As our pair of Trainers reached the final stretch to Fallarbor Town, they ran into their friend, Marisa, and her disobedient Blaziken, Saenchai. They decided to have another battle to determine their Pokémon's progress. Although the older Blaziken had more experience, Summer and Blaze were able to counter his attacks due to their constant training. Frustrated, Saenchai made an illegal move, abruptly ending the match. Then the girls learned about Saenchai's history and how it shaped him into his violent tendencies against Blaze. After they separated, Summer headed to Fallarbor Town alone while Weldon went off to investigate a nearby explosion. When they reunite at the Pokémon Center, they learn about a convention featuring another part of the Pokémon world. What they don't know is that one of their friends used to be involved in it. Who is it, and what awaits Summer and Weldon into this part of the world they haven't experienced before?
P.S.- Since this will be a preview to a future side story based on its video game counterpart, I would love any feedback! :)
Chapter 26- Trading to the Next Level
After checking in and taking a much needed shower, I sat in the lobby of the air-conditioned Fallarbor Town Pokémon Center. It didn't feel crowded, but it seemed like there were groups of people dressed in track jackets and T-shirts with Poké Balls on them. Weldon hadn't come back yet, but I wasn't worried.
As I read the latest version of PokéPower Magazine, I heard someone dash in and out of the building. When I looked at the door, Weldon appeared with a bewildered look. I waved, and he came over.
He took off his hat. "Hey, Summer. Sorry it took me so long to get back."
"That's okay. What happened?"
He rubbed the back of his head. "Let's just say a person we know all too well just lost a Pokémon to a Selfdestructing Koffing."
"Oh no! I hope he's okay."
"You saw the news. He'll pull through. Anyway, anything going on around here?"
I showed him the article I was reading. It contained a picture of a blue card with a half-open Poké Ball in the center "Apparently, there's a Trading Card Game exhibition happening tomorrow. I guess that's why there's more people here than usual."
He sat next to me. "The TCG? You mean that game with the hologram Pokémon?"
"Yeah, that's it. They're going to have lectures and strategy sessions, exhibition duels, merchandise, and an open buffet!"
He chuckled. "I see. Is it free?"
"Yup, which makes that even better. Are you interested?"
"Sure. It'll be nice to take a break from training. Let me put my stuff away."
I handed him the room key and he went to the back of the building. The nurse, a mid-aged woman with curly chestnut brown hair and hazel eyes approached with a tray of six Poké Balls. In her hair was a gold pin showing the dizzy Pokémon, Spinda, tucked above her left ear.
"Here are your Pokémon, Summer," she said in an upbeat tone.
"Thanks, Nurse Hajitsu. How's everyone?"
"All in perfect health, especially your Blaziken."
I nodded with appreciation and accepted my Poké Balls. After she returned to the desk to help Weldon and I left Lightning out, my Pokégear rang.
Oh, it's Samir. I haven't heard from him in a while. "Hi Samir, what's-"
{Shh…!} He hissed. {Don't say my name out loud!}
I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? Is everything okay?"
He paused. {Yeah… Sorry I shushed you. You're in Fallarbor Town, right?}
"Yeah. Why?"
{I want to talk to you and Weldon but I can't be seen by anyone. Meet at the Fossil Maniac's house. It's at the edge of town near Route 114.}
"A-All right. See you later."
I hung up just as Weldon returned.
"Were you just talking to someone, Summer?"
I sighed as I stood up. "Yeah...he wants us to meet at a certain place."
"Oh, who?"
Lightning opened her mouth but I shushed her. "Sorry, Lightning. There may be Trainers with translators around."
"Aww, boo…"
"Don't worry, Weldon. It's someone you know. Come on, we should head over there."
We exited the building and walked west past large fields of crops until we reached a stone building with etchings on it. The words, "Fossil Maniac", were plastered over the solid wooden door.
When I opened the door, a man burst out of a dark hallway. He was a short, slightly chubby person wearing khaki explorer clothes.
"Oh, visitors!" he exclaimed with a mischievous grin, his voice very greasy. After he adjusted his thick rimmed glasses. "Welcome to my humble abode. I am the World…Famous…Fossil Maniac! Do you have any fossils on you, by chance?"
I glanced at my rival before replying, "No...we don't…"
"Oh, poo… Well, feel free to look around or whatever…"
Wow...that was a quick 180 there…
A familiar Omanyte crawled out from the hallway. He smiled and wiggled his tentacles. "Summer, you're here!"
I beamed. "Hi, Helix! It's good to see you again."
The Fossil Maniac glanced back and forth. "L-Lord Helix, you know these plebeians?"
"Plebeians?" Weldon retorted.
The Spiral Pokémon gave the man a wide smile.
"Oh, my apologies, Lord Helix." The man's expressions changed back to when he first greeted us. "I'm apologize for being so rude earlier. I try to not associate with anyone who has no interest in fossils."
I crossed my arms. "Well, I was the one who found Helix when he was a fossil."
"O-Oh my!" He bowed deeply. "My most sincere apologies! What brings you here, fossil lovers?"
"Well, our friend, Samir, told us to meet us here."
