"Rex, is this Machoke the same Machop that you took from the research lab and evolved? It's truly remarkable that you managed to regrow its severed arm," Professor Birch observed Machoke for a while before uncertainly asking.
"Yes, some time ago, Machoke was fortunate enough to receive treatment from a mysterious Pokémon, which allowed its right arm to regrow. This is why I brought it here, Professor Birch, to have you check its condition," Rex explained calmly.
Professor Birch was curious about Rex's explanation. After all, the power to regenerate a Pokémon's severed limb usually belongs to legendary Pokémon, whose whereabouts are often shrouded in mystery.
Seeing that Rex didn't intend to divulge more details about the mysterious Pokémon, Professor Birch didn't press further and began examining Machoke, especially its newly regrown right hand.
After using numerous advanced but somewhat mysterious instruments, Professor Birch finally understood Machoke's current physical condition.
"In general, Machoke is very healthy. The only issue is that the muscle in its right arm is still much weaker compared to its left arm. This could cause coordination problems during battles, which opponents might exploit. However, with consistent training focused on the right arm, this imbalance should be resolved soon," Professor Birch concluded, providing a satisfactory report to Rex.
With Professor Birch's examination results, Rex felt relieved. The imbalance in Machoke's arms could be fixed with time and training.
Next, Professor Birch examined Combusken. Compared to Machoke's examination, Combusken's check-up was quicker. Professor Birch found that Combusken was in excellent physical condition, with abundant fire-type energy. Its head feathers could still store excess fire-type energy, making Combusken more energetic than usual.
Given Combusken's strong foundation, Professor Birch was confident that with Rex's proper training, Combusken could become a very powerful Pokémon.
With both Pokémon in good health, Rex felt reassured. His trip's purpose was achieved. Since it was still early, Rex decided to help Professor Birch with some research work as a token of gratitude for his assistance.
"Oh, Rex, you're planning to head to the Sinnoh region? That's perfect! I have a package that needs to be delivered to Professor Rowan in Sandgem Town. Could you take it for me?" Professor Birch's eyes lit up upon hearing about Rex's plans to visit Sinnoh, and he asked Rex to deliver the package to Professor Rowan.
"Of course, I will make sure to deliver it to Professor Rowan on time!" Rex agreed without hesitation, though he was curious about the package's contents.
Since arriving in this world, Rex knew that Pokémon Professors held most of the technical and knowledge resources. Thus, befriending another Professor could be beneficial, especially since this was a favor for Professor Birch. Delivering a package was a small task in comparison.
After assisting Professor Birch for a day, Rex prepared to leave. Professor Birch handed him a package that was noticeably heavy, about ten kilograms. Rex stored it in his backpack without much thought.
Bidding farewell to Professor Birch, Rex rode his Swellow back to his farm. Though curious about the package's contents, he chose not to peek, understanding that doing so without Professor Birch's permission would breach trust.
Returning to his farm, Rex didn't mention the package to Yuli and the others, only informing them of his trip to Sinnoh to capture Combee. Knowing the benefits of having Combee for honey production, Yuli and the others had no objections.
There are two main ways to travel from Hoenn to Sinnoh: taking a long-distance cruise from Slateport City, which offers scenic views but takes about a week, or flying via a large aircraft from Slateport City Airport, which takes 14 hours. Considering the time, Rex decided to fly.
For his trip, Rex planned to bring Swellow, Combusken, Lileep, Sandslash, Lapras, and Haunter. These Pokémon were not chosen for the recent Ever Grande Conference, so this trip was a chance for them to experience a different region. Meanwhile, his other Pokémon would stay and train at the farm.
After organizing farm affairs, Rex didn't delay and headed to Slateport City, familiar from his past visits. He quickly bought a ticket for the next flight to Sinnoh and settled in the airport lounge, waiting to board.
With over an hour until his flight, Rex decided to stay in the lounge, finding a table to sit at and relax.
(End of chapter)