Chapter 11:
Fight at the Museum
Location: Nacrene City
I had a message from Hawes that day that Lenora was certainly down for a battle today. I admire Hawes; Nacrene Museum isn't the biggest Museum in the world, but not many people, I think three, work there so he does most of the work himself whilst Lenora continues her duty as Gym Leader.
I walked back to the Museum where Hawes greeted me.
"Mr. Hilbert, so nice of you to visit again. Now, many would say they aren't here to learn, they're here to battle. But as you will soon see, they are wrong. Follow me."
Hawes took me up some stairs which led to another room. The Gym logo was above it. "Amazing how an entire Gym is in this Museum" I said.
Hawes got out his phone. "Honey, he's ready."
That was my cue to walk in.
Location: Nacrene City Gym
The Gym looked like a library. Yep, this Museum was weird. Okay to be fair you do study in a museum, so a library wasn't too out of the ordinary.
There were multiple brown shelves stacked with different books. There were 6 shelves in total, all containing different types of reading material. The first row included 'Children's books' on both shelves, the left being fairy tales and the right being more modern books by authors still currently alive. Not all of them but more modern stories, nonetheless, though it also had children's nonfiction like cookbooks and art books. The next two included 'Biology' on the left and 'Careers and job' on the right. The last shelf included 'History' on the left and 'General Studies' on the right.
"Yo champ!" the Gym guide said. "Welcome to the Nacrene City Gym. The puzzle here is simple; follow the books and find the switch that opens the path to the Gym Leader. Lenora uses Normal Types, which are only weak to Fighting Types. Keep that in mind son."
Well I didn't have Fighting Types so I knew I needed to give it my all even more.
There was a Trainer waiting for me before I got to the first shelf. I entered his line of sight.
"Hey, you're here to battle Lenora? Jealous, I need to do homework. But hey, I can take a break!"
Hilbert Vs. School Kid Carter
"I choose Patrat!" Carter said.
"You're up Drilbur!" I replied. "Start with Metal Claw!" Drilbur swiped Patrat with its steel claw, taking a bit of its brown fur off. Patrat had at least a third of its health taken away.
"Patrat, use Crunch!" Patrat chomped its tooth down onto Drilbur's nose. It almost knocked it out.
"Drilbur, use Metal Claw again!" Drilbur could only get in one more swipe.
"Patrat, another Crunch!" Patrat once again chomped down on Drilbur, finishing it.
"Go, Pidove!" I said. Upon coming out, Pidove flapped its wings and fired multiple streaks at Patrat. Patrat was knocked out.
"That's Air Cutter!" I yelled as Carter sent back his Patrat. "That's stronger than Gust and has a high Critical Hit rate, great job!"
"Okay, you beat me" Carter said. "The first clue to the Gym is in the book 'Nice to Meet you Pokémon.'"
I was read that book at Striaton Daycare as well as a lot of other stories in the public domain. So it was on the first shelf to the left.
I climbed up the ladder to find it in the first shelf to the left. There was a memo in the book.
"What was the first Pokémon you battled in the Gym?"
Now I don't know the move Amnesia so I knew it was Patrat.
I went to the middle bookshelf and found a book called 'The Biology of Patrat.' To think people who don't use Pokédex's come here to learn. There was another memo in here, which mentioned a Pokémon that has fire inside and blows smoke when its moves. I got out my Pokédex and filtered all the Fire Types. The only ones I've encountered so far are Tepig and Pansear.
It must be Tepig! Pansear can't blow smoke!
I imagined it would be in General Studies, so I walked over to the back where a Scientist was reading a book about Tepig.
"Um… excuse me?" I asked.
She closed the book forcefully. "You want the clue, don't you? Listen bud, it's not that easy okay. You have to EARN this clue from me."
Hilbert Vs. Scientist Satomi
"I choose Dewott!" I said.
"Go Herdier!" Satomi said back. She sent out a hairy quadruped Pokémon with brown hair on its face and black hair on its back.
Herdier (ハーデリア)
013
Normal Type
Loyal Dog Pokémon
2'11" (0.9 m)
32.4 lbs (14.7 kg)
It loyally follows its Trainer's orders. For ages, they helped Trainers raise Pokémon.
