DRAGONESS
Clair's Story
Hear the unknown tale of the Gym
Leader in Gold and Silver
Jay Barial
Part I: The Journey Begins
Chapter One
The young Clair and Lance had grown up side by side even though they were only cousins who weren't even truly related in blood but by marriage. And when Clair's mother passed away, Clair stayed with Lance's parents.
They hung around the house with their friends usually, until they all eventually left their hometown to become Pokémon. Now it was time for both Clair and Lance to join the trainers too.
Both kids had their own Pokémon of course. Clair had a Horsea and Lance had Dratini. But neither ever thought of go around the world to battle against gym leaders. That is, until the actual day came.
Clair stood at one end of the arena, holding a Poké Ball with a Seadra in it.
"It shall be a six-on-six match," said the gym leader. He wore his hear an odd way and had a cape, making him look superior.
"I'm ready when you are," he growled.
"Pokémon, go!" she shouted.
Suddenly, a pillow hit Clair's face.
Clair yawned and slowly came out of her dream. Lance was standing next to her bed, holding the pillow. "As much as I love to hear you 'battle' in your sleep, it's breakfast time!"
"So today we're gonna tell them, right?" asked Clair.
"Of course," said Lance. "We both have Pokémon, so we want to train them to become trainers and travel around the world."
Clair nodded. "Yeah!"
The two marched downstairs, Lance in front since he seemed more confident about this than Clair.
As the marched down, Clair could hear Lance's more saying, "Oh no, here comes the Teen-Squad!"
That made both thirteen-year olds stop marching and just hurried downstairs.
Larry, Lance's father, and Lenni, Lance's mother, were both awaiting them at the kitchen table. Larry was reading the paper while Lenni was fixing some more to each. There were two places, Clair's and Lance's, at both ends of the table.
"Dad, Mom, we have an announcement," said Lance. "Clair and myself are both ready to become Pokémon trainers. I mean, I have Dratini, Clair has Horsea, and all we need are our Pokémon Licenses, and we can start! And they're more-or-less free! Just like, what, thirty bucks! I mean, we could even buy them, except that only you have to be eighteen-and-older to buy them."
"Does Clair have any input in this?" asked Lenni.
"I just really want to challenge a Pokémon gym leader," she replied quietly.
"So we don't care what you say, we are becoming Pokémon trainers, and that's final!" shouted Lance.
Larry shrugged. "Okay."
Lance seemed to flinch. "Don't you guys want to protest like parents always do. You know, 'You're too young to become a trainer' and stuff like that?"
"No honey, we think it's a great idea," replied Lenni. "In fact, we've already mailed Professor Oak last month. He and Agatha and sending us your Pokémon Licenses soon, supposedly today. The professor sent a Spearow that was said to come soon."
"Oh," said Lance.
Clair smiled. "Well thank you."
"It was suppose to be a surprise, but we figured that you'd be too happy to be leaving to coming trainers that you wouldn't think of the actual surprise," replied Lance's dad.
Lance smiled. "So, the licenses are coming today, huh?"
Chapter Two
Blackthorn Town was not much different than any other town, except that it was really small. Around it were several caves to different cities, one was even a deadly, puzzling, ice cave. There was also routes that lead to the other half of the continent where there were also gyms.
Lance's family was well known and many decades of his family had lived there too. There even once was a gym, until the evil band Team Rocket destroyed it and captured all the Pokémon there.
But now, Lance and Clair, unaware of all of this, would reawaken their families' Pokémon pride.
"Yippee!" cried Lance. "They're here!"
Clair nodded, very pleased. She looked at the small, laminated, licenses. It read, "Official Pokémon Licenses." It had her name, age, sex, birth, parents' names, guardians' name (Lance's parents), her home, and her first Pokémon, Horsea.
Lance's was similar to hers, except with different information printed on it.
"Well, thank you Larry, Lenni," said Clair.
"No problem dear," said Lance's parents.
Lance smiled. "I have an idea." He grabbed his Dratini's Poké Ball from off the table. "Dratini, come on out!" Out appeared his cute, little, dragon Pokémon.
"Tini," said Dratini.
"Dratini, you and I are going to go all around the world to challenge, or fight, gym leaders!" said Lance. "But the choice is up to you. Do you want to come?"
"Dratini! Dra, tini!" cried Dratini.
Clair smiled. "I wonder if Horsea feels the same." She picked up Horsea's Poké Ball from her bag. "Wanna come out Horsea?" She held out the Poké Ball and out of it appeared her Horsea.
"Sea," said Horsea.
"Horsea, I just got my Pokémon License today," said Clair. "Do you know what that means?"
"Sea, sea? Horsea?" answered Horsea.
