Chapter 24:

The Champion's Arrival

Location: Route 5

Route 5 is the Unova region's gathering place for entertainers. Harlequins, Guitar Players and Dancers were practicing their moves for what I could only presume was for a Circus, which does frequent Nimbasa City annually. It was just a path, some trees, and a red-steel trailer. At the end of the road was the big-red Driftveil Drawbridge, the crossing to Driftveil City. One problem though.

It was up.

You see, a drawbridge is a bridge that goes up with some metal ropes if a large ship needs to come through.

"Sorry, we're having final check-ups," said the woman at the checking gate. "If everything is fine, it will be down tomorrow. I promise."

It seemed that I would be spending one more day in Nimbasa City after all.

Just then, I had a call from Cheren on the Xtransceiver.

"Hey Hilbert, you up for another battle? I got the Bolt Badge! I'll meet you at the start of Route 5!"

I hurried over to the entrance where Cheren was already waiting for me.

"Congratulations!" he said. "We seem to be neck and neck once again. I believe that we should have some new additions, so let's get this started!"


Hilbert Vs. Cheren

"Go Scraggy!" I yelled as it was sent out.

"Come out Liepard!" Cheren replied, as the 4-legged Dark Type came out. "Start with Fake Out!" Liepard clapped in front of Scraggy, forcing it to flinch. "Now use Fury Swipes!" Liepard started scratching Scraggy furiously. It got four hits in.

"Scraggy, Brick Break!" Scraggy chopped Liepard for lots of damage. One more and it would be done for.

"Another Fury Swipes go!" Liepard continued to thrash at Scraggy. Scraggy almost reached red health but hung on.

"Brick Break!" Another chop and Liepard was defeated.

"Good job Liepard. Okay Gurdurr, you're next!" Cheren sent out a large, grey muscly Pokémon holding a steel beam with both arms.


Gurdurr (ドテッコツ)

039

Fighting Type

Muscular Pokémon

3'11" (1.2 m)

88.2 lbs (40 kg)

This Pokémon is so muscular and strongly built that even a group of wrestlers could not make it budge an inch.

Timburr -Lv 25- Gurdurr


"Gurdurr likes to show off its muscles to-"

"Come back Scraggy!" I said. "Okay Tranquill, go!" Tranquill flew in. "Air Cutter!" Tranquill fired streaks of air at Gurdurr, but it missed.

"Gurdurr, Rock Throw!" Gurdurr threw a rock at Tranquill, and it was a Critical Hit. Tranquill could only take one more.

"Air Cutter again!" This one was a direct hit but didn't quite knock out Gurdurr.

"Now use Chip Away!" Gurdurr took its beam and started chipping Tranquill with it. Chip Away is a move that ignores Defense and Evasion boosts. Tranquill was finished.

"Well Cheren, you're in for a treat. Time for a battle debut! Come out Gothita!" My new Psychic Type entered the field. "Use Psybeam!" Gothita fired a pink beam at Gurdurr. It was down.

"You did great. Come out Panpour!" Cheren sent out the Water Type and I stuck with Gothita. "Use Bite!" Panpour bit down on Gothita's head. This caused Gothita to flinch and not move. "Again!" One more Bite and Gothita fainted.

"Gothita, for a first match, that was brilliant." I recalled it and sent Scraggy back out.

"Use Scald!" Panpour spat boiling water at Scraggy. Scraggy managed to dodge. After dodging, Scraggy started to glow a black colour. Then, it charged into Panpour.

"Hey that's Payback!" I yelled. "A move that does more damage if the Pokémon was hurt that turn! Great one Scrags!"

It was a victory short lived, however. Panpour used another Scald and Scraggy was finished.

"Dewott, I choose you!" I shouted. "Use Water Pulse!" Dewott fired a ball of water at Panpour. Upon impact, Panpour was confused! The next Scald it fired hit Panpour and it was down. Just what I needed.

"Tranquill, you're next!" Cheren yelled. "Use Air Cutter!" Streaks were fired at Dewott, which it took.

"Razor Shell!" Dewott sliced Tranquill for a Critical Hit. That was helpful.

"Roost!" Tranquill settled down on the ground, regaining health letting it live another Razor Shell. "Now Air Cutter!" Thankfully, this one wasn't a Crit, letting Dewott use one more Razor Shell. Tranquill was down.

"Servine, you're last!" Cheren said as it was sent out. "Use Leaf Tornado!" Servine created a whirlwind of leaves that it fired at Dewott, finishing it.

I was confident I had won though. "Go Pansear!" I shouted. "Use Flame Burst!" Pansear shot a flame that exploded in Servine's face. It took lots of damage but healed thanks to its Sitrus Berry.

"Mega Drain!" Servine shot a green beam at Pansear, draining a bit of health basically bring it back up to full again.

"Flame Burst once more!" Pansear fired another flame. Back to half health for Servine.

"Use Leaf Tornado!" Servine created another whirlwind, but it missed.

"Finish it off Pansear!" One more Flame Burst and Servine was sizzled.

Well, I could safely say that was a close one. "That was a match worthy of a Trainer with four Badges."

Cheren adjusted his glasses. "Thanks a million."


