Helix and Hooves: Trainers of the Future

by The Kelduo

Chapter 12: Making a Splash at the Second Gym!

Author's Note:

Seeing as all the Gym Leaders (except for Piers) share the same theme, I think it would be a bit redundant and boring for you to have to listen to that same track each and every time. That's why I'll be using different Pokemon battle themes for each Gym Leader. For Nessa, I'll use a track that Gen 4 lovers will enjoy.

Seeing as Nessa was a Water-type user, I was by no means surprised to find that Hulbury was a bustling seaport that focused both on human culture and the impressive body of water that extended into the distance. Closer to Route 5, there was a Pokemon Center, some apartments up north, a restaurant, and some shops down south. Towards the sea, we could find Hulbury Stadium and a lighthouse.

The Doctor and I eagerly headed for the Pokemon Center to rest our Pokemon, but our attention was drawn towards the first intersection after the Pokemon Center. A small crowd was there, only to disperse after being shooed away by the same woman who was with Chairman Rose in Motostoke Stadium. My best guess was that she was Rose's secretary. And shortly after the crowd dispersed, the chairman himself spoke to Bede about the Gym Challenge. As I had expected due to our first encounter, Bede insisted that he wouldn't lose to anyone who stood in his path on his way to becoming Champion.

After Bede left, the Doctor and I approached Chairman Rose. "Good day, Chairman Rose," the Doctor said. "Are you doing well with your work?"

The chairman turned and saw us. "Ah, I remember you two! If my memory doesn't fail me, you're Helix and Doctor Hooves, right?"

"Yes, indeed," I answered.

"Great! Actually, Bede and I were just talking about you! To be honest, I must admit that I'm curious why Leon would endorse you two."

The Doctor laughed. "Completely understandable. I suppose it's not every day that a Pokemon and a pony are endorsed for the Gym Challenge. Shall we explain our reasoning for wanting to be endorsed?"

"...Actually, that won't be necessary right now. I just had an idea. Since you're both here, you must be getting ready to face Gym Leader Nessa soon, yes?"

"Yes, that's right. And if I might add my own opinion, I do believe the odds are in my favor."

"That's good to know. Tell you what, if you manage to win and get the second Gym Badge from her, I'll hold a little celebration for the two of you. This way, I'll be able to get to know you better."

Maintaining a calm demeanor, Rose's secretary said, "Chairman, it's getting late. We should really be going, or else you'll miss your next deadline."

"Thanks for reminding me, Oleana." The chairman turned his attention back to us. "Be sure to do your best, because people are counting on you. The whole region is counting on you!" He headed for the nearby restaurant.

Before following Chairman Rose, his secretary, who was apparently named Oleana, gave us a strict word of advice: "Meet the chairman at this town's seafood restaurant as soon as you win the Gym Badge. Do not keep him waiting for you." She left for the restaurant without another word.

The Doctor cringed. "Did... did she just say seafood restaurant?"

I frowned. "Yes, unfortunately. But don't you worry about that. There's plenty of trees in the Wild Area that you could get Berries from. They'd be excellent for vegetarians such as your species."

"But wouldn't it be weird to start making a curry inside of a restaurant?"

"Wait, you thought Berries were only used for curries?" I chuckled, "Nonsense! Berries can be eaten in any way: fresh, sliced, cooked, or even turned into a treat called a Pokeblock! For now, I suggest you try them fresh."

"Really? That's wonderful to know! To think that all this time I thought Berries were only for curries... Thanks for telling me this, Helix."

"No problem, Doctor. Now, let's set off for the Gym!" We traveled north from the intersection and continued north past an intersection leading west and north. But as we neared the Gym, something else caught my eye. East from the Gym, I saw a tall, cone-shaped structure with a stubby top. Its top floor had a large window that circled around the structure. "Oh, that must be a lighthouse. I wonder if we can enter it like the one back in Olivine City in the Johto region..."

As we got off our bikes, the Doctor asked, "You entered a lighthouse?"