"Oh, that young archaeologist? He's in the back of my cave."
Weldon was a little taken back. "What do you mean by 'cave'?"
Helix motioned to us. "I can guide you there, Summer and unknown person!"
The Fossil Maniac nodded. "Go ahead, Lord Helix. I shall remain here and make treats for everyone!"
I gave an awkward nod. "Thanks… Lead the way, Helix."
"Lord Helix…" he hissed before we walked down the hallway.
The constructed corridor then transformed into a natural, carved one lined with stringed lanterns. We were inside the mountain range.
The Rock type glanced at the person he was unfamiliar with. "Who is the strange person next to you, Summer?"
"Oh, this is Weldon. He's also Samir's friend."
The Rock type smiled at my rival. "Hello, Weldon!"
"Uh...hi, Helix…"
I looked at the Omanyte. "Why does the Fossil Maniac address you as 'Lord', Helix?"
He shrugged. "I'm not sure. Maybe I have a strange power that grants people wisdom and luck."
I chuckled. "I think you do that without the need for strange powers, Helix."
He burbled with delight. Then, he stopped once we entered into a large chamber where someone had been excavating by hand. Samir was reading a magazine and looked up when he heard us. Next to him were Cappy, his Pikachu, and an Espeon.
Our friend breathed a sigh of relief. "There you are! You guys took longer than I thought."
"Hi, Samir," I greeted. "We would've been here sooner, but we were held up by the Fossil Maniac."
The junior archeologist sighed. "Let me guess...he held you up because you didn't have any fossils?"
"Yeah."
"No wonder why Helix went back into the house."
The Psychic type lifted her right paw. "I'm glad to see you again, Summer. And it is a pleasure to meet you, Weldon."
I cocked my head. "I don't remember you getting an Espeon, Samir. Unless…this is the Eevee you caught at the Ruins of Alph?"
My friend beamed. "Good analysis, Summer. She evolved before we left."
After we petted her, Weldon asked, "What did you want to talk to us about, Samir? Summer said it sounded important."
We joined him on the ground. Samir took a deep breath and showed us what he was reading. It was the same magazine I was reading in the Pokémon Center.
"How much do you know about the TCG?" he asked.
"Not much, to be honest." I replied.
Weldon echoed my sentiment. "I only know that there are battles with cards and holograms. Why? Did you used to be involved in TCG?"
Samir buried his face as Akasha nuzzled his left leg. "Yeah…I figured as much. You two are some of my closest friends, and I think you two could maybe help me. I haven't told this to anyone, so please keep this a secret."
"Of course," I reassured.
He looked up. "I...I was actually an up-and-coming TCG player when I was younger. I even lived on the TCG Islands for a few years when my parents saw my skills on the playmat. The 'Aantarik Shakti Kautuk', or 'Inner Strength Prodigy' was what they called me."
Weldon stroked his chin. "That's an interesting nickname. How did you get that?"
"Well...now that I think about it, it may be related to my abilities as a Legend Guardian." Samir stared at his watch, his Legend Guardian accessory. "With my ability, I can bring out a Pokémon's inner strength by teaching them Egg moves and I can sense the future of any Pokémon Egg."
"Hm…" I mused. "That does make sense since your grandparents own a nursery and day care in Johto."
"And I do remember you helping your Meganium, Banksia, learn Ancientpower back in the Power Plant in Kanto," Weldon noted.
"Yeah," our archaeology- loving friend said, his voice drifting. "And because of that, I had a stronger bond to the cards than a normal player would. I was able to understand how to use them efficiently, even talk to them. It was almost like…I felt their hearts, even though they technically don't." Then he leaned back. "But all of that changed after that…incident. The emotional scarring forced me to return to Johto and isolate myself from the world. The only thing that snapped me out of my fears was learning about archaeology. And eventually, I started my junior research assistant duties under Professors Elm. Doing all these things helped me slowly return to society, but...it still doesn't erase what happened to me. I...I can't go back outside until the convention's over… If anyone recognized me, I...I..."
So that's what Professor Elm meant about Samir being reluctant to traveling far from home…
Feeling his anxiety rise, I scooched over to Samir and placed a comforting hand on his left shoulder. "Samir, I understand what you're feeling. But you can't let this scare you into hiding."
"It's…safer this way, Summer…"
"No, it's not." Weldon adjusted his hat then stared into Samir's eyes. "If I'm being honest, I...I felt the same feelings of regret and fear after I lost the Silver League. People kept commenting about how I achieved the lowest ranking in a regional league for a Leland in over fifty years, how my win at the Indigo League was a fluke, and how I'll never measure up to Stanley…" After wiping a tear, he continued. "But during this hiatus, I've learned so much outside of competitive battling and realized how vast the world is without worrying about whether I win or lose. Every day, I'm slowly recovering from my trauma. Thanks to Summer."
I turned away as I felt my cheeks flush. "Th-The point we're making, Samir, is that you have to face your fears eventually. Otherwise, you'll never get out, literally or emotionally."
He grinned as he looked at our cave surroundings. "I guess you both make good points. And to be honest, I actually want to see how much has changed since I left. But how would I get in without being recognized?"
