Early the next morning, Xinhai woke just as dawn began to break.
Sunlight had yet to enter the room; only a faint pale glow filtered through the gap in the curtains.
He got out of bed quietly and went into the bathroom to wash up.
Afterward, he put on his fitted combat underclothes, slipped on a lightweight casual jacket, and began preparing breakfast for his partners.
The aroma of Pokémon food soon filled the room.
One by one, his partners emerged from their rooms and gathered around in the living room, waiting for their portions.
Xinhai divided up the food, and as he watched them wolf it down, the corners of his mouth rose unconsciously.
After the hearty breakfast, Xinhai cleaned up the dishes, then walked to the center of the living room, his gaze sweeping over every Pokémon.
"Today, we're setting off." His voice was not loud, yet it rang clearly through the quiet room. "From Mossdeep City to Sootopolis City, we'll swim across the sea the entire way. It's over thirteen hundred nautical miles in total, and we should arrive in around half a month."
He paused, his gaze settling on Milotic's Poké Ball.
"Milotic will be our main force this time, and Quagsire will assist us. The rest of you can tell me anytime if you want to come out and stretch your legs."
"We may encounter wild Pokémon along the way, and we may run into bad weather. No matter what happens, we'll face it together."
"Are you ready?"
"Cha-mo!" A spark of battle intent flashed through Blaziken's blue eyes as it nodded vigorously.
"Garde." Gardevoir's red eyes were gentle yet resolute, a faint smile on her lips.
"Eevee!" Eevee sat on Xinhai's shoulder, anticipation filling its large brown eyes as its fluffy tail wagged happily