Just then, we heard wild clapping and cheering. There wasn't a crowd; people were too busy rehearsing and it was just one person. Rather, it was coming from on top of the steel trailer.

"Woo! Yeah!" A man continued to cheer us on. He was wearing a cream-coloured cloak and had flaming orange hair. He had a necklace with Pokéballs on it.

A Baker came out of the Caravan, holding a tray of hot buns. "Do you mind? Get off! You're shaking the whole trailer!"

The man went red in the face. "Oh, sorry. I forgot." He tried to jump off but fell flat on his face. "Oof." Getting up, he walked over to the two of us.

"Oh, my Arceus," Cheren said, limping on the spot in excitement like he was a child in a Pokéland ride queue. "It's him! I can't believe I'm meeting the Champion of the Unova region, Alder!"

"Hey bub!" The Baker shouted. "I think a Champion would have a little more respect for standing on someone's trailer!"

Alder scratched the back of his head. "Sorry!" he said, but immediately turned his attention back to us. "So, what are your names?"

"I'm Hilbert," I said. "Dewott is my partner."

"And my name is Cheren. My partner is Servine."

"Partners. Wow." Alder fell silent. He sighed, then wiped a small tear from his eye.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

Alder perked back up. "Oh, everything's fine and Darmanitandy! Listen, that was a great battle between you two. Would you be down for another one?" Two Preschoolers walked over to us. "Guys, these are Sarah and Billy. Would you like to do a Double Battle?"

I got Drilbur's Pokeball. I looked at Cheren, and he adjusted his glasses. Round two baby!


Hilbert and Cheren Vs. Preeschoolers Sarah and Billy

"Drilbur, go!" I shouted.

"I choose Panpour!" Cheren said.

"Go Herdier!" both the children yelled as their hairy Pokémon entered the fray.

"Drilbur, give it a dose of your Rock Smash!" Drilbur punched the right Herdier for Super Effective damage.

"Panpour, Scald!" Panpour spat boiling water at the Herdier on the left, burning it.

"Herdier, Work Up!" The right Herdier got angry, raising Attack and Sp. Attack.

"Herdier, Crunch!" Herdier chomped down on Panpour. Its Defense was lowered but since burn halves Attack, it didn't do as much as expected.

"Drilbur, Rock Smash again!" Drilbur punched the burned Herdier, almost knocking it out. The burn would finish it anyway.

"Panpour, Bite!" One Bite on the right Herdier that was a Critical Hit, and it was down.

"Herdier, Wild Charge!" Herdier covered itself in sparks, then charged into Panpour for a last-minute knock out. The recoil damage finished it off.


"Nice one Mr. Hilbert!"

"Thank you, Mr. Cheren!"

"The four of you battled well," Alder said. "You know, it's like the battles I had with me and…"

"And who?" I asked. Something was up with him, but I knew I wasn't going to find out what in that moment.

"Oh, it's fine. Here, let me heal your friends again." Alder did his duty as the Prechoolers ran off. "Well, I should head back to the Pokémon League. Have fun you two!" With that, he ran off into the forest by jumping onto the trailer and into the trees, angering the Baker once again.

"So, what do you think?" Cheren asked. "Isn't he the coolest?!"

"Well, he's no Cynthia I'll say that. I'm gonna stay here and do some training."

Cheren nodded. "I plan on pursuing strength like he does. Good luck to us both and Bianca!"

We went our separate ways.


Through the crowds, I was spotted by a Guitarist.

"YOOOO!" he shouted. "I want some inspiration for my next album! Let's battle to find it!"


Hilbert Vs. Guitarist Gibbons

"Scraggy, go!" I shouted.

"Rock it out Solosis!" Gibbons sent out a light green Pokémon with a yellow diamond mouth enveloped in a darker green blob.


Solosis (ユニラン)

083

Psychic Type

Cell Pokémon

1'00" (0.3 m)

2.2 lbs (1 kg)

Because their bodies are enveloped in a special liquid, they can survive in any environment.


"Okay Scraggy, Payback!" Scraggy got surrounded in darkness, then attacked Solosis.

"Hidden Power yeah!" Solosis fired a ball at Scraggy for neutral damage. "What? I can't use Psychic Type moves so Ground will have to do!"

"Payback!" Another move and Solosis was finished.

"I have an idea for a song! Go Yamask!" The other Pokémon sent out was a floating black Pokémon with a yellow mask hanging from the bottom of it.


Yamask (デスマス)

068

Ghost Type

Spirit Pokémon

1'08" (0.5 m)

3.3 lbs (1.5 kg)

These Pokémon arose from the spirits of people interred in graves in past ages. Each retains memories of its former life.


"Payback again!" Scraggy was doing wonders! One more and Yamask would be down.

"Yamask, Ominous Wind yeah!" Yamask fired dark wind at Scraggy. It didn't do much due to Scraggy being a Dark Type.

"One more Payback!" Scraggy hit Yamask one more time, finishing it off.

"Yeah! My song will be called Payback!"


After some more battles, I decided that was enough.


Well, TOMORROW my time in Nimbasa City will come to end. Then, it's off to Driftveil! In other news, what could I say about Alder? He's… unusual and there is something about him that's haunting him. I should focus on my own journey though.