Weldon replied, "You can wear a disguise. I think you can fit some of the clothes I brought. Let me go get them at the Pokémon Center. I'll be right back."
After he left, Samir chuckled. "It looks like he's not the only one who's changed, huh, Summer?"
"Wh-What are you talking about?"
"Oh, I think you know what I'm talking about."
I feigned ignorance, and Weldon and I spent the rest of the day strategizing on how to have Samir attend the convention without being recognized.
The next day…
Weldon and I waited outside the white convention center by the Pokémon Center. Lightning was back in her ball, as Samir told us Pokémon couldn't wander around the event. As the visitors filed into the building, I glanced at my Pokégear.
"It's almost 9. Do you see him, Weldon?"
He looked to the west. "No, not yet. I hope he wasn't discovered on the way here."
I shook my head. "I don't think so. Besides, the clothes you gave him are more trendy than he normally wears."
"Hm…maybe I should go into fashion instead of competitive battling."
"Says the guy who keeps his style plain and simple."
He scoffed lightly. "I could say the same with your outdoorsy look."
"Hey!" But seeing his teasing grin, I couldn't help but smile back.
Soon our friend, disguised in a white shirt protected by a light blue sweater vest with dark blue stripes and khaki shorts, cautiously walked towards us. He hid his eyes behind a pair of sunglasses, and his bushy hair was hidden under a dark blue cap.
"Hey, sorry if I'm a little late," he whispered to avoid people recognizing his voice.
"Hey," I greeted. "Are you going to whisper during the whole event?"
He cleared his throat. "We'll see. My voice has been changing, so most people may likely not recognize it either."
Weldon laughed. "Don't worry. I'm going through a similar thing too, um… How should we address you without saying your name?"
Samir stroked his chin. "You can call me Mark, Mark Mint."
"Okay, Mark. Let's head inside."
We entered the building and saw it was decorated with balloons showing eight different elements, which looked similar to the Pokémon types. There was a hallway where vendors were selling food, merchandise, cards, and TCG-related equipment on the dark red carpet. An itinerary board showed there were exhibition duels and a room open for practice duels.
As we walked down the hallway, people didn't pay much attention to Samir, but they did to me and Weldon.
"Isn't that Summer Scorcher and Weldon Leland?"
"Oh wow! I never expected Pokémon Trainers to show up to this event!"
"I wonder if they're going to duel against any TCG Players?"
"Who's that guy with them?"
"I don't know, but he's kind of cute."
Wow… TCG fans are just as gossipy as battling fans…
When we reached the rotunda containing the rooms for the duels, there was a small crowd around a man with medium reddish-brown hair and dark eyes. He wore a white long-sleeved dress shirt, a formal black vest, and black slacks.
"Do you recognize him, Mark?" I asked my incognito friend.
He slid behind us and whispered, "That's Mr. Ishihara, a well-known retired player. He…he was also a mentor to me during that time in my past."
The man then noticed us and excused the crowd. He greeted us with a warm smile.
"You two must be Summer Scorcher and Weldon Leland, correct?" he asked in a didactic tone.
I nodded. "Yes, we are."
"Aha! I figured as such. I've been a fan of both of you. I'm Mr. Ishihara, a former player and mentor to future ones. Are you fans of the Trading Card Game?"
Weldon replied, "We're not as familiar with the game, but we are interested in learning more about it."
"Oh, excellent! I'd be happy to give you an overview and teach you the basics." Then, he noticed Samir crouching behind us. "Who's the person behind you?"
Samir cleared his throat and emerged from his hiding place. "I-I'm Mark Mint, Mr. Ishihara."
I thought I saw the adult smirk, but he gave our friend a beaming grin. "It's nice to meet you as well, Mark."
The doors opened for the centermost room, and a group of visitors filed out, talking excitedly about the recent duel. After a few minutes, two spiky-haired male teenagers exited the room. One wore a yellow and white T-shirt with matching shorts, and the other wore a red tracksuit jacket and dark blue jeans. The latter noticed us and allowed the other to head off into the hallway.
"Oh, there you are, Mr. Ishihara," the sporty-looking teen said, his voice a little raspy. "I had a feeling you're meeting with your fans."
"Oh, Jonathan, you know me so well! But these aren't really fans, they're actually well-known Pokémon Trainers."
The teen glared at Samir. "I recognize these two, but not this guy. Who're you?"
"I-I'm Mark…"
"Mark, huh? As in Mark Mint?"
My heart dropped.
Jonathan sneered. "So, you returned after all, Samir Patajhad!"
People around us gasped.
"Did he say Samir Patajhad?"
"The Aantairk Shakti Kautuk?"
"I didn't know A.S.K. was still around!"
They crowded around us, and to my surprise, many of them took out autograph books and cameras.
"Can I get an autograph from you, A.S.K.?"
"Yeah, and a picture too!"
"I really wanna see you duel again!"
"Everyone, please take a step back," Mr. Ishihara said as he made a pushing motion. "If there's a duel featuring Samir, we'll let you know."
The slightly disappointed people dispersed, and the former player guided us into an empty room.