"I sure did. The Ampharos acting as the light source of the lighthouse fell ill again, so I had to retrieve a special medicine from the pharmacy in Cianwood City and bring it up to Jasmine, the owner of the Ampharos. I would've administered the medicine directly, but Jasmine told me that her Ampharos will only accept the medicine from its own Trainer."

"Ampharos? Say, I think I'm starting to see a pattern here..."

I stopped so we could sit down on a pair of benches. "A pattern? What do you mean?"

"Throughout this adventure, I've been noticing interesting things about Pokemon species. For instance, Thwackey is a monkey that likes to strike its opponents with hard branches, and Sizzlipede is a fiery centipede Pokemon. Would it be safe to assume that Ampharos is an Electric-type Pokemon with a body part that gives off light?"

I was pleased to hear the Doctor's accurate guess. "Now you're catching on..."

"So do all Pokemon have names that relate to their appearance, personality, skills, or typing?"

I pumped a fist in affirmation. "You're a fast learner! Seems you've got the relationship between Pokemon and their etymology all figured out, and that's yet another step towards understanding Pokemon. If you keep this up, there's no doubt you'll become a great Trainer!"

"Thanks for the support, but you're the one who knows Pokemon like ponies know friendship. I may not be that good of a Trainer, but I can still try my best. I have to do my best for the sake of Equestria!"

Getting up from the benches, we continued towards the lighthouse. The Doctor stopped to admire a pair of Pokemon statues. They appeared to be bipedal lizards with organs on their chests and electric manes. He took out a Luxury Ball, from which came what appeared to be a baby pre-evolution of the Pokemon statues. It was purple with a light purple spark on its forehead. "Did the Pokemon Breeder from the Nursery give you that Pokemon?" I asked.

The Doctor nodded. "Yeah, this Pokemon is called Toxel. It's a Poison- and Electric-type that generates electricity via a special organ. A curious type combination, if you ask me. And I'm even more curious about how the Pokemon depicted by these statues charge up and unleash electricity. I'm sure I'll find out soon enough by showing this Toxel some TLC."

My eyes happened to drift to the right, where I saw a familiar character gazing at the sea. "Ah, you must be Nessa. I remember you from the ceremony held in Motostoke Stadium."

"Hmm?" She turned around, revealing her light cerulean eyes. "You two must be some of the new Gym Challengers, right?"

"Why, yes we are." The Doctor casually boasted, "Are we really gaining fame this quickly, or did our incomplete collection of Badges give it away?"

"Neither, actually." Nessa shrugged. "News spread fast that the Champion himself endorsed an exotic variety of Trainers for the Gym Challenge. Milo wasn't kidding when he said there'd be a horse or two mixed in," she said with a laugh.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I prefer the word pony. That's the proper name for my species and that of my friends back in Equestria."

"Right, my apologies about that. Anyway, you Champion-endorsed Challengers have become quite the hot topic among us Gym Leaders. From what I've heard, you two made Milo's Gym Mission seem like a walk in the park. I've heard a lot about you, so why don't you take this so you can learn about me?" Nessa gave each of us a copy of her League Card.

I gave her League Card a quick once-over. "So, you're friends with Sonia? That's good to know."

The Doctor put away the League Card with concern in his eyes. "But it still irks me that you humans actually consume meat. That's simply beyond my own understanding!"

"There's a perfectly reasonable explanation for your inability to comprehend this," I told the Doctor. "Ponies such as yourself aren't predators and don't prey on other animals. Because of your peaceful lifestyle, you've evolved to have a strictly vegetarian diet. Unlike humans, who have sharp canines and incisors to tear into meat, you ponies only have flat molars to grind plants to a pulp for digestion."

"Evolved? You mean..." The Doctor beamed. "The theory of evolution has been confirmed?!"

I shrugged. "Maybe. While I don't know that much about the history of Equestria, I tend to use science as a base for my hypotheses. However, I refuse to acknowledge that humans may have evolved from primitive apes."

"I'm getting mixed messages here. Are you trying to say that while you do support most scientific hypotheses, you disagree with the idea of evolution?"

