Pokémon TCG: Sword and Shield—Brilliant Stars

Pokemon Platinum chapter 9

It has been a few months since our heroes, and "villain" last saw each other, and news of the Magma/Aqua joint take over has finally reached Johto, and it is clear Chris will not be sailing to Hoenn anytime soon. Dissappointed at this news he has continued to train, todays chapter mostly headlines his dealings with Clair, the Johto League Champion living in Blackthorn.
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"What sort of Pokémon is that?" Chris wondered, staring agape at Dragonair. He recalled Vaporeon and took a deep breath. "No Pokémon can take that sort of punishment."
"Maybe it's been trained not to care about pain," he speculated. "I can't imagine what techniques a person would use to train their Pokémon that way though."
"Didn't I tell you dragons are virtually indestructable?"Clair asked coyly."They are not only hard to catch, and raise, but are extremely hard to beat didn't my grandfather teach you anything?"
Chris grittd his teeth. so far Clair had lost 1 pokemon, but he'd lost 2 to this Dragonair. He thought about what his next Pokémon should be. He decided in about three seconds.
"Go, Gyarados"
"Dragonair, Ice Beam!" Clair's strategy wasn't at first apparent to Chris, but seeing the beam hit the ground around Gyarados and freeze it, making the twenty-foot long monstrosity unable to keep friction on the ground, explained everything. The leviathan tumbled to the ground with an earth-shaking crash.
"Dragonair, keep up the assault,!" She ordered."Keep up an Ice Beam on Gyarados!" Gyarados had been temporarily frozen, but it was all Dragonair could do to keep it that way.
Chris bit his thumb nail in frustration. If Gyarados fell, then he'd virtually be out of the battle and he wouldn't get the opportunity to join the dragon clan. He hoped Gyarados could somehow break free, he had trained his pokemon to also be self-reliant, and follow thier instincts if he ever came up blank in battle. Somehow Dragonair faltered with the Ice Beam, which allowed Gyarados just enough to free itself.
"Dragonair try another Ice Beam!" Clair ordered. This time Chris was ready.
"MOve out of the way!" He commanded. Gyarados responded instead with a Hidden Power attack, which launched rocks at Dragonair pelting it, which caused it to further let up with the attack.
"I don't understand this attack." Chris thought. "Now its Rock, but a few days ago it was flying I don't understand this attack.
Gyarados now completely defrosted was in a rage, and without orders fired a Hydro Pump at Dragonair.
"Dragonair, use your crystals to change the weather from calm into windy." Clair said calmly.
Obeying the command, the serpentine dragon's crystals on its neck, and tail glowed a whitish-blue color, and suddenly the wind picked up, dispersing the attack.
"Grr." He was now beginning to lose patience, he starred as Clairs' cape began to billow in the wind. It was clear she knew how to use her pokemon in mysterious ways.
"Dragonair, use Thunderbolt!" was her next command.
Chris was awestruck.
"What?! Thunderbolt?"
He watched as Dragonair began charging itself with electricty, and fired it at Gyarados. What sort of trainer she must be if she got her dragons to harness the power of electricity. All he could do was watch as Gyarados was struck by the huge bolt of electricity, it wasn't overly powerful, but still it left a mark.
Gyarados' once bright red scales were now charred, and somewhat blackened. If he somehow won this then Gyarados would need some time to recuperate. The wind was picking up even more, so he opted for a different approach. He recalled Gyarados.
"Go, Umbreon!"
"Umbreon, Toxic!" Chris ordered. Dragonair gracefully glided over the spew of sludge, and lunged at Umbreon, only slightly slowed by the ever increasing wind.
"Dragonair, Iron Tail!" Clair tipped her hand. Chris stood, stunned, as Dragonair's tail was enveloped in light and it slashed Umbreon across the gold circle on its flank.