Now away from the public, Jonathan growled, "Even here, you manage to get a small adoring crowd. But you're nothing but a traitor to me, Samir…"
My heart twinged at the teen's emotional pain.
The junior research assistant bit his lip. "Jonathan… I-"
"I don't want your apology, Samir! All I want now is to destroy you in a duel!"
"B-But I don't have my decks anymore."
Jonathan then whipped out a tied stack of cards and threw it at his former friend. "There! One of your stupid decks."
Samir saw the Pokémon facing up and frowned. "But this is my Squirtle and Friends deck. You have a disadvantage against it."
With a smug smile, the track jacket-wearing boy replied, "I have other non-Fire type Pokémon in my deck, you know. I'll give you thirty minutes to prepare." He left without hearing Samir's response.
"Samir," I whispered as he stared at the cards.
My friend sighed. "I guess I have no other way to convince him otherwise. You don't have to stay, Summer and Weldon."
I shook his head. "Are you kidding? You're our friend, Samir. And we're here to support you."
Weldon clasped his hand on Samir's shoulder. "Don't worry. If what you told us is true, then you can overcome this first step."
Samir clutched the cards and wiped a tear from his left eye. "Th-Thanks…" After scanning the cards, he frowned. "I should make some changes. Hopefully it won't take long to get the cards I need. I'll see you two later."
"Oh, wait just a moment, Samir." Mr. Ishihara took out a small rolled up piece of plastic from his chest pocket. Then he scrunched it in his hand, and it magically expanded. "I think you'll need this as well."
The Johto native gasped. "Y-You kept my playmat? But why?"
"I was hoping you'd return and reclaim it. But I knew that wouldn't be the case, so every time I went to a TCG event in the main regions, I brought it just in case I ran into you. I know your curiosity would've eventually been too great for you to keep avoiding them."
"I…I see." Samir accepted the playmat, shrunk it back to its miniscule size, and left the room.
Mr. Ishihara turned to us and beamed. "I'm glad Samir has friends like you to support him."
I raised an eyebrow. "Wait, you knew it was Samir all along?"
"Of course. I was the one who mentored him after all. 'Mark Mint' was one of the names he used to avoid being recognized on the TCG Islands. Samir was quite an up-and-coming player and wanted to separate his personal life from his competitive one. Jonathan, Samir, and another boy were my main mentees at the time. Those three were inseparable and promised to become the best players around." The man gave a wistful sigh. "But after that incident, Jonathan became a member of the Fire Club, and their other friend decided to travel around the TCG areas to further his skills."
"I know that this may be a sensitive topic, but what was the incident that made Samir leave?"
"I wish I could tell you, but I don't really know much about it myself. All I know is that Samir was involved with a counterfeiting and embezzlement scam that would've destroyed the legality of the TCG." He then looked at his watch. "I guess it's time for me to update the practice room itinerary to include this duel. May I join you two while you watch? I'm sure you are both still new to this style of battling."
Weldon nodded. "That's fine with me."
"And me as well. Thanks, Mr. Ishihara."
"Of course. I'll see you two later."
Once we were alone, Weldon stroked my chin. "A counterfeiting and embezzlement scam… Those are pretty big crimes, even outside of competitive battling."
"My concern is how Samir became involved. He doesn't seem like the person to do these things knowingly."
"I agree. But we may do more harm than good for now. I don't want to open up the old wounds too early."
"Yeah, let's let Samir tell us what happened when he's ready. Why don't we explore before the duel?"
"Sounds good to me."
Twenty minutes later…
Weldon and I sat in the designated room as we opened up the packs of cards we bought. As I shuffled through the ten cards, I gasped at the last one.
"I got a holographic Charizard card!"
It had a really nice image, where the Fire type was spraying flames from his mouth.
Weldon smiled. "Cool. You should keep it; you'll never know when it'll come in handy."
"Good idea. How about you?"
"Hm…nothing too special, though this Alakazam card is nice." He then stopped on one particular card. "I don't recognize this Pokémon called 'Relicanth', do you?"
I looked at the blue card. The image showed an ancient-looking dark gray fish with alternating light brown scales and similarly colored protruding cheekbones. It was swimming at the bottom of the ocean floor.
"Oh, it's a prehistoric fish Pokémon that somehow survived after 100 million years. It's rare to see a live one nowadays, but they are around in the Hoenn oceans."
"Interesting. It'll be cool to see one in person."
After putting our cards away, I mused, "I can see why the TCG is so popular. Between collecting and dueling, it's quite entertaining."
"An excellent summary indeed," Mr. Ishihara said as he sat next to me. "Compared to the earlier duels, this one has created quite a buzz."
I looked up and saw there were a lot of people around us compared to when we arrived. No wonder Samir was trying to hide from all of this.
Weldon asked, "So, what are the rules for dueling, Mr. Ishihara?"
"Good question, Weldon. First off, the Pokémon types currently in the TCG consist of Grass, Fire, Water, Lightning, Psychic, Fighting, Darkness, and Metal. Since the duels today are based on the original format, some of the current rules, like the use of Darkness or Metal Pokémon and other certain cards, don't apply. In any case, both players set up the duel by placing their playmats to activate the play area option of the electronic pedestals. They then shuffle their opponent's decks and draw seven cards from their own. From there, they select the Active Pokémon, the Pokémon they will first use in battle, before selecting any other Pokémon they want to the bench. These Pokémon have to be Basic Pokémon, which are Pokémon that are at the base of their evolution, like Charmander or Pikachu. Depending on the allotted length of the duel, the players then place between two to six cards as prizes."
