"Celebi, I'm heading to the next place. Do you want to come with me, or stay here and play with the Hoppip?" Rex asked Celebi after checking the growth of the Revival Herb and the Energy Root.
Celebi pondered Rex's question, weighing which choice would be more fun. It was rare for it to visit the human world, so it wanted to make the most of its time.
Watching Celebi's indecision, Rex found the scene amusing but didn't rush Celebi, curious to see what it would choose.
In the end, Celebi decided to stay with Rex for now, thinking it could always play with the Hoppip later.
Rex then visited the Mareep and Miltank groups. Due to the recent unsafe conditions, they had stayed in their shelters, feeling a bit cooped up. When they learned they could go outside again, they jumped for joy. Being confined for several days had been tough for them, so they were thrilled to be free.
After comforting the Mareep and Miltank, Rex headed to the terraced garden. Weeds had grown in many terraces due to the lack of management, but fortunately, the Hoppip hadn't used Grassy Terrain recently, so the situation was still manageable.
Some plots had been invaded by wild Pokémon, with some Gracidea flower seedlings eaten. However, this was not a major issue; they could be replanted when other Gracidea flowers matured.
Celebi, curious about the garden, looked to Rex for an explanation. Rex shared his plans for the terraced garden with Celebi.
Hearing Rex's explanation, Celebi's eyes lit up, eager to see the flowers in full bloom. It flew over the garden and emitted a light green wave, causing the Gracidea flower seedlings to grow rapidly.
Soon, the seedlings were budding, then blooming into full Gracidea flowers. The entire garden burst into a fragrant, intoxicating bloom, leaving Rex in awe.
Celebi laughed at Rex's dumbfounded expression, somersaulting in the air before landing on his head. Rex snapped out of his trance, smiling at the beautiful garden. He imagined Yuli's astonished and ecstatic reaction and decided to capture the moment on his phone.
Rex marveled at Celebi's power, which had accelerated the growth process that would have taken months. With so many Gracidea flowers, he no longer needed to plant them deliberately; they would continue to thrive naturally.
Next, Rex took Celebi to the artificial lake. The area was calm because Politoed and its group were still guarding Jade Moon Lake, waiting for the wild Pokémon to leave the western side before returning.
In the grove where rare Berries were planted, Rex saw a Poliwhirl and several Poliwag guarding the Berry seedlings, likely left by Politoed to care for them.
"Thank you for your hard work these past few days," Rex said, thanking the Poliwhirl and Poliwag. They seemed surprised by Rex's gratitude, unsure how to react.
Rex handed them some Pokéblocks as a reward, then asked Celebi if it could use its power to help the Berry seedlings grow. These rare Berries would take one or two years to bear fruit naturally, but with Celebi's help, the process could be greatly shortened.
Celebi didn't hesitate, flying above the seedlings and using the same power it had used in the terraced garden. The seedlings grew rapidly, sprouting new leaves and branches.
The rare Berry trees stopped growing after reaching about human height and didn't show signs of flowering. Rex estimated that Celebi's power had accelerated their growth by about a year. He believed they would flower and bear fruit in less than a year.
Rex realized that Celebi's power involved a mix of Grass-type and life energy, along with a touch of temporal manipulation, allowing plants to grow rapidly. However, this ability had limits; while Celebi could mature Gracidea flowers quickly, the rare Berries required more time, even with Celebi's power.
Satisfied with the accelerated growth, Rex felt he had gained a lot and didn't need to be greedy.
The final stop was the orchard, the main target of the wild Pokémon invasion. The orchard showed signs of battle, with some branches broken, but the damage was not severe and would heal with time.
"Do you want to eat?" Rex asked Celebi, picking a few Berries and offering them. Celebi happily accepted an Apple, and Rex took a big bite of another Berry. They enjoyed their snack as they walked deeper into the orchard.
During their walk, the Polteageist noticed them and greeted them warmly, to which Rex responded with a smile.
At the Swellow group's territory, Rex found only a few Swellow and Taillow, likely because most were still confronting the wild Pokémon at Jade Moon Lake.
(Chapter End)