"Thank you for the invitation, Miss Caitlin. I'll be there on time."
After confirming the exact date and location with Caitlin, Rex readily accepted her invitation.
He'd already spent quite a bit of time training at the All Star Fitness Club, and his goals in Unova had more or less been fulfilled. There wasn't much reason to continue his hand-to-hand training for now.
If Caitlin hadn't invited him, Rex was already planning to thank Master Layton and make his way back to Hoenn in a few days.
Aside from being the Psychic Elite Four of Unova, Caitlin was also the head of a unique facility: the Battle Castle.
The Battle Castle was one of Unova's signature institutions. Many elite trainers had joined its ranks, becoming official Castle Trainers.
It served as an excellent competitive platform, where trainers could earn Castle Points based on their performance in battles against resident trainers.
When enough points were accumulated, a trainer could challenge the Castle Monarch.
Battles at the Castle were divided into Singles and Doubles, with challengers free to choose their preferred format. They could then face off against trainers matched to their Castle Point tier.
Once he made up his mind, Rex found Master Layton to bid farewell. Rocky happened to be there as well, enjoying tea with Layton, which saved him the trouble of looking for him separately.
"I understand. But Rex, you have real talent as a martial artist. I hope you'll continue to walk this path in the future."
Layton took a sip of tea and didn't try to persuade Rex to stay. It was clear he'd seen this coming and only reminded Rex not to neglect his martial training.
Layton had already heard from Rocky about Rex's progress. He knew Rex had mastered Brick Break and that even Rocky could no longer push him much further.
They had always known Rex wouldn't dedicate himself fully to becoming a martial artist, and that his time at the club would be limited.
"Master Layton, Rocky, everyone—thank you, and goodbye!"
With his backpack slung over his shoulder, Rex waved goodbye to the others at the All Star Fitness Club and turned to leave.
His time there had been incredibly rewarding. It gave him a clearer sense of direction for his martial training and helped him overcome mental roadblocks.
The chance encounters with Articuno and Keldeo had been unexpected highlights of the journey.
Rex took one last look at the club's traditional wooden gate, then turned toward the road leading out of Snowpoint City.
Caitlin's Battle Castle was located on the outskirts of Nimbasa City. Rex planned to stay in Nimbasa for a few days before heading to the castle, since Caitlin had invited him to arrive in three days.
Unlike the high-paced, business-driven Mistralton City, Nimbasa City was known as a hub of entertainment, offering a much more relaxed atmosphere.
It boasted attractions like the Musical Theater, Gear Station, Battle Arena, Training Grounds, Challenge House, amusement parks, and a towering Ferris wheel.
In short, Nimbasa City was the heart of leisure in Unova. Even the Gym Leader there, Elesa, was a famous fashion model with a massive fanbase.
She was involved in tourism initiatives and regularly hosted performances in the city's Pokémon Musical Theater.
The distance between Snowpoint and Nimbasa wasn't far—about a three-hour flight on his boss-sized Swellow.
So Rex opted to skip the train and instead took to the skies atop his Swellow.
Along the way, he passed several other trainers also riding Flying-types. But Swellow's massive size startled many of them. Their Flying Pokémon instinctively veered off course to avoid him.
Rex could only pat Swellow's back helplessly.
Ever since becoming a Totem Pokémon, Swellow's size had continued to grow. While it wasn't an enormous leap, it now stood four to five times larger than a normal Swellow.
With its growing strength came an increasingly powerful aura. Combined with its sheer size, many Pokémon didn't even dare to face it in battle.
It was the same kind of intimidation regular Pokémon felt when facing mythical or legendary Pokémon—a pressure that stemmed from an entirely different life tier.
Lost in thought, Rex watched the landscapes pass beneath him—mountains, rivers, and endless forests—until a sleek, modern metropolis came into view: Nimbasa City.
Compared to Hoenn, Unova's development was far more advanced. Most people lived in high-rises, and even the countryside featured elaborate, castle-like buildings.
After arriving in Nimbasa City, Rex found a nice hotel and checked in.
It was an all-in-one resort, with everything from dining and entertainment to relaxation under one roof.
What impressed him most was the food—the buffet was exceptional, offering dishes he'd never tasted before.
And except for Gluttons like Snorlax that required special arrangements, the hotel even provided Pokémon-friendly energy blocks and meals.
Aside from his massive Swellow, which he left in its Poké Ball due to space limitations, the rest of his team had a great time enjoying the feast.
After a long soak in the hotel's onsen baths with his Pokémon, Rex felt all his accumulated fatigue from training melt away.
The next morning, he was up early, ready to explore the city.
He planned to visit Nimbasa City's iconic attractions—like the amusement park and the Musical Theater—but the highlight of his agenda was the Nimbasa Gym.
Its Gym Leader, Elesa, known as the "Shining Beauty," was a celebrity model and fashion icon.
Rex had already found out there was a major runway show scheduled that afternoon at the gym, featuring Elesa herself.
These shows weren't held often—usually just a few times per year—so it was pure luck that Rex had arrived at the right time.
Heading to a Pokémon Gym not to battle, but to watch a fashion show… even Rex found that a bit amusing.
With a sense of anticipation for all things beautiful, he set off on his Nimbasa City adventure.
As he strolled the streets filled with artistic flair, he noticed people wearing all sorts of strange, flamboyant outfits.
He looked down at his own simple clothes and couldn't help feeling a bit out of place.
That was the power of the crowd. While Rex found their clothes bizarre, he was now the odd one out.
Many passersby cast him curious glances, clearly thinking he was the one dressed strangely.
(End of Chapter)