"Prizes?" I inquired.
"Prizes are what the players can pick up if they defeat at least one of their opponent's Pokémon. Once everything is set on the play area, a coin toss determines who goes first. The players then flip over their Active and Benched Pokémon to start the duel."
He then motioned the rest of the explanation with his fingers. "The player can do the following after they draw one card: add any Basic Pokémon to the Bench, attach one unique Energy card type to any Pokémon, use a Trainer card, play a Pokémon's Pokémon Power, or retreat the Active Pokémon for one on the Bench. They can also evolve their Pokémon after the second player's first turn and as long as they have the appropriate Pokémon card. If the Active Pokémon has enough energy, it can attack, which automatically ends the player's turn. The player can also choose not to attack and end their turn whenever they choose."
I stroked my chin. "Wow, this sounds very complicated."
Mr. Ishihara laughed. "Don't worry. It's easy to pick up as a spectator. Besides, players nowadays tend to announce their actions. Very different from how I played, where the announcers did that for us."
A hush fell over the room as the lights flickered to signal the start of the duel.
A man in a blue suit walked to the center of the room, where a large elevated electronic platform flashed in different colors. The two pedestals Mr. Ishihara mentioned stood at opposite ends of the rectangular arena, where Jonathan and Samir were preparing their playmats. A television screen was mounted on the wall and showed the two playmats of the players. Jonathan's was orange and decorated with flames while Samir's was striped with red, blue, and yellow with the Legendary Birds flying around in a circle. Coins decorated in a similar style to their respective playmats were positioned at the bottom left.
"Welcome everyone, to this special exhibition duel! I know this is a last-minute one, but it appears to be the one everyone's looking forward to." After the crowd cheered, he pointed to the players. "On my left is a member of the Fire Club, Jonathan! And on my right, making his return to the TCG, is Samir Patajhad!"
Amidst the roars, I noticed Samir was shaking slightly as he was shuffling his cards. Don't be scared, Samir.
As if he read my mind, he took a deep breath and faced his opponent with confidence.
The announcer looked at the teens and said, "Now that our players have shuffled their cards, it's time for them to draw their seven cards and choose their Active and Benched Pokémon!"
Samir and Jonathan placed their decks on the top right of the play area and drew their first hands. After scanning the cards, Samir put his Active Pokémon at the center and two Benched Pokémon at the bottom face down on the mat while Jonathan did the same. The television screen reflected these changes. Then they placed four prize cards to the left of the Active Pokémon.
The announcer waved his hands. "Now that the play areas of both players have been set, I'll flip the coin to determine who goes first!"
The screen then displayed a close up of him flipping a shiny speckled Pikachu coin. Once he caught it in his hand, he showed the colored image to the camera. "It's heads, so Jonathan will have the first move!"
The Fire Club member smirked but Samir remained calm. The cards then automatically flipped over, revealing the hologram Pokémon underneath on the platform. On my friend's side appeared a Hitmonchan in the center with a Squirtle and Pikachu in the back. Jonathan's Active Pokémon, a Tauros, was backed by a Pidgey and, to my horror, a Vulpix.
Why did it have to be a Vulpix?!
"Are you okay, Summer?" Weldon asked.
Realizing I recoiled into him, I jumped back to my seat. "S-Sorry, Weldon…"
The announcer man waved his arms. "Now then, I will turn the commentary to our players!"
After the cheering subsided, Jonathan drew his card. "Guess you made some changes to the deck after all. I expected as much." After scanning his cards, he shouted as he showed the cards he was playing, "For my first move, I'm attaching this Fire Energy to my Level 32 Tauros!"
He placed the red card on top of his Active Pokémon, and the Colorless Pokémon roared happily as the flame symbol appeared over its head.
"Since I can't attack now, I'm ending my turn. You're up, Samir."
Our friend took a deep breath as he drew his first card. "First, I'm using this Bill card to draw two cards!"
As he was doing so, Weldon whispered, "I didn't know that the Pokémon Maniac Bill was on a card."
Mr. Ishihara softly chuckled. "There are a few celebrities and other well-known Trainers on those Trainer cards. They do special things that usually deal with decks or Pokémon. Even some items or actions are designed as Trainer cards."
Samir then took out another card from his hand. "Next, I'm placing this Fighting Energy on my Level 33 Hitmonchan!"
The Fighting type was pleased as he felt the burst of power.
"Now that I have the energy, Hitmonchan, use Jab!"
Hitmonchan hit its opponent with a quick left punch. This hurt Tauros so much that four black circles appeared over it.
"What's that?" I asked the former player.
"Those are damage counters, one counter represents 10 damage. They appear when a Pokémon takes any form of damage; once they get the maximum HP, or Hit Points, the Pokémon is knocked out and the player who did so gets a Prize card. Since Tauros is weak to Fighting Pokémon, the damage Hitmonchan did is doubled. On the opposite end, if a Pokémon has a resistance, then the damage is reduced by 30."
