Author's note: in reference to Elocue, it looks like the creature that gives you the electricity power in "Kirby: Crystal Shards" for N64. For all non-gamers, try to figure it out from my description. Remember, it's like an onion or a fat, short teardrop! Enjoy!
Chapter 11--The Makers of the Dead
Matt checked Martin's map for the next town. As he set off, he thought about his recent Gym battle. He had used his knowledge of type advantages in the battle, expecting them to apply to the mountains as well as his own home, Kanto. To his surprise, he had discovered that knowledge of the land was as important as knowledge of an opponent's Pokemon in the Mountain League. He shrugged off his thoughtful mood. His Pokemon would come through for him; he had great faith in them.
Matt decided to let his Pokemon out for some fresh air while he walked. Caterpie, the foot-long green catapillar with a tri-pointed red crest on its head, never entered a Pokeball, and was already snoozing in his backpack. Vulpix bounded alongside Matt as he and Squirtle, who was sitting on Matt's shoulder, played cards on top of his backpack.
"Hmm...nah, go fish."
At that moment, Matt heard a shout. He and his Pokemon hurried to find the source of the disturbance. Someone was in trouble! Looking over the top of a ridge, he saw a young trainer, cornered by two black-cloaked figures.
"Give up, child! You cannot resist our power!"
The trainer scowled. "You leave me and my Pokemon alone! I choose you--Sandshrew!"
The strangers, whom Matt was sure were Clanners, laughed. "Very well. If it's a battle you want, it's a battle you'll get. I summon-- Rohkum!" A large, black wolf appeared in a burst of purple-black-red light that came from an amulet around the Clanner's neck.
Matt quickly descended the ledge to watch the battle. "Martin, record everything--in detail." Martin immediately began recording the battle, and data on the stranger's monster.
The young trainer and his inexperienced Sandshrew were quickly defeated. As the boy returned his Pokemon, his attackers closed in. Before they could harm the child, however, Matt interrupted.
"Why don't you fight me instead of attacking rookie trainers, coward? Show me your face!"
One of the cloaked figures turned. "I follow my orders, you interfering fool. You call me a coward? Ha! I shall show you my face!" He threw back his hood.
Matt gasped. His face was covered with Clanner tattoos to resemble a skull, with marks around the eyes, nose, and mouth, as well as along his temples. It was a frightening image. Seeing his surprise, the Clanner sneered.
"You seem surprised, questioner of my honor. I am of Skull Clann-- Clann of the Makers of the Dead! I serve the Overlord, and he has ordered me to seek small children in this World." Matt thought for a moment that he saw something flicker in the Clanner's eyes as he said that, but it was soon gone. Glancing behind him, the Clanner saw that the boy had wisely run for his life. He scowled. "You have allowed my quarry to escape! I must away--I have sworn to fulfill my mission, and my honor is my life!"
As he prepared to leave, Matt stepped forward. "You're not going anywhere. I challenge you to a battle, Clanner! Go--Hurricane!" An enormous bird Pokemon from the Mystery Leagues erupted from its Pokeball.
The Clanner frowned, then whistled, bringing his own monster to him. "Rohkum, attack!"
Matt grinned. "Hurricane, let's get him!"
As Hurricane's powerful Ice Storm rushed toward the wolf, the Clanner shouted, "I summon--Necro Shield!" Again, the amulet lit up, and Hurricane's attack was absorbed by a wall of black light! Looking at his opponent, Matt saw that he held five thin pieces of paper in his hand. They reminded him of something--but what? He had no time to wonder, however.
The wolf leaped at Hurricane, slashing it with powerful claws and ripping at its throat with its razor-sharp fangs. "Hurricane, return! Let's see what these can do!" From a secret pocket of his jacket, Matt pulled a stack of almost impossibly thin crystal sheets. Holding one up, he was about to use it when the Clanner pulled another piece of paper from his hand.
"You fool! You are no Summoner--you have no magic to stop me! I summon--Magic Block!"