I nodded. "That's about right."

The Doctor looked disappointed. "Oh."

Nessa put a hand on the Doctor's back. "Don't worry about it too much. You know what I do when I'm trying to get my mind off of something? I have myself an all-out Pokemon battle. Why don't you go with me to the stadium so I can see if you two have what it takes to beat me in battle?"

"Sounds good to me." I gripped Kilowatt's Poke Ball. "You will surely fall to my knowledge of type advantages!"

"We'll see about that after you prove that you can clear my Gym Mission." Nessa proceeded to lead us to Hulbury Stadium.

As we walked to the stadium, it hit me. "Hold on... We never did figure out which of us was going to take on your Gym Mission first!"

"Well, that shouldn't be too tough of a problem to solve," Nessa replied. "Do either of you two remember which one of you was first to earn the Grass Badge from Milo?"

The Doctor casually pointed at himself. "That would be me. Herding the Wooloo was great fun, and my Earth pony ancestry did not fail me."

"Earth pony?" Nessa asked.

"In other words, a pony without wings or a horn. As an Earth pony, I am inherently skilled at dealing with things related to nature. Gardening and herding animals are some things that Earth ponies find relatively easier to do than, say, unicorns or Pegasi. We Earth ponies are also known for having greater physical strength than others."

"Oh, okay. Anyway, since you got the Grass Badge first, it'd be respectful to let Helix have a go at my Gym Mission first." Nessa looked at my dark green hood. "A part Grass-type, I presume?"

I nodded. "Grass and Ghost."

"I may be a Water-type user, but I'm not afraid of your typing. Far from it, in fact. I can tell just by looking at you that you're no ordinary Trainer."

"You're right." I took out a bracelet with a light blue, star-shaped gemstone on it. "I didn't obtain this Shiny Charm by battling and training like ordinary Trainers do. I'm a one-of-a-kind Trainer who's caught every Shiny Pokemon species from every region except this one, excluding Legendary and Mythical Pokemon." I firmly gripped the Shiny Charm as I put it away. "Through legitimate methods. I'm above hacking."

Though it was clear she was trying to hide it, I could see some fear in her eyes. "Impressive! Most Trainers haven't even seen a Shiny Pokemon before, but you put professional Shiny Pokemon hunters to shame." We reached the lobby of the Gym, so Nessa headed towards the door to the arena. She turned back and looked at me. "If you're as good at battling as you are at hunting for Shiny Pokemon, then you're a force to be reckoned with. So if you make it to the finals..." She narrowed her eyes. "...expect no mercy from me."

Once Nessa was out of sight, I grinned. "Good. I love it when neither side holds back and a truly intense fight goes underway. That's the kind of fight that real heroes take part in."

"I agree with every word you said..." The Doctor gave me a determined stare. "...but you'll regret saying you love a no-holds-barred battle when we duel in the tournament."

I returned the stare, and bystanders could practically see the lightning arcing back and forth between our eyes. That is, until I casually replied, "I know."

Then I proceeded to get a Lure Ball from the Ball Guy and change into my uniform before taking on the Gym Mission, leaving the Doctor in a state of confusion. "Uh... What just happened?"

---

Just like most Water-type Gyms, the interior of this one was flooded with water. To reach the other side, there were a series of platforms for Trainers to walk across, some of which were grates.

Dan greeted me at the starting platform. "You must be Helix! My brother Dan told me about you. Think you're ready for the Hulbury Pokemon Gym's mission?"

I nodded. "I'm familiar with Water-type Gyms. This one shouldn't be too different."

"Good! For this mission, you'll have to traverse a challenging maze to reach the goal. But as you can see..." Dan pointed out some colored pipes on the ceiling. Some of them were spewing water onto the grates. "Water coming from these pipes block certain paths."

On a platform to the right, I noticed a red button on a pedestal shaped like a Poke Ball. "And I have to press buttons such as that one in order to activate or deactivate the corresponding pipes?"

Dan gave a content laugh. "Ha! Looks like I didn't even have to explain this mission to you, future champ! In that case, let the Gym mission begin!"

