As it was already close to dinnertime, Rex took out some food that Yuli and the others had prepared for him, placing it on the table. He planned to take care of his dinner before boarding the plane.
As for his Pokémon, Rex had already fed them Pokéblocks before setting out for Slateport City. Moreover, when Pokémon are resting inside their Poké Balls, their energy consumption drops to a minimum. Based on Rex's calculations, feeding them again when they arrived in Sinnoh would be sufficient.
He picked up a golden, crispy biscuit and began eating it heartily. These biscuits were made by Yuli, who enjoyed adding bits of fruit to the dough before baking. Rex loved the flavor of these biscuits.
"Hello, may I sit here?"
Just as Rex was enjoying his biscuits and gazing at the scenery through the window, a soft female voice reached his ears.
He turned his head to find a girl about 12 or 13 years old, dressed in a light green dress, holding a Buneary in her arms.
Buneary resembled a rabbit, with a brown body and cream-colored feet and tufts of fur. One of its ears was folded over. Its fur was mainly concentrated on the tips of its ears and the lower half of its body, and it usually stood on its hind legs.
"Please, have a seat. I'm here alone too," Rex gestured with a welcoming hand, indicating that he didn't mind the girl sitting across from him.
Once the girl took her seat, Rex didn't say much and continued eating his food, thinking she was just looking for a place to rest. However, as he continued eating, he noticed that the girl and her Buneary were both staring intently at the food in his hands.
Being watched by both the girl and the Pokémon, Rex found the food in his hand suddenly less appetizing. Judging by her appearance, he didn't think the girl in the dress would be unable to afford a meal.
"Would you like some?" Rex offered.
"Can I?" The girl in the dress asked hesitantly, swallowing as she looked at him.
"Of course, and you too, Buneary!" Rex said as he handed a biscuit to Buneary, who happily accepted it and began nibbling.
With her Pokémon already enjoying the food, the girl in the dress no longer hesitated and started eating the food on the table in small bites.
Rex found the way the girl ate, resembling a hamster, quite amusing but said nothing, instead continuing to eat.
Soon, the food on the table was completely devoured by the trio, and both the girl and her Buneary let out a satisfied breath, patting their bellies with a contented look.
"My name is Rex. What's yours?" Rex asked, finding the girl and her Pokémon's interaction quite interesting.
"Hello, my name is Lenka, and this is my partner, Buneary," the girl introduced herself softly.
"Your Buneary must be from the Sinnoh region. Are you traveling here in Hoenn?" Rex inquired curiously.
Faced with her benefactor, Lenka didn't hide anything and began sharing her recent experiences with him.
It turned out that Lenka's hometown was Sunyshore City in the Sinnoh region, which was also the destination of Rex's flight. She had only obtained her first Pokémon, Buneary, a few months ago and had become a rookie trainer. After hearing that Slateport City was a great place for vacations, she bought a ticket and had a great time during her first few days there—until she realized that her wallet was in dire straits.
Yes, Lenka had spent so freely that she barely had enough left for her return ticket to Sunyshore City. Over the last few days, she had to live frugally, and by the day before, she had exhausted her remaining funds. That's why she and Buneary hadn't eaten anything today.
Rex listened to her story and couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Seeing Rex laughing so hard, Lenka's face turned bright red. She knew her situation was quite funny.
"Hey, that's enough!" Lenka finally snapped, a bit flustered.
"Sorry, sorry. I usually have a high threshold for humor, but I couldn't help it this time," Rex said apologetically after regaining his composure.
"It's fine, I forgive you. Even I find it pretty embarrassing," Lenka said with a touch of frustration.
After their playful exchange, Rex and Lenka became more familiar with each other. They both awaited their flight to Sinnoh.
Time passed quickly as they chatted, and soon, the plane was ready for boarding. The two of them quickly grabbed their bags and lined up to board.
"I'm going to take a nap; I don't know how else to pass the time," Lenka said as she took out an eye mask from her backpack and put it on.
Their seats weren't initially next to each other, but Lenka had swapped with someone so they could sit together. The flight to Sinnoh would take about 14 hours, so they both settled in for the long journey. With the night already upon them, Rex soon drifted off to sleep.
Despite the noise in the cabin, which made for a restless night, the hours flew by in a half-asleep daze. By the time Rex got off the plane the next morning, he stretched and breathed in the cool air of Sunyshore City.
Autumn had just begun, and while the temperatures were still hot in Hoenn, Sunyshore City was already feeling a bit chilly. Sinnoh's climate was indeed colder than Hoenn's.
Fortunately, Rex had prepared for this and had already changed into long sleeves. The cooler weather wasn't going to bother him.
(End of Chapter)