"Umbreon, try your Moonlight attack!" Chris ordered. It become dark, and everything was enveloped in shadow, lit only by the moon. This would make it almost impossible for anything but Umbreon to fight well, but Clair was still on his second Pokémon, and heneeded all the advantage they could get. Wasn't it Karen, Chris reflected, the youngest Darkflower sister from his own hometown, that had said Dark Pokémon always have the advantage in the shadows?
"Dragonair, use your crystal to make the sun shine!" Clair ordered, using a new strategy, or she would have, but Chris immediatly countered with another Toxic, this time the powerful poison attack hit.
It was clear Dragonair didn't have much time left, so it began fighting as savagely as it could.
"Dragonair, another Iron Tail attack!" Clair ordered. Dragonair tried to strike Umbreon using the light from its tail, but its deliruim from the poison, coupled with the shadows cast by the moonlight prevented it from doing anything.
"Umbreon, Shadow Ball!" Chris ordered.
The Shadow Ball knocked Dragonair back towards Clair, it slumped down, and went limp.
Clair sourly recalled Dragonair, and sent out a Milotic.
"Milotic, put an sleepy aura about Umbreon!" Clair ordered with a smirk. Chris bit his tongue to avoid swearing. This wouldn't go over well, as Clair seemed more than capable of handling her Milotic in odd ways.
"Umbreon Quick Attack!" Chris yelled. Umbreon reared its head and slammed into Milotic, sending the serpent to the ground, Milotic trilled a panicked aura, and stopped outputing the sleep aura.
"Milotic get up, and use your Dragonbreath attack!" Clair ordered.
The serpent hummed a calming song before firing greenish flames from its mouth at Umbreon, who deftly dodged the attack, and hid back in the shadows cast by the moon.
"Umbreon, another Shadow Ball!" Chris ordered.
Umbreon's rings glowed faintly in the dark, before it jumped out, and attacked. The dark ball hit Milotic, and sent it reeling.
"Hurry finish it with Quick Attack! Before it uses Recover!"
Almost without Chris having to finish the order, Umbreon sprung into action once again, and speed at Milotic, knocking it to the ground twitching.
"Not bad, now Im beginning to see what my grandfather sees in you." She said as she recalled Milotic. "But now I have to win further prove myself as a worthy successor to Lance!"
Clair then sent out a Kingdra, who appeared in the small pond.
"Tch, Umbreon, Toxic!"
Umbreon spewed another blast of sludge at Kingdra, who responded with a Hidden Power-which was Psychic by nature-
Umbreon looked confused as the sludge came right back at it, poisoning it.
"Yes!" Chris said as he smirked to himsellf. Umbreon began glowing with a purple aura, as the poison took effect, and transferred the same aura to Kingdra inducing the same poisoned stated Umbreon was in.
"Whats going on?" Clair asked puzzled.
"I'll explain, Umbreon's special ability is called Synchronize, which has the same effect as Magic Coat, so since it was poisoned, so is you Kingdra!"
Staring, Clair gasped disbelievingly. "No, it can't be Im gonna lose to you?"
Chris held up 3 fingers,"This is how much time you have left, better make em all count."
"Kingdra, Hyper Beam!" Clair ordered knowing Kingdra only had minutes left.
Umbreon took the hit straight on, since the poison had sapped most of its strength, but thanks to the moonlight, its health was restored to it.
"You see Clair? The bond Dark pokemon share with the night is powerful, not only does it provide them with protection, but heals them as well."
Clair was beginning to completely lose her cool as Chris stood before her jeeringly.
"Kingdra, Rain Dance!" She ordered.
The dance served three purposes. First, it gave both It a slight advantage. Second, it wettened the mostly dirt ground and would, hopefully, provide for some quick erosion once the water started full force. Third, since Kingdra had to move about to dance anyhow, it was an evasive manoeuvre that deterred Umbreon only slightly.
Chris seeing this as an oppurtunity, recalled Umbreon, and opted for Sparky.
"Sparky, use 100% power for your Thunder!"
