Chapter 71 - 30 - Back to our Homeland

4 days after the reunion of Catharine to her family, Lucas had a business meeting back at his headquarters tomorrow in Kawayan City, Philas Region. Also, he decided to bring his son with him so he could see his hometown again. For Rosario and Jonathan's cases, however, they would rather be at home readjusting with their new lives. Hours after this announcement, Rico shared this news to his friends, especially Ash.

"Wow, visiting your home region?" Iris commented in asking. Pikachu then responded in asking.

"Yup," Rico happily retorted.

"That'll be nice," Serena responded brightly. "I hoped you still remembered it. Right?"

"Yes, I still remembered it," Rico brightly replied, "Full."

"Well, good luck on your trip to your home region then," Ash replied while crossing his arms and closing his eyes in liking it.

The next day, in the early morning at Kanto airport, the father and son are now waiting at the wide waiting room, along with their Pokémon in their Poké Balls, except Piplup is out of its Poké Ball. And as the background people are doing their roles and jobs, Rico, having finished reading a manga, stood up and decided to buy a quick breakfast meal, while carrying Piplup in his right arm.

At a bakery not too far from their gate, he bought two cheese-filled croissants and a cup of hot chocolate for 250 Pokedollars. Once paid for it, he took it out and back to their waiting room.

In no time, back at the waiting room, while Lucas was checking stuff online, Rico and Piplup are eating their breakfast whilst looking at one of the airport's timetables changing schedules.

"I hoped everything changed or not," he thought while drinking his cup of hot chocolate, "I won't see it unless I arrived there."

At last, by 7:10 a.m., it's boarding time. Everyone are now exiting the airport and to the tarmac on foot and to the ȧssigned airplane. Others are carrying their small Pokémon.

Inside their airplane, the two and their Pokémon are finding their ȧssigned seats. Moments later, they found their seats: 12A and 12D. They then settled down on those said seats and put their bags inside overhead compartments. Sitting down, they buckled their seat belts in and reclined in mild exhaustion.

2 hours later, in the air towards Philas, the plane, a twin-engine, single-aisle one was now flying above the western island of the Philas Region. And when glancing it on their seat window, Rico and Piplup are amazed by the island's greeny forestry, small packs of civilizations(That means towns and villages), and sandy beaches. This was the Lapa Tanaka Island, the place where the 6th and 7th gyms are located, and also the place where the best mangoes are grown, sold, and exported.

In less than an hour, the plane arrived at Kawayan International Airport at around 10:10 a.m. And when the plane door is open, almost everyone on board exited the aircraft along with their belongings and Pokémon, carrying and pulling. By 10:40 a.m., after clearing for immigration and customs and picking their luggage, the pair and their Pokémon exited the airport and took a city bus to the bustling city. And as the bus was drinking onto a freeway above a major intersection, Rico and Piplup are again glancing towards the window, seeing his hometown again with minor developments, in terms of economy and population.

By 11:08 a.m., after some minor traffic, they had arrived at their home neighborhood, carrying their belongings. And while they were walking down the street, neighbors and friends of theirs greeted them with friendliness. Some rush to hug them in missing them. It was more of a reunion than a visit.

After some time, after leaving their stuff at their vacation house, they went to one of their close neighbor's houses to eat lunch with celebration and fun. Their host, however, also owns a karaoke bar. There they had a local lunch feast with chatting and nostalgic hints and facts. Others, who had just ate, sang random songs at the bar's karaoke machines. There were clapping, singing, and cheer ups. And among the commotion, Rico was singing his favorite song "My Love" with excitement and happiness as his Pokémon cheer up for him. In the end, his score was 99, almost to perfection. But nevertheless, almost everyone applause his performance, with whistles. Luckily, no bad habits nor behaviors happened there.

After lunch, by 1:33 p.m., Lucas and Rico parted ways at an intersection not too far from their home because Lucas had a meeting to attend and Rico had tasks in his vacation list. They both say goodbye to each other as their distance between them goes longer, promising to be at home before dinner.

And while walking down the street, Rico was thinking about someone or something: He haven't talk to Professor Campillo for a while. Upon realizing that, Rico turned right at an intersection towards Campillo's lab. Prior to his vacation, Rico had brought his shoulder bag, stuffed in his backpack folded.

Upon arriving there, Campillo was busy researching a Legendary Pokémon when Rico, also his distant ȧssistant, arrived.

"Hi, there," Campillo greeted him in positivity upon noticing him coming at the entrance, "It's been a while since you left.". He then interrupted his work, stand up, and walked towards his ȧssistant.

"I'm fine, professor," Rico brightly replied while looking with positivity and confidence, "How's your work going on?" Going to his files, Campillo replied, "Well, it's fine. How's your Pokédex going on as well?"

"It's good," Rico answered while sitting down on a wooden chair and wiping his sweat with his towel, "You won't believe what happened to my Riolu." Coming to him with a glass of water, Campillo responded, "What happened to your Riolu?"

"It's now a Lucario," Rico happily answered with high self-esteem. This causes the professor to be shocked and amazed in the same time, and even causing him to almost drop his glass of water. Rico luckily catch the glass from falling and drink it with thirst.

"Woah, that was awesome," Campillo commented in amazement, "But how? It only evolves when it is in high happiness and at daytime."

"Your theory is right," Rico brightly replied with evaluation, "It just evolved because of my love and happiness-giving things I done for it;" he then get one of his Poké Balls from his Pokébelt and called Lucario out, and it stepped into the scene seriously.

"Wow, a Lucario!" Campillo commented in amazement while readjusting his glasses, "It's so cool and strong. Does that had any new moves?"

"Force Palm and Bullet Punch," Rico answered him mildly. Calming down, Campillo responded calmly, "Oh, I see. Well, that was good. You're making great progress steadily. Good job."

