Traveling Together

Professor Birch invited the two of them to stay for dinner. After several brief exchanges, he found himself increasingly impressed by the boy. Thinking of their trip to Rustboro City, he fell into thought.

"We've held you up for so long. Why don't you travel with us tomorrow?" Professor Birch invited them.

"Th... wouldn't that disturb you, Professor?" Zeno was tempted, but he was afraid of affecting their work and did not dare agree.

"How would that be a disturbance? I'm just an idle man. We happen to be heading back to Littleroot Town tomorrow, so we can take you with us. Then I'll have Hiraiwa drive you to Rustboro City."

"But..."

Zeno wanted to agree, but Kam's words resurfaced in his mind. He could not trouble others too much.

"Our research lab has every Pokémon in the Hoenn Region, as well as some from other regions. Don't you want to take a look?"

"Yes! I'll go!" The moment the professor said that, Zeno immediately agreed.

Kam: "..."

"Then it's settled. I'll have someone wake you tomorrow morning. Have a good dream tonight!"

After saying that, Professor Birch left contentedly, intending to check Hiraiwa's data again.

Early the next morning, the four of them set out by car for Littleroot Town. Along the way, they saw many Pokémon Zeno had never encountered before, and he was thrilled, practically pressing himself against the car window.

Only Professor Birch and Zeno sat in the back. During the journey, Professor Birch discovered that Zeno truly loved Pokémon from the bottom of his heart. Since he was planning to take the Rustboro Trainer School entrance exam, the professor felt inclined to test him.

"Zeno, if I remember correctly, your starter Pokémon is a Carvanha, right?"

"Mm, that's right."

"Then let me test you."

"Sure!"

"For Carvanha, its types should be Water and Dark. Do you know the type matchups for those two types?"

Professor Birch's question was not especially difficult, but neither was it simple. Not only would new Trainers struggle with it, even many somewhat experienced beginner Trainers could not answer it completely. He had asked because Carvanha was Zeno's starter Pokémon.

"Water is strong against Rock, Ground, and Fire, while being weak against Grass and Electric. As for Dark, it is strong against Ghost and Psychic, and weak against Fighting, Bug, and Fairy."

Zeno had learned all of that at his previous school. Many of his classmates hated memorizing such things, but Zeno found them fascinating, so he remembered them especially well.

"Not bad, entirely correct. Then let me ask you a harder question. If your opponent used a Gardevoir, what type of move do you think would deal considerable damage to it?"

This time, Professor Birch asked from the opposite angle to see whether Zeno could adapt. Compared to the previous question, the difficulty had increased quite a bit.

Zeno froze for a moment and slowly worked through the matchup combinations for the Psychic-Fairy dual typing in his mind. He gradually came up with an answer, though he was not entirely certain.

"I think... Poison, Ghost, and Steel."

"Oh? Why those three? Logically speaking, aren't Bug and Dark also strong against Psychic?" Professor Birch did not say whether his answer was right or wrong, instead continuing to question him.

Zeno grew a little nervous and began doubting his answer. But after thinking it over carefully, he still felt there was no problem.

"B-because G-Gardevoir's secondary Fairy type resists Bug and Dark. Even though... even though moves of those two types can still deal normal damage, they aren't as good as using moves from the other three types."

"I remember you telling me last night that you live in Big Shell Village. The Trainer elementary school in your village probably wouldn't teach you this, would it?" Professor Birch asked curiously.

"That's right, but there's a teacher at our school named Zhihe. She's especially kind. Usually, if I ask her something, as long as she knows the answer, she'll teach me."

"Did she teach you all this?"

"You could say that. Teacher Zhihe told me about the type advantages and resistances between all eighteen types, and she also taught me how to calculate dual-type matchups."

"She is a good teacher. But you're very clever too."

"Thank you for the praise, Professor." Zeno scratched his head awkwardly.

"Do you know about Abilities?"

Professor Birch continued asking. He was not trying to deliberately make things difficult for him; he simply wanted to know where his limits lay.

"I know a little. What I know best is probably Wingull. I remember it having three Abilities: Keen Eye, Hydration, and Rain Dish."

"Do you know their exact effects?"

"Keen Eye means move accuracy won't decrease. Hydration cures status conditions in rainy weather. As for Rain Dish, I don't know. I haven't seen a Wingull with that Ability yet."

"I'll tell you. Rain Dish slowly restores a Pokémon's stamina when it rains."

"I see! I'll remember that. Thank you, Professor!"

"Is there anything else you want to ask? While we have time, I can answer all of it."

Hearing that, Zeno suddenly remembered a question that had troubled him for a long time.

"Professor, it's another question about Wingull. Wingull evolves into Pelipper, right? Why is it that when some Pelipper come out of their Poké Balls, they cause rain in certain areas, while others don't?"

"That involves Pokémon evolutionary studies. Those are things Pokémon researchers learn."

"No wonder Teacher Zhihe said she didn't know when I asked her. Professor, could you explain it to me? I'm really interested in this!" Zeno looked at him hopefully.

"Haha, you won't need this knowledge for the Trainer School exam. But since you put it that way, I'll explain it to you. I never expected little Zeno to be interested in becoming a researcher too." Professor Birch said with a smile.

Zeno scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed. Still, he immediately took a pen and notebook from his backpack.

"When all is said and done, it's still a matter of Abilities. When Pokémon evolve, their Abilities undergo corresponding changes, though some retain their original Abilities. Take Wingull, for example. If it has Keen Eye or Rain Dish, its Ability remains unchanged after evolving into Pelipper. But a Wingull with Hydration will instead gain Drizzle."

"Drizzle... I see!"

"Pokémon Abilities are a very complicated subject. What I've told you is only a tiny fraction of it."

"But I think it's really interesting!"

"Hahaha, all right. You shouldn't be applying to Rustboro Trainer School. You should come work with me at Littleroot Research Lab instead." Professor Birch joked.

Zeno knew he was joking and did not mind. Instead, he continued, "Professor, everyone in our village hates Carvanha because they often get cut by their rough skin. Is that because of an Ability too?"

He had once thought the same as the villagers, believing it was simply a physical trait, until he met his own Carvanha.

"That's right. Carvanha's Ability is Rough Skin. Other Pokémon get hurt just by touching it, let alone humans." Professor Birch knew about this as well. Most fishermen disliked Carvanha.

"But my Carvanha's skin is very smooth. Even if I hold it, I won't get hurt. During battle, its speed suddenly rises. Is that another Ability?"

"Oh, you're very perceptive! That's the Speed Boost Ability, a Hidden Ability. You're very lucky. Carvanha like that are quite rare."

"Thank you, Professor. I understand now. Thank you for your guidance. I feel like I've learned a lot."

"It's nothing. I only spent a few words."

The two talked enthusiastically, and before they knew it, more than an hour had passed. The car had slowly entered the outskirts of Littleroot Town.