The mouse nodded, and with the rain, it only strengthened the attack.
The hit was spectacular, first Kingdra's body glowed yellow, then white as the voltage increased then a huge explosion occured. When the dust settled Kingdra lay unconscious in the pond, charred, and black,
Clair recalled it.
"Well, it seems you have bested me, well I would giive you a badge, but this wasn't an official gym match, so I'm sorry." She said coldly.
"Clair!" They both whirled around to see an old man, the Dragon Clan Grandmaster Sasuke! He seemed somewhat angry.
"Clair, why must you be so difficult, give this young man a badge for his victory."
"But.." Clair started.
"No, buts just do it!" Sasuke ordered firmly.
"Fine." Clair turned back to him."Chris here's the Rising Badge, hold on to it..for now."
With that Clair turned away, and walked off in the midst of the still falling rain.
"Well Ryu, its been a while hasn't it?"
Chris nodded, remembering Sasuke didn't know his real name.
"Master I have been utilizing your teachings, and following your practices, and I even hatched, and trained that egg you gave me 3 years ago."
Sasuke nodded. "Well keep on your path, and fight for your beliefs, Ryu remember that."
Chris bowed. With that the Grandmaster turned, and left.
 
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After beating Clair, Chris decided it was time to pay an old 'friend' a visit. Speeding down the road he heard some familiar voices.
"No, Santoru it's my job to assassinate James Evans!"
"Sanoske, you decide, me , or Sakura?"
Chris stood staring at them before yelling,"Why don't you just play rock, scissors, paper?"
The 3 ninja's without even looking up charged at him, surrounding him in less than a few seconds.
"Well stranger, if you would like to gamble with your life, here's good a place as any!" Sakura sai, not realizing who she was talking to. Chris looked at all three of them before replying.
"Well.." He said as he took off his sunglasses. "I could use the exercise." Turning his cap backwards.
The 3 ninja's looked at him, and Sanosuke went first. He opened with a right hook, which Chris easily blocked, and wrapped his arm around Sanosuke's, and countered with a sai thrust kick which sent Sanosuke flying into a tree, he coughed up a little blood.
"Come on, is that all you've got?"Chris taunted.
Sakura, and Santoru attacked at the same time, alternately attacking with combinations of punches, kicks, and various jutsus.
The scuffle was over in a few minutes, and Chris was the only one standing.
"Santoru, Sakura, Sanosuke Im disappointed in you."
The 3 ninja's looked up, and finally noticed the face of thier former squad leader....
"So, how are things with you three?" Chris asked.
"Back in Team Aqua, things are in turmoil, we're at war with Team Eco, and so far its been hell."
"Well I guess Archie must miss me now." Chris said.
Santoru replied. "That would be an understatement."
"So just where, were you heading just now?" He inquired.
"I was supposed to meet Lance, for a deal of sorts." Chris replied.
"Hm, I heard Lance was in Olivine talking to Jasmine, maybe you should get there."
Chris nodded. "Thanks, you guys better train harder."
With that he sent out Salamence, and flew off into the sky.

After 4 days, Chris had finally reached Olivine, and the Magma/Aqua takeover in Hoenn was still on the news, "Another few weeks, and the Pokemon League would deal with it." He thought.
Walking around he decided to challenge Jasmine to a match, and maybe earn some respect in this town.
It was starting to sprinkle, and Sparky was getting agitated. It was then he got a call.
"What?" He answered.
"Chris, where are you?" A voice asked.
"Is this Lance?" He asked.
"Yes, now where are you?"
"I'm in Olivine, what about you?" Chris inquired.
"Im in Mahogany, at Lake of Rage, the deal is cancelled, I've taken my business elsewhere." With that Lance hung up.
"Hello?, Hello? grr." Chris was now standing in the rain, it seemed to rain a lot nowadays, "Must be the rainy season.", he said to himself.