"I see. So it's a little similar to the type advantages and disadvantages."
"That's right. Though in the TCG, it's a little more simplistic, and a little confusing at first if you're more used to the traditional battles."
Now that Samir's turn was complete, Jonathan drew a card. "Guess you haven't lost your touch. I'm using my own Bill to draw two cards! Next, I'm attaching a Double Colorless Energy to my Level 8 Pidgey!"
"Why did Jonathan put the Energy card on Pidgey and not Tauros?" I wondered.
"It's because he's going to use the Tauros as a shield," Mr. Ishihara explained. "It's a common tactic for Pokémon with a lot of HP or for the first Active Pokémon."
After the Tiny Bird Pokémon flapped its wings, its owner shouted as he showed Samir the card. "Next, I'm evolving my Pidgey into a Level 36 Pidgeotto!" He placed the card on top of the Pidgey card, and a white light surrounded it. After a few seconds, a Pidgeotto appeared. "Now, I end my turn."
"I see," Weldon surmised. "Knowing that Samir will most likely knock out Tauros, he has a strong Pokémon waiting to take its place."
The man nodded. "That's right. I see you're analyzing this thoroughly, Weldon."
He can't keep his mind off battling strategies, can he?
"Guess I know who to expect next," Samir said as he drew his card. "I add a Level 12 Seel to my Bench!" After the Water Pokémon emerged on the platform, he continued, "Next, I'm adding a Lightning Energy to my Level 12 Pikachu!" Seeing the Lightning type powered up made him smile. "Hitmonchan, finish Tauros with Jab!"
Another super effective strike forced Tauros to its feet, knocking it out and causing it and the Fire Energy card on it to disappear and teleport into an area below Jonathan's deck. Samir then picked the top left card in the Prize area and ended his turn.
Jonathan then moved his Pidgeotto to the Active Pokémon space before drawing a card. "I'm attaching this Fire Energy to my Level 11 Vulpix!" After doing that, he showed a card with a bluish image that looked like ovals were being sucked into a white circle in the center. "Now, I'm playing the Energy Removal card, which will remove one Energy card on any of your Pokémon and send it to the discard pile!" Smirking, he pointed to Pikachu. The Mouse Pokémon braced itself as the suction from Jonathan's card moved the Lightning Energy into the area below Samir's deck.
"And now, Pidgeotto, use Whirlwind!"
The Bird Pokémon flapped its wings and did 20 damage to the Fighting Pokémon. Hitmonchan was then pushed onto the Bench.
"So, Samir, which Pokémon's your Active one now?"
Ignoring the player's mocking tone, he slid the Goldeen card to the center. "Seems like your turn's over now." After drawing his card, Samir shouted, "I'm retreating Goldeen to the bench for Pikachu!" He touched the Active Pokémon and swapped the Pokémon without any extra effort."
I turned to our guide. "You mentioned that strategy earlier. I thought Samir would have to do more for retreating, Mr. Ishihara."
"Retreating requires a certain amount of Energy, that's true. But the amount of Energy needed to retreat varies depending on the strength of the Pokémon. In this case, that Goldeen has no retreat cost, so Samir didn't need to have to remove any Energy on it to do that."
Weldon crossed his arms. "That's a pretty smart tactic just in case Samir found a better one."
"Now, I attach a Lightning Energy on Pikachu!" He then pointed at the Pidgeotto. "Pikachu, use Gnaw!"
The Lightning type bit its opponent's wings, and the Colorless Pokémon squawked in pain. Due to its weakness, two damage counters appeared over Pidgeotto's head.
Jonathan gritted his teeth. "Just like you to come up with that strategy." He played the card he just drew. "I'm using another Bill card for two more cards!" After doing so, he looked at them and smiled. "It's the beginning of the end, Samir! I'm evolving my Vulpix into one of my favorites: my Level 35 Ninetales!"
Samir flinched as the Fire type turned into its beautiful white evolution. "Not that one…"
Seeing he gained the mental advantage, Jonathan continued, "Now I'm adding a Fire Energy to Ninetales and a Level 18 Growlithe to my Bench!" Once the Fire Pokémon appeared, he shouted, "Pidgeotto, Whirlwind!"
The Bird Pokémon did 20 damage of its own to Pikachu, who was tossed back to the Bench.
Samir slid his Hitmonchan back to the center.
I wonder what he's going to do now.
Our friend showed the card he just drew: one with an image with a Magnemite and a Kakuna sitting within two open Poké Balls and moving in opposite directions. "With my Switch card, I can swap my Active Pokémon with one of my Benched Pokémon and not require any Energy to do so!"
Jonathan frowned as the Fighting Pokémon was replaced with the familiar Pikachu.
"Now, I'm attaching this Water Energy to Pikachu!"
"Shouldn't he attach a Lightning Energy to Pikachu instead?" I inquired.
Mr. Ishihara pointed to the television screen. "This Pikachu has a move with a Colorless Energy on it. That means any Energy type could be used."
"Interesting."
