Pokemon: I'm a Farmer

"Rex, I heard from Professor Birch that you obtained a Salamencite at Meteor Falls. Would you mind letting me take a look?"

With the official matter resolved, Steven couldn't help but ask, his curiosity finally overtaking his restraint.

Now that he understood the truth behind last night's energy surge, Steven had fulfilled his mission from the League. What came next was up to the higher-ups. For him, the most important thing was getting a look at the Salamencite.

For a stone fanatic like Steven, nothing beat the joy of laying eyes on a stone he hadn't seen before.

"Of course, no problem. Just a moment."

After a brief pause, Rex returned to his quarters, retrieved the Salamencite, and handed it to Steven. He trusted that, with Steven's status—not to mention Cynthia being present—there was no risk of theft or foul play.

Steven took the gem reverently, eyes gleaming as he examined it from every angle. Though he already possessed a Metagrossite, his obsession with rare stones drove him to collect as many Mega Stones as he could.

Thanks to his status as heir to a vast fortune, Steven already had several Mega Stones in his collection. What others saw as priceless rarities, he could obtain with relative ease.

Unlike Steven, whose eyes sparkled at the stone, Cynthia's attention was fixed entirely on Celebi and Victini. She frequently interacted with the two, and curiously, they didn't shy away.

In fact, something about Cynthia's aura seemed to draw them in. Both Mythicals hovered around her, inspecting her closely with bright, curious eyes.

Even Chimchar and Bagon had wandered to her side, basking in her gentle petting—much to Rex's envy.

Rex sighed inwardly. If not for his gift of life energy, which helped him heal and empower Pokémon, he likely wouldn't even be worth a second glance from someone like Cynthia. In truth, without that ability, he'd be just another nameless trainer among thousands.

"Miss Cynthia," Rex asked, "as I understand it, you're the Champion of Sinnoh. What brings you to Hoenn?"

Cynthia, still stroking Celebi's leafy head, looked up. "A while ago, a newly discovered ancient ruin was unearthed here in Hoenn. I've always had an interest in mythology, so I came to conduct a little field research. It was a rewarding trip."

"I see. There really are so many mysteries hidden in ancient civilizations. It takes someone like you to uncover their secrets and bring them to light."

Rex genuinely admired Cynthia's passion for archaeology—much more than Steven's obsession with stones. Especially since Steven had even given up his League Champion title just to have more time to dig. That kind of life… made people jealous.

"Achoo!"

Steven suddenly sneezed mid-examination, but didn't look up—still completely absorbed in memorizing the intricate patterns of the Salamencite.

"I'm hardly noble," Cynthia said with a small smile. "I just follow my heart. That's all."

"Rex, here's your Salamencite. Thank you again for your hospitality."

Finally satisfied, Steven returned the stone with sincere gratitude.

"You're too kind, Mr. Stone… I mean, Mr. Steven."

Rex accepted the Salamencite and replied politely.

"Well, I won't keep you any longer," Steven said. "I'll report all this to the League and ensure they respect your privacy. I doubt they'll bother you again."

Now that his business was concluded, Steven didn't plan to linger. He turned to Cynthia.

"Miss Cynthia, what are your plans from here?"

"I think I'll stay at Rex's farm for a few days—if he doesn't mind?" Cynthia asked, turning to Rex.

"Of course not! You're more than welcome."

Rex knew exactly why Cynthia wanted to stay—it was because of Celebi and Victini. But now that they had been revealed, he had no reason to hide them from her.

Besides, they weren't even technically his Pokémon. Celebi was just here for a break, and Victini was simply curious about this time period. Neither were likely to stay long-term.

What Rex hoped was to strengthen his bond with them while they were here—so that in the future, they'd see Rex Farm as a special place worth returning to.

Much like Celebi, who after many journeys through time, still chose to return here.

The only one Rex might truly keep around was Shaymin, the shut-in. After their time together, Rex believed that even without catching it, Shaymin might choose to stay, treating Rex Farm as its true home.

Cynthia was then naturally invited to stay in the same cottage as Yuri and the others. They were thrilled—especially Yui, whose hometown was in Sinnoh. She had idolized Cynthia ever since becoming a trainer.

Yui planned to make the most of this opportunity—to ask for training advice, maybe even get feedback on how she was raising her Swellow.

Yuri and Karen were more reserved, simply awed by Cynthia's presence. But admiration quickly followed.

Of course, now that Cynthia was staying, hiding Shaymin became impractical. So, during dinner, Rex had Shaymin reveal itself.

As expected, Cynthia was delighted—her decision to stay felt entirely validated. After all, how often does one meet not two, but three Mythical Pokémon in a single day?

(End of Chapter)