Before I started, I remembered to use my Rotom Phone to put the Doctor on video chat. "What's going on, Helix?"

"Hey, Doctor. I figured it'd be a good idea to give you a little preview of what this Gym mission would be." I aimed the screen towards the pipes. "See how those pipes shoot water?" Then I showed him the button. "You've got to press the buttons to activate or deactivate the pipes of the corresponding color."

The Doctor took a moment to buck a Berry tree before answering. "That's all? No sneaky gimmicks or anything of the sort?"

"That's all. I know, it surprised me too. But there's still one good thing about that."

"And that is?"

I smirked. "Practically the only things separating us from battling Nessa are the Gym Trainers."

The Doctor laughed. "You've got a point there." He gave the tree another buck, only for a Skwovet to ambush him. "Whoa, what's the big deal?!" He sent out Corvisquire to take it on.

"Oh, right. If you shake Berry trees too much, a Pokemon will ambush you. In turn, this will give other Pokemon a chance to take away the Berries that were already knocked down."

"You're just now telling me this?" The Doctor looked back at the tree just in time to see some Pokemon steal all the Pecha Berries he knocked down. "Oh... Is there a way to know when to stop shaking Berry trees?"

I shook my head as I took down the first Gym Trainer's Tympole, a Water-type tadpole Pokemon, with Kilowatt's Spark. "I don't know, but maybe you could guess at when to stop by looking at how much the tree shakes in between attempts to knock down Berries."

"Checking how much the tree idly shakes?" the Doctor muttered as he picked up the other Berries. "...That's a brilliant idea! The shaking might be caused by a Pokemon that's been riled up from its home being tossed about! Thanks, Helix. I'll take that into account next time." The Doctor hung up.

I sighed. "He didn't even let me tell him that I learned that lesson the hard way. Oh well, time to breeze through this mission!"

The red button was in front of me, and there was a red grate on the north and on the east path. The north red grate was flooded by water from a red pipe, and the eastern one wasn't. However, just north of the eastern grate was a yellow grate flooded by a yellow pipe. I pressed the red button, causing the red pipes that were active to deactivate and vice versa. This revealed a yellow button that I pressed before pressing the red button again to completely remove the obstacles on the east path.

I followed the east path north and found a flooded yellow grate on my left. A red button was before me, but I didn't press it. Instead, I went north past the button and turned west, passing over a yellow and a red grate. I passed a path blocked by a flooded red grate and yellow grate, reaching a Gym Trainer who came at me with a Krabby and a Corphish. After defeating her, I pressed the yellow button not far from her and returned to the red button via the path that was previously blocked by a flooded yellow grate. I pressed the red button and went back north to the path with the previously flooded red and yellow grates.

I was very close to the end, which was blocked by three side-by-side flooded blue grates. I continued west over a yellow grate and turned south, passing a flooded red grate to the east. The path split into three directions, so I took the west path, taking down a Gym Trainer's Remoraid and Chewtle before proceeding to the red button she was guarding. I reached out to press it, but I hesitated. I went back to the intersection and looked south. It split in two directions that immediately merged, the west side having an unblocked red grate and the east side having an unblocked yellow grate. They merged at a dead end containing a yellow button. It wasn't a good idea to press the red button, so I went to press the yellow button, leaving a way out. Only then did I go back and press the red button.

I went back to the previously flooded red grate and pressed the blue button behind it. Now the way was open to the goal. I headed to the intersection and took the east path, reaching a path that led north and south. Seeing no reason to go south, I went north and completed the Gym mission.

As the satisfying fanfare accompanied Dan's exclamation of "Gym mission complete!", I waved to whoever was watching my attempt before proceeding through the door.

---

---

I walked through the long hallway and entered the cerulean blue arena. Like Milo did back in Turffield Stadium, Nessa entered the arena from the opposite side. We met in the center.

"Welcome, Gym Challenger Helix!" Nessa said. "Sorry if you had to look for me."

