Returning Home

"After receiving my rewards, may I know when I can return to Hoenn?" Yuga inquired, addressing Mr. Reggie and Mr. Charles.

"You can return anytime you wish. We have arranged a plane specifically for your journey back to Hoenn," replied Mr. Charles.

Yuga was pleasantly surprised by the Unova League's thoughtful consideration. "I'd like to return as soon as possible; I'm sure there are many matters that need my attention back home."

Mr. Charles responded, "Shall we arrange for your departure flight tomorrow?"

Yuga nodded appreciatively. "Thank you very much."

Mr. Charles shook his head. "It's the least we can do. We've heard that your assessment mission was quite challenging, and it was due to our oversight. This is also our way of compensating you."

After Mr. Charles and Mr. Reggie left, Yuga made a call to his aunt and uncle, informing them of his return schedule.

His aunt was overjoyed upon receiving Yuga's call. She had learned from the television about Yuga's Championship victory and his impending career as a Gym Leader. She felt immense pride for her nephew.

In her eyes, Gym Leaders were esteemed individuals, and she never imagined that her own nephew would one day become one of them.

The next day, Yuga boarded a small private plane arranged by the Unova League. To his surprise, Sora was also on the same flight.

This plane had been specially arranged to transport both Yuga and Sora, as their route back to Hoenn passed through the Johto region.

As for Christine, she was reportedly still recuperating at a hospital in Castelia. While she had regained consciousness and her physical condition was improving, long-distance travel wasn't advisable for her at the moment. She would have to wait a little longer before returning to Sinnoh region.

Since it was a private plane, Yuga quickly arrived back in Hoenn. When the plane landed at the Verdanturf Town Airport, Yuga gazed out of the window and felt a surge of emotions.

Initially, he had thought he would only be away for a few days to participate in competition at Unova region. However, he ended up spending nearly half a month and went through quite a lot of experiences. Fortunately, the outcomes had all been positive.

As soon as he disembarked from the plane, Yuga saw his aunt and uncle waiting for him outside, along with everyone from the YoYo Daycare.

They all rushed to him, showering him with questions and excitement. In particular, Akihito and his younger siblings were eager to hear about the competition.

These youngsters held Yuga in such high regard, and their admiration for him was boundless.

His aunt, on the other hand, held Yuga's hand and couldn't stop remarking about how he had lost weight and gotten tanned. Yuga couldn't help but feel amused by her concern, which warmed his heart.

However, Yuga was surprised not to see Audino among the welcoming party. Audino, being the mischievous and adventurous Pokémon it was, rarely missed such events, especially when even Wigglytuff had come to greet him.

"Where's Audino? Why haven't I seen it?" Yuga asked Suzuki Koen with a puzzled expression.

Suzuki Koen chuckled and playfully covered her mouth. "You'll find out when you get home."

Yuga couldn't help but roll his eyes. "What it's so mystery."

With joy in their hearts, Yuga and his family and friends returned to the YoYo Daycare.

On the way, they encountered many townspeople who, upon seeing Yuga, showered him with praise and accolades.

Yuga, who was already well-known in Verdanturf Town, he had become a household name and a source of pride for the entire town.

The Gym Leader Challenges were broadcast worldwide, so the townspeople had watched Yuga's matches and were aware of his impending career as a Gym Leader.

The warmth and enthusiasm of his fellow townsfolk overwhelmed Yuga. By the time he reached home, his face was sore from smiling.

When Yuga arrived home, he was greeted by an extravagant display. Banners reading "Welcome Home, Yuga" were draped across the front gate, and the entire entrance was adorned with colorful flowers, most of which were special products from the Flower Sea Sub-Ecopark.

However, what surprised Yuga even more was the lineup of seven Flygon perched on the rooftop, with a Great Flygon in the center.

As Yuga approached the entrance, they simultaneously released a massive Fire Blast into the sky, forming a fiery "大" character in vibrant red flames. Even in broad daylight, it was more spectacular than fireworks at night.

After the fiery display, each of them flew into the air, holding a flower basket in their claws. Countless petals drifted down below.

When this was done, Audino walked out of the shop, holding a bouquet of flowers and wearing a cheerful smile. It handed the flowers to Yuga.

"Audino!"

Welcome back, Yuga!

Yuga, grinning, asked Audino, "Did you arrange all of this?"

"Audino, Audino!"

Yes, it was me. Do you like it?

Audino nodded enthusiastically.

Yuga replied with gratitude, "Thank you, I love it."

"As soon as we heard you were coming back, Audino started preparing all of this. It worked hard on this for quite a while! Did you see the banner? It specifically asked the townspeople to make it, and it wouldn't even let us help," Suzuki Koen explained with a smile.

Through over ten days of getting to know each other, Suzuki Koen had successfully integrated into the YoYo Daycare's big family with her lively and outgoing personality.

Yuga was touched by this and gave Audino a big hug.

"You've done great."

"Audino."

Audino waved its hand modestly, indicating that it wasn't a big deal.

In addition to this warm welcome, Audino led Yuga to the dining area, where Yuga was met with a table full of carefully prepared dishes.

After everyone had gathered, Yuga invited everyone to sit down and enjoy the hearty meal.

Audino's culinary skills had improved significantly, and having not tasted its cooking for several days, Yuga found himself overindulging.

After lunch, Yuga sat with a cup of tea, massaging his overfilled stomach.

After some cheerful moments, everyone returned to their respective duties since business still had to be conducted at the daycare. Since Yuga's championship victory had been televised and brought YoYo Daycare into the spotlight, business was booming, and they sometimes found themselves overwhelmed.

Only Yuga's aunt and uncle stayed behind to assist Audino and Wigglytuff in clearing the tables. In celebration of Yuga's triumphant return, the couple had taken the day off from work.

Yuga had initially wanted to help, but his aunt and Audino insisted on handling everything, leaving Yuga with nothing to do but rest.

However, Yuga's respite was short-lived. The mayor, Ishida, and Liliana soon arrived, having received news of Yuga's return. They came by just to see Yuga, with no other business in mind, as they intended to discuss the establishment of the Gym on another day. They didn't want to disturb Yuga's rest right after his return.