Lillipup -Lv 16- Herdier
"Okay Dewott, give it a dose of your Razor Shell!" Dewott took both its scalchops, then swiped Herdier. Its Defense was lowered in the process.
"Herdier, counter with Take Down!" Herdier ran full force into Dewott. Dewott flew back and into the bookshelf behind it, tipping it a little. Underneath, I though I could see a set of stairs. I decided to ignore it.
"Herdier's taken recoil, use this opportunity. Razor Shell!" Another Razor Shell from Dewott almost finished Herdier.
"Use Bite!" Herdier bit Dewott's leg; Dewott fainted.
I recalled Dewott for Audino. "Ready for this?" I asked it.
"Herdier, Bite!" Herdier bit Audino's tail.
"DoubleSlap!" Audino slapped Herdier 5 times. Herdier fainted.
The Scientist smiled. "Good job. Okay, the clue is what food can be put in a pot and taste delicious?"
I went back to the first row and to the right shelf. There was a book there about Poffins.
Poffins are a delicacy from the Sinnoh region. They are fed to Pokémon to improve their attributes including Beauty, Coolness, Toughness, Smartness and Cuteness. The clue here was interesting.
"Go two spaces backwards, one to the left, two spaces forward, and one to the right."
I did that. Two back, one left, two forward and one right, to the same bookshelf where I saw the stairs.
"Well someone guessed correctly" said a Schoolgirl who was reading a book about travelling abroad. "I'll be your final exam before Lenora! Get ready!"
Hilbert Vs. School Kid Lydia
"I choose Audino!" I said.
"Lillipup!" Lydia repeated. "Use Bite!" Lillipup jumped forward and bit Audino on the arm. Audino flinched. "Again Lillipup!" Lillipup bit down again, almost knocking out Audino.
"DoubleSlap!" Audino slapped Lillipup three times. However, it wouldn't let go.
"One more Bite!" Lillipup bit down one more time, finishing Audino.
"Pansear, go!" I shouted. Pansear yawned, then Lillipup yawned back.
"Lillipup, Tackle!" Lillipup charged into Pansear. Pansear got back on its feet.
"Incinerate!" I yelled. The flame that Pansear shot was a Critical Hit.
"Tackle!" Lillipup charged, but it missed. Then, it fell asleep.
"Pansear, that was Yawn! Nice one! Okay, use Incinerate!" Pansear shot one more flame, and knocked out Lillipup.
"I have one more" Lydia said. "Go Lillipup!" Out came another one.
Pansear used another Incinerate, but Lydia didn't seem phased.
"Lillipup, use Dig!" Lillipup suddenly burrowed underground. I was fine.
"Pansear, come back. Pidove, go!" Pidove was sent out. Being a Flying Type, it didn't feel the Ground Type move. "Now use Air Cutter!" Pidove fired streaks at Lillipup. Air Cutter has a higher Critical Hit rate, which this one was. Ah yes, Pidove has the Super Luck, which increases Critical hit rate. Lillipup was down.
"You've done your research" Lydia said. "Okay, I'll let you get this clue."
I climbed the ladder which Lydia was on. In the gap between the books, I saw a button. I promptly pressed it, and the bookshelf started shaking. Slowly, it moved right to reveal the staircase.
"The Gym Leader is down there?" I asked.
Lydia nodded, and I walked down.
Well, okay I went back to the Pokémon Center to heal first.
At the bottom of the Gym stood Lenora, a woman with a white shirt and blue jeans. She was reading a book, but I couldn't see what it was because her hand was over the title. She looked up and closed it.
"Well, it seems my reading has been interrupted by a challenger. Yes, honey told me about you. Hilbert am I right? You've been well educated to come down here and face me. Let's see if you have a basic knowledge of how to beat me!"
Hilbert Vs. Gym Leader Lenora
"Go Drilbur!" I shouted as my Ground Type entered the battlefield.
"I choose Herdier!" Lenora said back. "Okay, let's begin!"
"Drilbur, Metal Claw!" Drilbur swiped Herdier.
"Herdier, Take Down!" Herdier charged into Drilbur. Drilbur was knocked back and skidded over the ground to my feet. It struggled to get up; this was only Lenora's first Pokémon and I was shocked by its strength.
"Drilbur, Metal Claw again!" Drilbur swiped Herdier once more.