I shrugged. "No worries. Besides, I didn't even know you were gone. I just wanted to check out the lighthouse before taking on this town's Gym, and you just happened to be there by the sea."

"I see. Anyway, I know how difficult my humble Gym mission is..." Nessa's expression became one of surprise. "Yet you made it seem as simple as defeating a Vulpix with a Gyarados. Your mind as both a Trainer and a strategist must be very refined."

"Why, thank you. I always was exceptional at games requiring skill and strategy." I thought back to the days when I dominated the competition in Pokken Tournament DX with Decidueye. Not even Shadow Mewtwo players stood a chance against me.

"But know this: No matter how ingenious the plans you may be plotting, my partners and I aim to sink them." Nessa and I took our positions in the stadium. "Let's find out if you can withstand our torrent of attacks!" She sent out Goldeen, the Goldfish Pokemon.

I sent out Kilowatt. "Time to show them you didn't earn your nickname for nothing, Kilowatt!"

"Is everybody ready?" Dan asked. "Then let the battle begin!"

Nessa made the first move. "Goldeen, keep up by using Agility!" Goldeen boosted its speed by relaxing and lightening its body. "Follow through with Whirlpool!" Goldeen rapidly swam around Kilowatt, trapping him in a whirlpool. "Don't give him a chance to escape! Keep using Whirlpool!"

The skillful usage of Agility and Whirlpool amused me. "Impressive combo, but you're taking a big risk. Kilowatt, charge things up with Spark!" Cloaking himself in electricity, Kilowatt turned the water around him into a major hazard for Water-types. "Now pull Goldeen in with Bite!" I watched gleefully as Kilowatt grabbed Goldeen by the tail and dragged her into the electrically-charged whirlpool.

Nessa cringed. "I can't believe it! You used my own tactics against me!"

I crossed my arms in arrogance. "Ironic, isn't it? Trust me, I know how painful it is. I learned that the hard way." I thought back to the Sectonia incident. "But now's not the time to reminisce. It's time to finish this! Kilowatt, use Spark once more!" Kilowatt rammed into Goldeen, frying it and launching it out of the whirlpool. After a few seconds of splashing around, it stopped moving.

Dan exclaimed, "Goldeen is unable to battle, which makes Kilowatt the winner!"

Nessa returned Goldeen to its Poke Ball. "You really don't pull your punches, do you? Guess I'd better go all out as well!" She sent out Arrokuda. "Sometimes, the best strategy is to attack. Arrokuda, time to do what you do best! Aqua Jet!" Cloaking itself in water, Arrokuda rocketed straight towards Kilowatt.

"Knock it away with Tail Whip!" Kilowatt used its long tail to slap Arrokuda away, but the attack also caused the electric whirlpool to dissipate. "Uh oh, now you can be hit by direct attacks without them taking damage from the electricity!"

"That's what I'd hoped for." Nessa thrust her arm forward in a dramatic fashion. "Show no mercy with Fury Attack!" Arrokuda rapidly jabbed Kilowatt with its sharp jaw. Kilowatt was helplessly weakened by the whirlpool, so he was unable to dodge any of the attacks. He quickly fell victim to Arrokuda, which appeared to be quite proud of its jaw.

"Kilowatt the Boltund is unable to battle, so Arrokuda is the winner of this round!"

I stroked Kilowatt behind his ears before returning him to his Poke Ball. "Who's a good boy? You are. You deserve a good rest." I sent out my next Pokemon. "It's your turn, Nuzleaf!"

It wasn't audible to everyone else, but my enhanced Decidueye hearing picked up a small gasp from Nessa. "Another Pokemon with a type advantage... Why did he have to be so skillful? Arrokuda, use Whirlpool!" The fish Pokemon tried to make another whirlpool to replace the old one.

"I won't fall for that trick again! Use Razor Leaf!" This time, Nuzleaf twirled around and released several sharp leaves that counteracted the whirlpool's rotation, making it go away. "You'll have to be more direct if you want to take down my Nuzleaf!"