Chris finally located the Gym, and went inside, it wasn't to much trouble picking off her underlings, in fact it was way to easy. After defeating the last of them Chris marched up the steps, and sat down to await her return, in the mean time he decided to evaluate his team. Turning on his pokedex, he looked at his team.
 
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He decided that he should switch Tyrannitar for Vaaporeon for this battle, and that would put him over the top hopefully.
"Excuse Me?"
Chris loked up to see Jasmine standing at the foot of the stair.
"So, you're here." Chris said sounding somewhat bored.
Jasmine narrowed her eyes.
"Yes, and I assume you want to get your *** kick, huh?" She asked degradingly.
Chris laughed before answering.
"No, but I sure could use a warm-up for my Hoenn League challenge."
Now it was Jasmine's turn to laugh.
"You, take the Hoenn League challenge? You'll have to beat me first." She said. "The rules are in accordance with the Prime Cup regulations, so anything goes, but no items can be used in battle, so save them for after. Now lets go!"
Chris thought about what his first Pokémon should be. He decided in about two seconds, but it seemed like much longer. "Go, Meganium!"
"Go, Charmeleon!" Jasmine sent opted first for her fire Pokémon.
Chris could tell this was going to be a challenging battle so he started with a simple technique.
"Meganium, put a soothing aura around Charmeleon!" He called out.
A soothing scent wafted through the field, making Charmeleon somewhat drowzy.
"Charmeleon, Flamethrower!"
The small dinosaur shook off its drowsiness, and launched a stream of fire at Meganium.
Meganium countered by instinctively putting up a Light Screen. The flames reflected harmlessly.
"Charmeleon, Smokescreen!" Jasmine tried a diversionary tactic. The smoke filled up the arena as Charmeleon squatted down and then.
"Now, use Brick Break!"
The attack shattered the barrier, and then Charmeleon attack with a Metal Claw, it hit Meganium more savagely than he had predicted.
Chris frowned, that attack wouldn't have worked if Charmeleon didn't have the smog to cover its advance.
"Go, Gyarados." Was all Chris said.
"Charmeleon, Beat Up!" Jasmine smiled confidence.
Leaping up to Gyarados' face in a single bound, the thin, wickedly-clawed Pokémon slashed at the dragon's eyes. Gyarados shook his head furiously to try and repel the blows, but failed.
A few red scales flew off and Gyarados howled in pain.
"Gyarados, Dragon Dance!" Chris ordered. The dance deterred Charmeleon slightly.
Snarling, the dragon coiled around Charmeleon, blocking the thing from getting away. Without orders, it bashed Charmeleon with its tail.
"Gyarados, Hydro Pump!" Chris ordered.
A torrent of water erupted from Gyarados' mouth, and KO'ed the small dragon.

Jasmine next chose her electric type Pokemon Ampharos.
"Substitute!" She ordered calmly. A small, baby-Kangaskhan-looking doll appeared.
"Gyarados, Hyper Beam!" Chris yelled.
"Ampharos, Thunderbolt!" Jasmine yelled at the same time.
Just before the beam of energy struck it and shattered the decoy, at the same moment the lightning bolt hit Gyarados. Ampharos still stood just across from Gyarados' unconscious body lying on the ground, slightly hurt but still conscious.
"Damn it," Chris muttered. "I was hoping Gyarados would at least hit before going down. Go, Umbreon!"
He said amazed at this turn of events.
"Umbreon, Shadow Ball!" Chris shouted.
The attack knocked Ampharos off balance.
"Follow it up with a Quick Attack!" Chris shouted.
Umbreon grabbed Ampharos with its teeth and held it , Chris winced. It was an amateurish mistake.
"Get it off of you with a Iron Tail!" Jasmine shouted.
"Umbreon, quick, break off and tackle it to the ground!" Chris ordered. Umbreon moved so swiftly that it surprised even him, and Ampharos was pinned in an instant, but the static field projected by Ampharos, ectrocuted it making it jump back.
