After some thought, Rex decided to first buy Combee eggs from a breeding center. If the number of eggs available was too few, he planned to venture deep into the forest to see if he could find a wild Combee colony.
Following an introduction from Ayano Maeno, Rex arrived at a breeding center located in the outskirts of Floaroma Town. This breeding center offered a wide range of services, raising various Pokémon species, with the Combee being one of its main attractions.
However, Ayano had already informed Rex that Combee eggs from this center were always in high demand. Not only did local beekeepers buy them, but many outsiders, like Rex, also came specifically to purchase Combee eggs for raising.
Rex wasn't sure how many Combee eggs he could buy this time, but he hoped it wouldn't be a wasted trip.
When Combee first hatch, they are in a larval state. In the wild, these larvae typically reside inside the Vespiquen, who feeds them with nectar collected by the Combee until they mature into full-fledged Combee.
"Hello, how can I assist you today?" a staff member at the breeding center greeted Rex as he entered.
"I'd like to buy some Combee eggs. Do you currently have any in stock?" Rex asked politely.
"Please wait a moment while I check our records," the staff member responded without giving an immediate answer.
After a short while, the staff member returned to Rex, having confirmed the available number of Combee eggs. "Thank you for waiting. We currently have 4 Combee eggs available for sale. Each egg is priced at 20,000 Alliance Coins, non-negotiable."
Hearing that there were still 4 Combee eggs available, Rex felt relieved. Although it wasn't many, at least the trip wasn't in vain.
"I'll take all of them," Rex said. "By the way, when do you expect to have more Combee eggs for sale? I'd like to purchase more if possible."
"For now, I'm afraid I can't give you an exact time for when the next batch of Combee eggs will be available," the staff member replied apologetically. It's not that he didn't want to do business, but rather, it was impossible to predict when the Combee would lay more eggs or how many they would produce.
Since there were only 4 Combee eggs available, Rex didn't push further. He paid the money, took the eggs, and left.
Rex knew that the breeding center might have some additional Combee eggs in storage, but as long as they weren't for sale, there was nothing he could do to force the issue.
"Rex, did you manage to buy any Combee eggs?" Ayano asked curiously when he returned to the Berry Store.
"I did, but only 4. It's not quite enough, so I'm planning to head into the forest to see if I can capture more Combee," Rex replied. He intended to try his luck in the forest. If he couldn't find a wild Combee colony, he'd head back to the Hoenn region.
"Alright, but be careful. The forest can be dangerous, and every year, many trainers who enter never make it out," Ayano cautioned him, seeing that Rex had made up his mind.
"I'll be careful. Thank you for your help, Ayano!" Rex said as he bid her farewell. He then walked to the entrance of Floaroma Town, where he mounted his Swellow and flew toward the forest.
Whether or not he would encounter a Combee colony remained to be seen. Even with the 4 Combee, as long as he could raise a Vespiquen, he could still expand the Combee population over time.
Of course, that would take a while, so Rex preferred to capture a wild Combee colony directly.
Since he needed to search for signs of Combee, Swellow flew at a slow pace, almost lazily gliding through the air without flapping its wings, relying on its control over air currents to maintain steady flight.
As they ventured deeper, Rex looked down at the vast expanse of trees and the Pokémon moving through the forest.
He spotted various Pokémon native to the Sinnoh region, but the Combee he sought remained elusive.
At one point, Rex even saw an Abra sleeping in the treetops. He was tempted to have Swellow capture it, but after some thought, he decided against it. Abra could instinctively use Teleport at the slightest disturbance, even in its sleep.
Rex didn't want to play hide-and-seek with an Abra in the dense forest. After all, his goal was to find Combee, and getting sidetracked could result in him leaving empty-handed.
After that brief distraction, Rex ignored even rare Pokémon sightings and continued his search until he spotted a towering mountain.
The mountain was majestic, towering into the clouds, lush with greenery, and covered in tall trees with intertwined roots forming a dense forest.
As Rex admired the breathtaking scenery, he noticed a gap in the mountainside, flanked by steep cliffs on both sides.
Intrigued by this anomaly, Rex urged Swellow to fly toward the gap. Upon reaching the entrance, Rex returned Swellow to its Poké Ball and proceeded on foot through the narrow rock passage.
After navigating the rocky path, Rex suddenly found himself in a wide-open space resembling a paradise.
It was a vast valley, with a stream running through it, bringing life to the area. Countless flowers bloomed in vibrant colors, and amidst them, Rex spotted the Combee he had been searching for.
With just a glance, Rex saw dozens of Combee flitting among the flowers.
Overjoyed by his discovery, Rex decided not to capture all the Combee but only a portion to meet the needs of his terraced garden.
Before Rex could act, the Combee noticed the intruder and began buzzing loudly, alerting their companions to the presence of a stranger.
Faced with the gathering Combee, Rex hesitated, unsure of what to do. These Combee weren't like the Murkrow he had encountered earlier; they hadn't provoked him. Instead, he was the one with the intention of capturing them, so he didn't want to act too harshly.
Since he needed these Combee to help gather honey and produce Sweet Honey, Rex decided it would be better to communicate with them rather than forcefully capture them. After all, capturing a group of Pokémon that resented him would only cause problems later on.
(End of Chapter)