Nessa growled. "Humph, fine! Looks like I don't have much choice. Use Aqua Jet!" Arrokuda cloaked itself in water again and charged at Nuzleaf.

There was something about the look on Nessa's face that made me grin. It was like she was trying to put on a straight face, but deep inside she knew she was going to lose. I almost wanted to show her mercy, but as a Pokemon Trainer, it's my duty not to. "Now's your chance! Astonish!" Without warning, Nuzleaf quickly slapped Arrokuda with one of his large hands while letting out a ninja cry, leaving Arrokuda dazed and open to another attack. "Finish it with Razor Leaf!"

Nuzleaf swiftly took out the opposing Pokemon by sending a barrage of leaves to turn it into sushi. "Arrokuda is unable to battle, so Nuzleaf is the winner!"

"Down to one Pokemon already..." Nessa returned her second Pokemon to its Poke Ball. "But I didn't become a Gym Leader just to quit against a surprisingly skilled Trainer. Everyone's counting on me to give it my all!"

"Actually, I'm counting on Helix, not Nessa."

Overhearing this sentence from somebody in the crowd, I directed the Rotom Drones to the northwestern part of the stands, towards the source of the voice. To my concern, Pinkie Pie showed up on the jumbotron. "Pinkie Pie? First of all, you killed the moment by contradicting what Nessa just said. And second of all, I thought you were cheering on the others back in Turffield Stadium!"

"First of all, sorry about that. It isn't that I don't like Nessa, it's just that I really want to see you and your friends make it all the way to the tournament!" Pinkie smiled. "Second of all, I was, but there's no way I'd miss your Gym battle!"

Nessa gave Pinkie a half-perplexed, half-disturbed look. "But if you were in Turffield... how did you get here so fast?! I didn't see a Flying Taxi come into Hulbury!"

I shrugged. "She's Pinkie Pie. She probably broke the laws of physics to get here. If you want to get to know her better, here's my suggestion: There's probably some kind of show here in Galar about a group of equine Pokemon who use friendship to help others, right?"

There were a lot of different reactions from the crowd, from "Yes yes yes yes YES!" to "Only babies would watch that kind of crap. What kind of man-child would watch a show aimed at little girls?"

I fired an arrow at the person who said that last comment. "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? Go eat a bar of soap before you stick your foot in your mouth again, or my next arrow won't be a warning shot."

That got him to shut up.

I continued, "Don't knock it 'til you try it, okay? I assure you, it's not that bad of a show. I know this because I personally have been to Equestria, and it's an amazing place. Once you go there, you'll likely want to stay. Equestria's got quadrupedal insect Zoroark wannabes, griffons that can transform into equine mermaids, a dark unicorn stallion who feeds on fear, and the most amazing six ponies you'll ever meet!"

"Right..." Nessa said with uneasiness in her voice. "Uh, I suppose I'll take it into consideration, but don't expect me to enjoy it." In the blink of an eye, her expression went from confusion to ferocity. "We've kept the crowd waiting long enough. It's time to finish this!" Her last Pokemon was a blue turtle Pokemon that looked somewhat like Chewtle but bigger and more rugged. Overall, it was reminiscent of a Water-type Bowser. "Time to wash them away, Drednaw!"

I checked my Rotom Phone. "Drednaw, the Bite Pokemon. A Water- and Rock-type, its jaws have the strength to tear through steel rods. If it manages to bite down on its prey, there's no escape."

"Water- and Rock-type, eh?" I put it away with a smirk. "Well, how about that? You defeated my Boltund just in time for my Nuzleaf to unleash heck on your Drednaw!" I returned Nuzleaf to its Poke Ball in preparation for Dynamax.

"Your knowledge of type advantages is unnerving..." Nessa withdrew Drednaw to Dynamax it. "But that's no reason for me to give up! We'll flood the stadium and make it our ocean with the power of Dynamax!"

"Oh, yeah?" I asked as we each tossed our Dynamax Balls, "I doubt such a bulky and rugged Pokemon as Drednaw would be able to get the first strike." I clapped my hands together twice. "*clap clap* Nuzleaf, use Max Overgrowth!"