The crystal chip grew white-hot as Matt struggled to hold on to it. Finally, it shot out of his hand with the force of the Magic Block.
The Clanner looked disdainfully at him. "Do not attempt to Summon unless you are prepared! I have no more time to waste here. Farewell!"
Matt slowly picked up the crystal chip, his hand still stinging. "That was certainly strange," he muttered to Caterpie. "What was he talking about?" Shrugging, he continued his journey. Matt knew that he had to earn ten badges to help Yuugi and Benjamin defeat the Mountain Champion--before it was too late.
"Benjamin, I still don't understand this. What exactly do Pokemon trainers do?"
In a case of the blind leading the blind, Benjamin, knowing little more than Yuugi about Pokemon and Pokemon trainers, began to explain. "Pokemon trainers are people who train Pokemon to use different battle techniques and become stronger. They battle other trainers to prove who is the strongest and most skilled, and gain battling experience. In way, it's rather like your card game. There is one important difference: Pokemon battling isn't about numbers or facts. No matter how much you know about a Pokemon or an opponent, they can still surprise you. In your game, monsters have a set attack and defense. They also have a particular set of abilities. A Pokemon's abilities are determined by how well you train it.
The other difference is moves. In Duel Monsters, you use magic and trap cards to help your monsters. In Pokemon, you teach Pokemon different techniques, or moves, to use in battle. There are many different moves, and they aren't all offensive. Support moves can be very similar to magic cards.
To be a good trainer, you have to catch lots of different Pokemon. If you see a new kind Pokemon, you're supposed to fight it until it's weak, then capture it in a Pokeball. A Pokemon trainer is allowed to carry up to six Pokemon with them at one time, so any others they capture are stored via a computer system at the trainer's home League laboratory. That's why all Leagues have one. The reason a trainer needs many different Pokemon is because different Pokemon have different strengths. However, in order to be a good trainer, you must raise and teach them all, and treat them well. That's really all there is to it."
Yuugi was about to ask more questions when a small, onion-shaped creature about the size of Benjamin's head bounced into view. Its bottom half was blue, with a jagged line separating the green upper half. Atop its point was an antennae, topped with a round, yellow ball. It seemed to be unaware of the two travelers as it bounced along, smiling benignly.
"What is that thing?" Yuugi whispered.
Benjamin looked at it. "It's a Pokemon."
Yuugi sighed. "I know that! I meant, what kind of Pokemon is it, and what should we do?"
Benjamin shrugged. "Pokemon trainers send out their Pokemon to fight wild ones so they can become more experienced. I've seen them do it."
Yuugi sent out Luminaras. "What do I do now?"
Benjamin gave him a Pokeball. "First, you have to attack it. When it's weak, throw this Pokeball at it."
Yuugi stared at him. "Are you sure?"
Benjamin nodded. "I've seen Pokemon trainers do this. You wanted to know how to be a Pokemon trainer; this is how they do it."
Waving aside his misgivings, Yuugi attacked the Pokemon. "Luminaras, attack it!"
"Umbre?"
Benjamin whispered, "Use your Psychic again."
"Umbre!" As before, Luminaras' eyes glowed and a wave of energy shot toward the opponent.
The Pokemon finally seemed to notice them. "Elocue!" it shrieked as it began to bounce away.
By that time, however, it was too late. The creature, presumably an Elocue, shrieked as Luminaras' powerful Psychic attack slammed into it. It nearly collapsed when the smoke cleared.
Benjamin nodded; it was weak enough. "Now throw the Pokeball at it. That's how trainers do it."
Yuugi threw the Pokeball without question. Benjamin knew what he was talking about...didn't he? Elocue shrieked one last time as it was sucked into the Pokeball and promptly captured.
Yuugi was shocked by its sudden disappearance. "What happened to it!?"