"Oh, you don't," murmured Clair. "Well, I can become a Pokémon Trainer."
"Horse horsea horse?" asked Horsea.
Lance smirked. "I don't think Horsea knows much about what you're talking about Clair. You better explain."
"Well, Horsea, a Pokémon License allows you to become a trainer," said Clair. "As a trainer, you train Pokémon you receive and capture, like you."
"Horse sea horse?" asked Horsea.
"To fight other Pokémon," answered Clair. "Winning the battle shows that I have skills as a trainer, and you winning shows that you're strong, maybe strong enough to evolve."
"Sea! Sea! Horsea!" chanted Horsea happily.
"So then it's okay with you to fight other tough Pokémon!" said Clair.
Horsea stopped. "Horsea horse!"
"Well who do you think I was referring to?" asked Clair. "Look, all you need to do is battle one Pokémon, so that means there will only be a few battles with, so I can capture it, then I'll use it. Okay Horsea?"
"Horsea," agreed Horsea.
Lance was amazed. "How did you understand what Horsea was saying?"
Clair shrugged. "How couldn't you? I mean, this is my Pokémon, Lance."
"Well, you're good," said Lance. "Really good."
Chapter Three
Lance headed west, out towards the main route that led to the other side of the continent where many different Pokémon lived, while Clair was thinking about heading south and going to Violet City, but she wasn't sure.
"Horsea, where do you want to go?" asked Clair. Horsea was resting in Clair's arms, instead of her Poké Ball.
"Horse sea horse. Sea, sea, horsea, horse sea?" Horsea replied.
Clair moaned. "I don't know either. That's why I was asking you Horsea. Maybe we should head to Violet City. It'll be quicker than the other routes, except for the ice caves. Ready?"
* * * *
Not soon after Clair and Horsea left Blackthorn Town, a large Donphan thought it'd be funny to curl up, and roll after poor Clair and Horsea. The Donphan was chased both Clair and Horsea down the hill so far, that they thought they might in fact miss the cave entrance that was the short cut to Violet City.
But then, from out of no where, a blast of water sprayed the Donphan away.
"Who . . . who is it?" moaned Clair.
"Horse sea!" cheered Horsea.
From out of the shadows, a tall, lean, guy with dark hair stepped forward smiling. "That would be me and my Marril. My name is Trent Hawks, Pokémon trainer from the Cerulean Village."
"I'm from Blackthorn Town," said Clair. "Thank you for saving me and my Horsea."
"Sea," agreed Horsea.
"Marril, mar," said Marril, accepted Horsea's thanks.
Trent stepped forward, continuing to smile. "You know, you should never approach a valley full of Donphan without a strong and large Pokémon protecting you, or of course a water Pokémon. They'll think of you as pray and attack. But don't worry, in the valley below, only Phanpy roam so there isn't anything to worry about there."
"Actually I'm not going to the lower valley," corrected Clair. "I'm going to the cave that connects the valley to Violet City. So I won't be needing your help Trent."
Trent frowned. "Are you sure? There are many dangerous Pokémon in there, including a deadly ghost Pokémon."
"As scared as I am, I'm sure Horsea can handle it." Clair rolled her eyes, and she started to turn towards the path that led to the cave.
Still not giving up, Trent said, "If Horsea is strong enough. I want to challenge your Horsea against my Marril to see if your dragon can defeat my mouse."
"Excuse me!" Clair swiftly turned around. "My Horsea will be able to beat your Marril. How long have you had it?"
"Not too long. You'd be my first battle," explained Trent. "See, Marril and I were transported here by my . . . partners' plane. I'm suppose to be training my Marril under my boss's orders."
"You have a job?" asked Clair.
"Some would call it that. Others would call it a hobby," replied Trent. "I'm in a Pokémon training group."
"Cool, I suppose." Clair seemed a bit confused. What exactly did he mean by, "Some would call it that"? She had never heard of a "Pokémon training group" either. "I'd accept your challenge, except Horsea doesn't like to battle, right Horsea."
Horsea shook her head. "Sea, horsea sea horse!"
"You want to battle?" asked Clair.
"Sea!" said Clair.
"Good, this should be fun then," replied Trent.
Chapter Four
"Alright, my Pokémon shall be my Marril," said Trent.
"Mine will be my Horsea!" declared Clair. "Horsea, go!" Clair put Horsea down, and the dragon Pokémon hopped forward.
"Marril, go!" said Trent. Marril walked forward. "Water gun attack!"
"Mar-mar!" Marril shot a blast of water at Horsea and sent Horsea flying upward. The fall down would surely hurt Horsea.
"I know!" said Clair. "Use your wings to slowly float down."
Trent smirked as he waited for Horsea to land on the ground. But Clair didn't plan on waiting.