"Thanks," Rico happily responded. And, suddenly, Rico's friend, Santiago, came, only to see Rico's Lucario in the room, and was amazed by it, causing him to drop his book.

"Woah, is that your Lucario?" he asked in amazement. Upon hearing him, Rico and Campillo turned around and saw Santiago standing in the doorway in amazement.

"Hi, Santiago!" Rico happily greeted him with the waving of the hand, "It's been a while." Picking his book up, Santiago greeted him back. He then come in and leaned against the wall.

"How are you?" he asked him.

"I'm good," Rico answered in positivity, "How about you?"

"Great as well," Santiago replied with goodness, "So, want a battle?" Clenching his fist in determination and coolness, Rico responded, "Okay!"

At the plaza not too far from Campillo's lab, Rico and Santiago are having a Pokémon battle, and their Pokémon are Lucario and Ivysaur.

"So, your Bulbasaur just evolved into Ivysaur?" Rico commented on Santiago's Pokémon in positivity, "Right?"

"Yeah," Santiago replied in style, "It's now an Ivysaur." Ivysaur then responded seriously. Rico then pulled out his Pokédex and pointed it towards Ivysaur; his Pokédex then responded, "Ivysaur, the Seed Pokémon, and the evolved form of Bulbasaur. A Grass and Poison-type. The bulb on its back grows by drawing energy. It gives off an aroma when it is ready to bloom."

"Though scary, but cool by the way," Rico commented in positivity. He then put down the Poker in his bag and turned his head on battling Santiago in serious coolness. Campillo, who was watching them from a wooden bench, thought, "This is gonna be good."

And as the sun leaves the center of the day, the battle begin.

"Ivysaur, use Solar Beam!" Santiago commanded Ivysaur in coolness. Ivysaur then used Solar Beam, absorbing sunlight and then fire it as a beam towards Lucario.

"Lucario, use Focus Blast!" Rico quickly commanded Lucario seriously. Lucario then used Focus Blast, heightening its mental focus and unleashes its power, intercepting the Solar Beam, causing a bang. And then, the Focus Blast got cut through by the Focus Blast and struck Ivysaur with power. In pain, Ivysaur collapsed to the ground, prompting Santiago to tell it not to give up.

"Powerful. Isn't it?" Rico commented in style.

"Oh, yeah," Santiago retorted in style coolness as he stand up from convincing Ivysaur, "How about this! Ivysaur, use Seed Bomb!" Getting up, Ivysaur stood fiercely and used Seed Bomb, slamming a barrage of hard-shelled seeds down on Lucario, striking it with great power. Lucario then collapsed to the ground in pain.

"Oh, no, Lucario, don't give up!" Rico responded to it in a mix of stunning and concern.

"Uh oh, he's going to lose," Campillo commented in disbelief. His Emolga on his shoulder then responded in worry. A minute had passed, and Lucario seems to not giving up, standing up still in pain and looking at its foe in fierce. It then used Force Palm, running up to Ivysaur and put its palm on it. It then fires a huge light green blast from its paw at it, striking it effectively. Lucario then went back to its original position in action. But unfortunately, Ivysaur's Poison Point had poisoned Lucario severely, causing it to be weakened to the ground.

"Oh, no, Lucario, you're poisoned!" Rico commented in surprise-stunning. In alert by this, Campillo shouted out, "Be careful! An Ivysaur's ability can be Poison Point. It can poison your Pokémon when come into contact to it." Paying attention to him, Rico turned his head towards the battle, and thought, "If Lucario got fainted from poison, I'm toasted." And as Lucario suffers from poison, Santiago immediately commanded Ivysaur seriously, "Quickly, Ivysaur, again, use Seed Bomb!" Getting up, Ivysaur used Seed Bomb slamming a barrage of hard-shelled seeds down to Lucario, striking it with so much power Lucario fainted in exhaustion and defeat. Campillo and Emolga are stunned by this defeat and victory, while Rico, accepting defeat without any hesitation, sighed softly; Rico then called his Lucario back to its Poké Ball and said softly and calmly with a little positivity, "You did great, Lucario. You deserved some rest." He then put it in his Pokébelt and said to Santiago fairly, "That was a fair match with you. I really liked it."

"Well," Santiago retorted while crossing his arms and closing his eyes with positivity, "it was fun battle. I think you have stuff to learn." His Ivysaur then responded with seriousness.

Later, after healing his Pokémon up, Rico went to his school just to pick up his monthly homework and exams. Half an hour later, he decided to go back home, exhausted.

By afternoon, 5:16 p.m., Rico went to his favorite beach to train up with his Pokémon. The training routine is similar to the previous ones. In that training, Lucario was improving his Force Palm, Litleo was practicing its Flamethrower, and Piplup was practicing its powerful Hydro Pump.

By 7:44 p.m., Lucas came home with some packed food for dinner. And while they were eating, they called their loved ones back at Kanto via face call on Lucas' ŀȧptop.

"So, how's your time there?" Rosario asked them.

"Great, sweetheart," Lucas brightly answered.

"The day is so fun," Rico brightly added.

"I hoped you're having a great time there," Jonathan responded with positivity.

"Thanks," Rico happily replied.

Later, at 9:11 p.m., after washing the dishes and brushing his teeth, Rico was at his room, calling his friends on phone, telling them about his day.

"That was awesome," Ash commented in positivity. His Pikachu then responded with happiness.

"Yeah, and I had fun time with my friends," Rico happily replied. Lucario then responded with happiness while lying down on the carpet.

"That's great," Ash responded, "I hoped you'll be safe there. Good night."

"Thanks you, good night," Rico brightly replied. They then ended their conversation and Rico turned off his portable charger-lamp and go to sleep peacefully.