"Use Bite!" Herdier chomped down on Drilbur's claw. Drilbur fainted from the pain.
I recalled Drilbur and sent out Audino. Hopefully, high HP would do the trick.
"Herdier, use Bite!" Herdier bit down on Audino's leg.
"DoubleSlap!" Audino slapped Herdier in the face five times. One more and it would be down.
"Take Down!"
"What?!" I shouted. "But Herdier will faint!"
"I know" Lenora said, as Herdier charged into Audino at full pelt. Audino was knocked out, and so was Herdier.
I was confused. Every Gym Leader needs to give it their all, she can't surely be giving me a chance.
"I choose Dewott!" I shouted. Might as well use my strongest Pokémon then.
"I'm not giving you a chance per say!" Lenora shouted. She sent out a tall red Pokémon with a long tail and yellow stripes all over it. Its cheeks were puffed up.
Watchog (ミルホッグ)
011
Normal Type
Lookout Pokémon
3'07" (1.1 m)
59.5 lbs (27 kg)
When they see an enemy, their tails stand high, and they spit seeds of berries stored in their cheek pouches.
Patrat -Lv 20- Watchog
"Okay Watchog, Retaliate!" Watchog ran up to Dewott and punched it. Dewott flew back and into the wall, fainting.
"Dewott!" I shouted running to it. What was that move? Well, it would be down to Pansear and Pidove, and first would be Pansear. "Use Incinerate!" Pansear shot flames at Watchog, burning the Sitrus Berry it was holding.
"Crunch!" Watchog chomped down on Pansear's body. It almost finished it off.
"Fury Swipes Pansear!" Pansear scratched Watchog's face repeatedly.
"Now use another Retaliate!" Watchog grabbed Pansear by the neck, then threw it onto the ground. Pansear was finished.
"Pidove, go!" Pidove flew into the air. "Use Air Cutter!" Pidove fired streaks at Watchog. Watchog stood its ground.
"Crunch!" Watchog jumped up and took Pidove by the teeth. It then snapped its jaws so hard that Pidove fainted in its mouth. Watchog then ran over to me with the Pidove in its mouth and dropped it in front of me. I looked in horror.
"I… lost" I said.
"Looks like you have some studying to do!" Lenora told me.
Location: Nacrene City Pokémon Center
"All happy and healthy!" Nurse Joy said later that day after healing my friends. She gave the Pokéballs back to me as I put them in my Bag. I then sat down in one of the chairs and sighed.
"What a day."
Cheren and Bianca came in at that moment. Cheren had a Timburr walking beside him.
"How did it go?" Bianca said excitedly. "Did you win?"
I just gave her a look that said "Are you serious?" But I forgave her.
"There's always next time" Cheren said. "After all, I'm still doing training at the Pinwheel Forest. Why not join me tomorrow?"
Training was without a doubt what I needed.
"Excuse me?" Hawes entered the Pokémon Centre.
"Oh hi" I said. "I'm… sure you heard."
Hawes nodded slowly. "Yeah. You shouldn't mess with my wife after all. She really enjoyed today's battle though. She's willing to give you another shot tomorrow after some training. She also wanted to give you this as sort of a consolation for the great battle." Hawes gave me a book, the same one she was reading before we battled. This time I saw the title.
"Truth and Ideals: Unova's Tale of Flame and Thunder."
That might seem like a long title, but the text was tiny.
I opened the book, and the first two pages was an image spanning both. One was a large feathery Pokémon that was white and the other a large black Pokémon that looked chunkier.
"The Legendary Pokémon of Unova" Cheren said. "I can't remember their names, but we'll find out on our journey."
"It's yours to keep" Hawes said. "I better get home for dinner. My wife and children are starving, and so am I! Oh, and Lenora is willing to challenge another one of you two."
As Hawes walked out, I apologised to the others for making them wait a little longer for their turn.
"You go Bianca" Cheren said. "I'll focus on training tomorrow."
Cheren mentioned he wanted to do some training with Timburr, which I understood.
Me? I needed training in general.
Today wasn't the best, but a loss against a Gym Leader is always a bit awkward to take in. It's not the end of the world though; tomorrow I'll be stronger, and Lenora will be going down. And this book? It looks interesting. But, why did she give it to me? It can't just be a consolation prize.
