense—Cynthia and Diantha were both incredibly busy, and with their rare time off, the last thing they'd want was a third wheel tagging along.
Rex was quietly thankful for his self-restraint. At least he hadn't embarrassed himself.
Suddenly—pop!
Blaziken burst out of its Poké Ball.
"What's wrong, Blaziken?"
This almost never happened, so Rex was visibly puzzled and quickly asked.
Blaziken scratched its head, and then a shimmering, multicolored feather rose from its body.
The feather floated mid-air, its quill turning toward a specific direction and trembling slightly.
"You want me to go that way?"
Rex asked, watching the feather's subtle motions.
As if sensing his words, the feather trembled violently, clearly responding to him.
"Rex, mind explaining what's going on?"
Cynthia asked, now intrigued.
The others nearby also looked toward him, clearly curious about the feather's unusual behavior.
"That feather contains Keldeo's essence. I'm not exactly sure why it's reacting this way today."
Rex replied honestly, not trying to keep anything to himself.
"Keldeo? The legendary Pokémon? That's an incredibly rare one!"
As a native Unovan Trainer, Caitlin was very familiar with Keldeo—or at least the ancient texts and legends that mentioned it.
Rex then explained his encounter with Keldeo and everything that had led to him acquiring the feather.
"So you had an adventure like that before even arriving here, huh?"
Cynthia said with admiration.
As a scholar of mythology, she had long been fascinated by ancient ruins and legendary Pokémon. She often traveled to distant regions to study such legends. It was no wonder she had a special regard for Rex—someone who had clearly been graced by fate with multiple encounters with mythical beings.
"Miss Caitlin, I'm sorry, but I'll have to excuse myself."
Rex said, not knowing what trouble Keldeo might be facing, but trusting the feather's guidance.
"Go ahead,"
Caitlin said with a wave of her hand, clearly understanding.
"Wait—Rex, would you let me come too? I'd really love to meet Keldeo."
After a moment of hesitation, Cynthia couldn't hide her curiosity and made the request with hopeful eyes.
"Of course. I don't even know what's going on with Keldeo yet. If something's wrong, having you there will definitely help."
Rex agreed without much thought.
Given that neither Diancie nor Shaymin were with him, he wasn't entirely sure he had the strength to intervene in a legendary Pokémon's affairs alone. With Cynthia by his side, he felt far more confident—she could almost certainly hold her own against a legendary Pokémon.
"In that case, count me in too. Opportunities like this don't come along every day."
Diantha stretched lazily, her tone playful but eyes full of interest.
Naturally, Rex had no objections.
A few minutes later, he was airborne on the back of his Totem Swellow, following the direction the feather pointed.
Behind him, Cynthia and Diantha shared a ride atop Garchomp, soaring closely behind.
The night was crisp and beautiful—stars filled the sky, and under the silvery moonlight, everything felt surreal.
The multicolored feather glowed brilliantly against the darkness, attracting a few fluttering moth Pokémon—but they were far too slow to keep up.
After flying for over an hour, the feather finally led Rex's group to a mountain range.
Before Rex could even begin searching, a small, pony-like figure galloped toward him—lightly stepping across the air as if it were solid ground.
"Rex! You finally made it. I'm sorry for calling you so urgently, but my mentors need your healing!"
Keldeo said anxiously, not even stopping for pleasantries.
"Then hurry—lead the way!"
Rex replied immediately, understanding the urgency.
Luckily, ever since reaching the Martial Artist tier, his internal wellspring had begun generating life energy at a much faster rate. Even after healing Totem Swellow earlier, he still had plenty left.
Keldeo gave a quick glance at Cynthia and Diantha behind Rex but didn't seem concerned—clearly the situation took priority. Without asking questions, it turned and sprinted back the way it came.
"Let's follow it."
Rex said to the two women behind him and urged Totem Swellow to move.
Upon seeing Keldeo in the flesh, Cynthia's eyes lit up—she was clearly excited—but understanding the gravity of the moment, she said nothing and simply kept pace.
When they landed, they found themselves in a deep mountain valley. Though it was nighttime, Rex could faintly make out many rare fruit trees, their branches heavy with glowing berries.
That alone was unusual. Such nutrient-rich berries rarely remained untouched—wild Pokémon usually devoured them quickly once ripe.
But Rex quickly realized: this valley was probably a sanctuary for Keldeo. Wild Pokémon had sharper instincts than humans. If they sensed something powerful and dangerous lived here, they'd think twice before invading, even for food.
(End of Chapter)