Samir waved his arm. "Finish Pidgeotto with Thunder Jolt!"
"Ah ah ah!" Jonathan interrupted with a finger wag. "Don't you remember the move's secondary effect?"
The Johto native picked up the coin on his playmat. "Of course, Jonathan. I haven't forgotten everything. If tails, Pikachu takes 10 damage." He flipped the object and when it landed, the image side was showing. "Looks like I'm safe."
His opponent growled as a bolt of lightning struck Pidgeotto and did 60 damage. The Colorless Pokémon fell and was transported to the discard pile.
After Samir drew his second Prize Card at the bottom left, Jonathan smiled. "Now that leaves room for my ace." He moved Ninetales to the center and drew his card. "After I add this Fire Energy to Ninetales, the fun really begins!"
Samir tried to stay calm, but he apparently knew what would happen next.
Jonathan picked up his coin. "If all goes well after 8 coin flips, then your Pikachu doesn't stand a chance."
He put it on the playmat and pressed it eight times. The coin automatically flipped, revealing its results to the television screen. With every heads, Samir's fingers twitched. Once it was over, there was a total of four heads.
Jonathan shouted with glee. "Finish that Pikachu with Dancing Embers!"
The Fox Pokémon's eyes glowed red as four small embers circled around it. They then flew at Pikachu, who fell at the last blow. The cards associated with the Active Pokémon disappeared into the discard pile.
Now at a slight disadvantage, Samir moved Hitmonchan back to the Active space as Jonathan took the top right Prize card. Checking the card he just drew to start his turn, he said, "I attach this Water Energy to my Level 8 Squirtle! Next, I'm activating this Poké Ball card!"
His opponent scoffed as his former friend picked up the coin. "You do realize you only have a 50-50 chance of it working, right?"
Samir flipped it anyway, but my heart skipped a beat when the blank side landed on the playmat. He sadly moved it to the discard pile and continued his turn. "Hitmonchan, use Jab!"
The Punching Pokémon struck with a light hit for 20 damage, but Ninetales was not fazed.
Jonathan drew his card and smiled. "Looks like this duel's really turning in my favor. I'm using my second Energy Removal card to remove that Fighting Energy!"
Hitmonchan winced as his Energy was transported to the discard pile.
But instead of attacking, he shouted, "Ninetales, Mix Up!"
Mr. Ishihara crossed his arms. "Interesting tactic, Jonathan."
"What does that do?" I asked as Samir followed the instructions of the secondary effect.
"It forces Samir to send up to three Pokémon cards back to his deck, shuffle it, and based on the number of cards he placed, that same number of Pokémon cards are randomly added to his hand. Then the deck is shuffled again."
"That's…really complicated… But Jonathan has the advantage now, right? Why would he do that?"
"To intimidate Samir," Weldon bluntly replied. "I've been through enough experiences that it's so easy to identify."
The former player sighed as Samir received three cards from his deck. "Jonathan…"
Now that the ordeal was over, the archaeologist began his turn. "I'm attaching this Water Energy to Goldeen and ending my turn."
He sounds a little defeated.
"Definitely the quickest turn you've had in this duel." Jonathan grabbed his card and pointed at Hitmonchan. "Ninetales, prepare for Dancing Embers!"
As the coin flipped, Samir looked at his hand more closely, as if he was coming up with a different strategy. With the last flip, the result was 5 heads.
"Yes, finish it!"
Ninetales heeded its owner's word and knocked out Hitmonchan with five embers. The latter was sent to the discard pile, and Samir replaced it with Goldeen.
After Jonathan got his second Prize card, Samir started his turn. He showed a card that had a star-shaped white light absorbing similarly colored light streaks behind a set of three pink spheres. "With this Energy Retrieval card, I can now get the Water and Fighting Energy cards that are in my discard pile and add them to my hand." After doing so, he showed another Trainer card. "Time for you to deal with this Energy Removal card!"
As Ninetales lost one of its Fire Energy cards, Jonathan was unfazed, as if he expected that to happen.
He then commanded, "Goldeen, use Horn Attack!"
The Goldfish Pokémon stabbed the Fire Pokémon for a super effective 20 damage, bringing it down to half health.
"You think that's enough to stop me?!" Jonathan gloated as he drew his card. "Now with my Energy Retrieval card, I can do the same to get two Fire Energy cards!"
Samir gripped his cards as his former friend added one of the Fire Energy cards he recently obtained to Ninetales.
"Another Dancing Embers!"
Another agonizing coin flip round resulted in 4 heads. With that, Ninetales knocked out Goldeen and sent another Pokémon to the discard pile.
Jonathan smirked as he picked his second to last Prize card. "What will you do now, Samir?"
Our friend gripped his cards tighter as he moved Squirtle to the Active space.
I gritted my teeth. Come on, Samir! The duel isn't over yet!
Samir drew the card on what could be his final turn. When he saw it, his eyes grew wide.
"I wonder what he drew," Mr. Ishihara pondered aloud.
After taking a deep breath, he showed the card he just obtained. "I now use my Professor Oak card!"
"That's extremely risky!" our guide hissed.
"What does that card do?" I asked.