"Umbreon, Toxic!" Chris ordered. Ampharos jumped over the spew of sludge, and lunged at Umbreon with surprising agility.
"Now, attack it with Brick Break!" Jasmine said.
The electric type Pokemon lunged at Umbreon with its...flippers? Hands? And struck Umbreon savagely, the Eeveelution staggered before getting struck by a Thunderbolt.
"Your opponent's weak, finish it Vaporeon!" Chris yelled as he sent out his Water Eeveelution.
Chris knew that Ampharos couldn't have much vitality left, so he immediatly went on the offensive,
"Vaporeon, Quick Attack!" He ordered.
The mermaid-like pokemon sprung into action, scoring a hit that sent the electric sheep reeling.
"Now finish it with an Ice Beam!"
The beam of ice froze Ampharos solid rendering it useless, so Jasmine declared it unable to battle, and sent out her last pokemon. "A Steelix." Chris muttered. Another defensive type.
Chris had always had trouble with this particular Pokemon in the past, but he had since made up a strategy that may just owrk.
"Vaporeon, Ice Beam!" He yelled. Chris's strategy wasn't at first apparent to Jasmine, but seeing the beam hit the ground around Steelix and freeze it, making the thirty-foot long monstrosity unable to keep friction on the ground, explained everything. The diamond-hard snake tumbled to the ground with an earth-shaking crash.
"Vaporeon, keep up the assault!" Chris ordered. Jasmine gritted her teeth in frustration. If Steelix fell, then she'd be out of the battle and she would have to surrender her badge.
"Vaporeon, Surf!" Chris completed his usual strategy.
Or, rather, he would have, if Steelix hadn't chosen that opportunity to slam Vaporeon into the ground with its tail.
"Vaporeon, get up, and use an Ice Beam at Steelix!" Chrisordered. Steelix had been partially frozen, but it was all Vaporeon could do to keep it that way.
"This is really getting to them," he noted with a somewhat sympathetic tone. He then hardened emotionally, shooting a look at Jasmine and Steelix. "Vaporeon, Surf!"
A torrent of water erupted from God-knows-where and flooded the arena, soaking both sets of trainers, and seeping into the cracks in the ground, now a few feet of water covered the ground.
"Now use Whirlpool!" Chris shouted. Vaporeon hopefully got out of the way, because the several feet deep water all swirled into one very large tornado comprised of water. though Steelix was massive enough to stay in one place. Its eyes were closed in silent suffering, obviously the torrential whirlpool was grating it.
"Stop flailing about!" Jasmine shouted. "Just use Iron Tail!"
Steelix look at Jasmine, but obeyed nonetheless. Steelix raised its tail, which became covered in light, broke through the vortex, and brought it down with a crash on Vaporeon. Chris cursed for a moment.
Thinking quickly Chris selected Salamence, and ordered it to use a Dragon Dance to keep the Whirlpool going. That was a mistake.
"Steelix, combat it with a Sandstorm!" Jasmine ordered, she smiled to herself, she knew exactly how this was going to work. You didn't become a steel Pokémon master without knowing everything there was to know about the type. As the segments all along Steelix's body began to spin around, emitting a thick, swirling mist of roaring sand, it mixed with the water, but wasn't strong enough to halt either the pounding winds or the swirling tempest alone, and against both all it accomplished was to add small bits of quickly-whirling mass to the cyclone. Against Steelix this wouldn't be an issue, and Salamence would know instinctively to protect itself from the swirl, but...
"Now, imitate a Rapid Spin!" She commanded.
Steelix's body sections began spinning, alternating between clockwise and counter clockwise between them,it now controlled the swirling mass of water, sand, and rock.
It moved toward Salamence menacingly, Chris thought hard.
"Salamence, Hyper Beam at the base!" He yelled.
The dragon obeyed, hunched on all fours and fired a multi-colored beam at the base of the cyclone causing it to collapse at the loss of stability.
Steelix stood at the center of the arena, relatively unharmed.
 
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