Benjamin picked up the Pokeball and gave it to Yuugi. "It was captured. Pokemon are stored inside of Pokeballs; I'm not exactly sure how it works, but their data is stored on PC, and they can be reconstructed when you open the Pokeball. It's much the same as a Summoning, but Pokeballs work by technology, not magic. Come on; you should get the Pokemon to a Pokemon Center."
Yuugi stared at the Pokeball in his hand. "I didn't hurt it, did I?"
Benjamin shrugged again. "Not much; it was only knocked unconcious. It should be fine. Remember, Yuugi--now that you've caught that Pokemon, it's yours. You can return it to its Pokeball and take it with you, and it is legally considered your dependant. That means that it will probably obey you, but you have to take care of it. It's far more complex than it seems."
Yuugi walked along in silence. So a Pokemon belonged to a trainer once it was captured...was that really right? Was it unjust to force a Pokemon into service to a trainer? Yuugi asked Benjamin, mistakenly believing that he would have a definite answer. Yuugi should have remembered that Benjamin, bound as he was by honor, would have little to say in support of Pokemon trainers.
"Benjamin? Is it...wrong to capture Pokemon? Aren't they unhappy being forced to serve a trainer?"
Benjamin had no easy answer to this question. "Pokemon don't have to obey trainers, although they usually do, whether because they become attached to the trainer or because they respect their power. Still, it is true that Pokemon are taken away from their normal lives, and often never return to their homes once they travel with a trainer. Some Pokemon may resent this at first; others may not mind. It depends on the individual.
Since Pokemon are sentient, it could be considered slavery to train them, but it may not be. After all, the Pokemon is becoming stronger and learning, so a trainer could be considered to be more like a teacher or a guide. Many trainers think of their Pokemon as their friends, albiet friends that they met through battle.
I wouldn't really know how Pokemon feel about being captured; Taru and Kura chose to come with me. I suppose it's different for me than for most trainers. I would never capture a Pokemon, simply because they would have to leave their World and be put in grave danger if they came with me. I couldn't force any living creature to do that."
Benjamin did not intend to give Yuugi a guilt complex; he was merely stating his own beliefs. Yuugi, however, realized that he too would force a creature to leave its World by capturing it, and it would be in danger because of the Overlord if it came with him. He and Benjamin continued walking along the barren, stony path. Whether it was right or wrong, he had captured the Elocue, and he had a feeling he would need it to earn ten badges and defeat the Champion.-o-o-o-o-o-At last, Benjamin saw lights ahead. Entering the town, they saw that most of the buildings were constructed from slate-colored brick, a mineral obviously rich in the surrounding area. The entire town seemed rock-solid. Even the Pokemon center was a bluish-gray building, hewn out of a natural rock outcropping. Inside, it was illuminated by lanterns strung along the ceiling.
The nurse smiled at the two young trainers. She couldn't help chuckling when Yuugi asked her if she could repair his damaged Pokedex. "It's not badly damaged; I should have it up and running again in no time. So, what brings you to Stone Town?"
Benjamin quickly explained that they were looking for the Pokemon Gym. Nurse Joy frowned. "Are you sure you want to challenge Boris? He's a very powerful trainer. He and his rock-types overpower many rookies. If you're really sure about challenging him, let me give you a little advice. His Pokemon are at home in his Gym. Don't expect type advantages alone to win your match."
Thanking her, they left. Yuugi and Benjamin approached the Gym. It was a large, square-shaped building, made of lustrous obsidian, which gleamed brightly in the noon sun. The double doors were made of granite, smoothed by harsh mountain winds.
Just as they were about to enter, Yuugi and Benjamin heard an angry shout. "Hey, you! Give back my Pokemon!" It was the Gym Leader! Followed by a sandy-haired trainer holding a single Pokeball, he raced forward.
Two ominous, dark-cloaked figures stood before them, one taller than the other. "You have no hope of defeating us, elder. We have taken your Pokemon, and now we will take our true target--the child!"