Nuzleaf put the palms of its hands together before forcing them outwards towards Drednaw, launching the seeds that sprouted into mushrooms and greatly drained Drednaw's health. After the mushrooms went away, the battlefield turned grassy. "Sweet, Grassy Terrain! Now yer in for it!"

Nessa looked and saw that Drednaw was still standing. "This is what Drednaw's defense is truly capable of! Now it's our turn to wash you away! Max Geyser!"

Drednaw opened its mouth to disturbingly large proportions before shooting a huge stream of water at Nuzleaf. The blast of water was powerful enough to cause clouds to form in the skies above and bring down rain.

"That's gonna leave a mark!" I called out to Nuzleaf, "You okay up there? Hope that didn't do too much damage!"

Nuzleaf let out a hearty laugh that about knocked me off my feet. "Ha ha ha! You thought that hurt me? It's just a scratch! That there Drednaw shoulda went for a move that didn't have a disadvantage against me!" He opened his arms wide. "Besides, this rain ain't half bad for a Grass-type like me!"

"Good. Then finish him with another Max Overgrowth!"

And just like that, Nuzleaf took out the last sliver of HP the opposing Drednaw was hanging onto. There's something about seeing a giant enemy explode that always puts a smile on my face. Could just be that I've watched too many episodes of Power Rangers.

"Nessa has no more Pokemon able to battle, which means Helix is the winner!"

"And that's how it's done." I high-fived my no longer Dynamaxed Nuzleaf. "Nice job blowing her out of the water!"

"To think that I was the one washed away..." Nessa sighed. "You're no rookie Trainer, or even mediocre, are you? The way you battled told me that you're a veteran Trainer who's been training Pokemon for quite a while now. Most ordinary Trainers know the basics of type matchups, but you didn't just rely on that. You used some amazing strategies, such as electrifying Goldeen's Whirlpool and disrupting Arrokuda's Aqua Jet with Astonish. Keep this up, and you'll be taking on the Champion Cup in no time." Nessa handed me the Water Badge, which I placed in the top right part of the ring. "With the Water Badge, you will be able to catch Pokemon up to level 30, and Pokemon up to level 50 will obey your every command."

"So I have the Grass Badge and the Water Badge..." I eyed the space between the two badges. "Could the third Gym specialize in the last type in the elemental triangle, Fire?"

"That's a question that you'll have to discover the answer to on your own. Right now, your next destination is Motostoke Stadium, led by the Fire Gym Leader Kabu."

Nuzleaf gulped. "Did... did she just say Fire-type? As a Grass-type, I ain't too good at handling fire. I sure wish I could help you out more, but Kabu's flamin' friends would burn me to a crisp! I hope you don't mind me takin' a back-row seat for when you take 'em on."

"It's okay, I know better than to use Pokemon that have a disadvantage against my opponent." I returned Nuzleaf to his Poke Ball. "When the time comes, I'll be ready with Gyarados and Rev Rock."

---

This time, the Gym official gave me TM 36, Whirlpool. Normally, this would be a great TM, but the only Water-type I've got so far is Gyarados, which has a poor Special Attack. I also earned a replica of Nessa's uniform, the Water Uniform.

Thinking ahead to the third Gym, I swapped out Kilowatt for Gyarados in case I forgot later on. I know firsthand that when it comes to Fire-type Pokemon, they can be very strong even when their moves are weak against the type of their opponent, so Gyarados's Intimidate Ability would help with physical-attacking Fire types.

I called the Doctor. "I've wrapped up my bout at Hulbury Stadium. Now it's your turn to show them who's boss."

I stepped outside, and judging from the sun's location in the sky, the time was about 3:30 p.m. It wasn't too late, but the Doctor still needed to take on Hulbury's Gym so we could head to the restaurant to meet up with Chairman Rose. I didn't want to keep him waiting very long.

For me, the tough part came next: finding a way to spend my time while waiting for the Doctor to defeat Nessa and take another step on his way to taking on the tournament.