"Bubble now!" ordered Clair.
"Sea!" Horsea shot five bubbles at Marril, but the water-mouse Pokémon dived out of the way.
"Water gun," said Trent.
"Marril mar!" Marril shot three blast of water at Horsea.
"Sway Horsea, sway," said Clair.
As Horsea continued to float down, she swayed back and forth dodging the water gun attacks.
"Smokescreen," said Clair.
As Horsea landed, she shot smoke at Marril, blinding the mouse Pokémon.
"Tackle Marril, we can easily defeat Clair," said Trent.
"Bubble!" ordered Clair.
Horsea waited until Marril came running out of the smoke and banged into a rock. She shot five bubbles at Marril, distracting the mouse, but not really hurting it.
"Another tackle, at Horsea this time," said Trent.
"Leer!" ordered Clair.
Marril darted towards Horsea, but an angry stare slowed down Marril.
"Tackle!" said Clair.
Horsea headed towards Marril and slammed into the mouse Pokémon.
"Marril mar," murmured Marril.
Trent nodded. "I know how ya feel. You're tired and pooped. Marril, return." Trent held out a Poké Ball that sucked his Marril into it. "You were a good opponent Clair, your Horsea may become strong, but only if she learns some powerful attacks, like my Marril will."
"That's nice," said Clair. "Really, it is." In other words, she was saying that she knew Horsea was getting stronger and didn't care how powerful his Marril got.
"Well, I have to head to the beautiful Mahogany Town," said Trent. "It's north of your home town and north of the ice caves."
Clair nodded. "That's where my cousin Lance is headed."
Trent smirked. "I'll try to bump into him." He turned around and headed up the hill.
Clair sighed. "He seems like kind of a jerk, though he's kinda cute." She picked up Horsea. "Don't you agree Horsea?"
Horsea nodded.
"Let's head into the cave." She turned towards the path that led to the cave.
Chapter Five
As Clair entered the almost pitch black cave, the young trainer could see something, some sort of light, up ahead.
Clair slowly walked towards it, since she could barely see anything. As she got closer, she realized what it was.
"Horsea, it's the flame of a Charmander," whispered Clair. "But what's a Charmander doing down here?"
Horsea shrugged. "Sea-sea."
"Right." Clair slowly approached it, and opened up one of the Poké Balls, but then she stopped. "But what if there's a parent wandering around down here. If I capture the Charmander, it'll be chasing me for days."
"Horsea horse sea," suggested Clair's Horsea.
"Then I'll capture it if something attacks it." Clair shook her head. "But I'm not going to watch over it until it's parent comes." Suddenly, Clair heard something wandering their way. "See, here comes the parent."
Clair turned towards the footsteps. "I'm sorry, I was just looking after you Charmander . . ." Clair suddenly was face-to-face with the creature, and it wasn't a Charizard or Charmeleon, or even another Charmander.
It was a strange turquoise color, circular, with arms and legs, and a strange black tail with two spots on it. The eyes were closed, and the creature's mouth was frowning.
"Ah!" cried Clair in terror. "It's the ghost! It's the ghost! It's the ghost!"
Horsea leaped out of Clair's arms, to gain more air, and quickly floated towards the strange ghost Pokémon.
"No Horsea, normal attacks won't affect ghost!" cried Clair.
It was too late. Horsea was doing her aerial slam, and was trying to hit the Pokémon right in between the eyes when-
THUD!
Horsea's attack worked!
Clair was confused. "That's not a ghost!"
"Wobbuffet," growled the Pokémon in pain.
"Wob . . . buf . . . fet," pronounced Clair. She nodded. "That must be its name." She glanced down at Horsea. "Horsea, water gun."
Horsea inhaled and shot the blast of water at the giant Wobbuffet, but it wasn't enough to stop it.
The Wobbuffet ignored Clair and her Horsea and headed straight towards the little Charmander.
"No! Get away from!" cried Clair. "Smokescreen!"
Horsea turned towards the Wobbuffet and shot a blinding smokescreen, so it wouldn't be able to see the Charmander.
"So!" growled the Wobbuffet. It turned towards Clair's Horsea and it shot a strong ray at it, but Horsea leaped out of the way and into some water. Wobbuffet tried the ray attack again, but Horsea still evaded it but a Goldeen (who was trying to attack Horsea) got caught in the destiny bond ray. When the Goldeen tried to leave the destiny bond, it suddenly fainted.
Wobbuffet had cornered Horsea into a small corner of the water, and was about to use the ray attack, and Clair couldn't do a thing. Her Horsea was too weak to defeat Wobbuffet.
And then, the sound of wings filled the cave and a Golbat came flying down.