Before they could reach the young trainer, however, Yuugi and Benjamin came to the rescue. The Gym leader looked at them skeptically. "They've taken my Pokemon, or I would fight myself, and Derek here has only one Pokemon, injured in our battle. Are you sure you can beat them?"
Benjamin nodded. "Are you ready, Yuugi? Stop, you thieves! We challenge you!"
The Clanners, for Clanners they were, threw back their hoods. All but Benjamin gasped at their horrible, skull-like tattoos. They both stared at Yuugi.
"It's him!" the taller one said in amazement.
The other turned on him ferociously. "So you challenge us to a battle, you and your scrawny friend? Very well. We accept! I Summon-- Daishi!" Like the other Clanners, this one, a young boy with the dark hair characteristic of Skull Clann, wore an amulet around his neck, which glowed purple-black-red as his monster appeared.
The other Clanner, an older, more experienced fighter, grinned. "And I Summon--Kieran!" he said, his amuler also glowing.
Two enormous black wolves, virtually identical to those Matt had battled earlier that day, appeared before them; Skull Clann seemed to favor this type of monster.
Yuugi reached into his pocket. "They already know who I am, so I may as well use my Deck."
Yuugi's yami, having finally recovered somewhat from the loss of energy he had suffered, observed the battle from within Yuugi's mind. Yuugi, Summon Silverfang. He will be an even match for these creatures.
Yuugi nodded, glad that his yami was back on his feet, figuratively speaking. "Right! I Summon--Silverfang!" The Duel Monsters card in his hand lit up with pure, bright white light, and a large, silver-furred wolf appeared, baring its fangs.
Benjamin glared at the Clanners dangerously. "In that case, I choose Timber!" Another wolf, this one thin with shaggy, mottled fur, appeared, looking equally ferocious.
"I'll summon the Ruby Moon to boost Silverfang's attack power by adding to his energy," Yuugi said, thinking fast to convert his Duel Monster card effects from the card game to Summoning so he knew which ones to use. "Because my teammate has also chosen to battle with a wolf, it helps him as well. Now, Silverfang--attack!"
Benjamin joined the attack. "Timber, go from the left and protect Silverfang's back!"
The Clanners laughed at these efforts. "You have used the Ruby Moon, little Summoner," the older one said, cold eyes glinting under his grayed hair. "I shall choose--Moonshadow! You will see its effects soon enough, and this battle will be over! Now, Kieran--attack the silver wolf!"
The Clanners were a good team, but not as good as Yuugi and Benjamin. "Timber, deflect their attack!"
While Benjamin distracted the Clanners, Yuugi searched for another card to play.
What about the Spellbinding Circle? Yami suggested.
Yuugi shook his head. "No--I have other plans for that card. I summon--Swords of Revealing Light! Now your monsters are paralyzed, and we can defeat them! Silverfang, attack!"
The younger Clanner looked worried, but the older one simply shook his head, laughing. "Hahahaha! You forgot about my Moonshadow. It negates your magic--the magic of your paralyzing swords. We are free to attack!"
To their surprise however, Yuugi seemed unconcerned. "I thought Moonshadow might be a magic cancellation card, since you didn't use it to increase your monsters' power. I'm afraid one of your monsters won't be moving even with your Moonshadow card. I activate--the Spellbinding Circle! I choose Kieran as its target! Now, Silverfang--attack!" Yuugi had cleverly saved his trap card, which was easier to activate quickly than a magic card.
The Clanners knew they were no match for this formidable Summoner. "You have won a battle. Do not think you have won the war!" With that, they ran off, quickly disappearing into the wilderness of the mountains.
Yuugi gathered up the Pokeballs the two Skull Clanners had left behind. "Here, Boris. These Pokeballs belong to you."
The gray-haired man's scarred face brightened in a broad grin. "I'm much obliged, young trainers. Now that I have my Pokemon back, I suppose you want to challenge me to a battle. Well, I'm all yours. Let's go!"
Yuugi and Benjamin followed Boris into the Gym. It was time to battle for their second badge!