"It…It discards the player's current hand and replaces it with seven new cards from their deck."
Weldon stroked his chin. "So he's relying on that hand to turn things around."
"It'll be a big gamble; something Samir has never done before."
I turned to my friend as he was getting the cards. "I hope the skills he told us about work out for him."
When he scanned the new hand, Samir smirked. "Looks like I got the advantage now."
"What are you talking about, Samir?! Even if you have a Wartortle card, it won't be enough to stop me!"
"Who said it had to be a Wartortle card?" He showed a card with a man carrying a rake over his right shoulder and a bag of Poké Balls.
The color drained from Jonathan's face. "Y-You added a Pokémon Breeder Trainer card to your deck?"
"That's right, and with this, I can evolve any applicable Basic Pokémon to its Stage 2 Evolution without needing the Stage 1 card. And it turns out, I got the Level 52 Blastoise I need!"
He threw it on the Squirtle card. The white light of evolution transformed the Kanto starter into its fully evolved form.
"Now I activate Blastoise's Pokémon Power, Rain Dance!"
Storm clouds appeared overhead and it rained once the Shellfish Pokémon stomped on the platform.
"With this, I can attach as many Water Energy cards as I need to any of my Water Pokémon before I attack!"
"NO!" Jonathan screamed.
After gifting two Water Energy cards to the Active Pokémon, Samir shouted, "Blastoise, use Hydro Pump!"
It aimed its cannons at the Fire Pokémon and blasted water at its opponent. Ninetales fell back from 80 points of damage and the discard pile accepted its latest victim.
Samir was about to pick up his third Prize Card when Jonathan reluctantly placed his hand on top of his deck.
"J-Jonathan…"
The player bitterly responded, "I-I surrender… No matter what I do, the result will be the same."
The room erupted with cheers. The announcer returned and said, "What an exciting duel, everyone! Give a hand to the winner, Samir, and his valiant opponent, Jonathan!"
Everyone stood up and applauded. As we did the same, I noticed the Fire Club member was silent, his anger seething into my heart. Though a lot of people wanted to get autographs and photos of the winner, Mr. Ishihara shooed them out.
Jonathan grabbed his deck and crumpled his playmat under his left armpit. Samir ran over, but stopped when the player glared at him.
"You may still be good at dueling, but that doesn't change anything. I hate you, Samir, and I never want to see you again!"
For some reason, that outburst rattled me.
"Are you okay, Summer?" Weldon asked.
I forcibly nodded. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks, Weldon."
Mr. Ishihara shook his head. "He has more of a temper than his clubmate. Anyway, that was an excellent victory, Samir. It brought back some good memories."
"I-If you say so, Mr. Ishihara…" Samir clutched his possessions as a tear streaked down his face.
The man gently clasped his former protégé's arm. "Don't worry, Samir. Jonathan will come around, I promise."
I gave Samir an encouraging smile. "He's right. Plus, you were able to play again after all these years. How did it feel?"
He wiped his eyes. "I-It actually felt exciting and scary at the same time. I can't believe I missed those feelings so much."
Mr. Ishihara laughed. "It's something that never truly goes away if you still have the passion for it. Please come visit the TCG regions again, Samir. I'd love to have a nice long talk, just like before."
"I-I'll think about it. It was good to see you again, Mr. Ishihara, and thanks for giving me back my playmat."
"Of course, Samir. And I'm happy you've made friends who support you. I hope you come visit too, Summer and Weldon! The area's quite different yet at the same time, familiar."
I nodded. "Thanks, Mr. Ishihara."
After we waved goodbye, Samir, Weldon, and I were able to escape the convention center without being noticed and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon together.
A blue-haired teen wandered along the dirt path on a large island. He felt his Pokégear vibrate and answered the call.
"Oh, Mr. Ishihara. It's been a while."
{It definitely has! How have you been?}
"Oh, the same old, same old. Are you back in the main regions for an event?"
{Still as perceptive as ever. As a matter of fact, I just met someone you're quite familiar with.}
He clenched the device. "I-Is it Samir?"
{Yes, it was. And he even did an exhibition duel.}
"H-He did?! Can you tell me everything that happened, Mr. Ishihara?"
{Of course! After all, you've been the most concerned out of everyone's Samir is acquainted with in the region.}
The teen breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, sir."
{Of course, Ronald.}
Summer's Pokémon:
Blaze (Blaziken, male): Brave Nature, Blaze Ability, moves: Fire Punch, Flamethrower, Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut
Errol (Noctowl, male): Rash Nature, Keen Eye Ability, moves: Psychic, Confusion, Hypnosis, Air Slash
Aurora (Dewgong, female): Calm Nature, Thick Fat Ability, moves: Water Pulse, Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Signal Beam
Lightning (Raichu, female): Adamant Nature, Static Ability, moves: Thunderbolt, Iron Tail, Thunder Punch, Grass Knot
Rocky (Steelix, male): Lonely Nature, Rock Head Ability, moves: Stone Edge, Crunch, Dragonbreath, Iron Tail
Olive (Treecko, female): Timid Nature, Overgrow Ability, moves: Pound, Screech, Mega Drain, Quick Attack
Weldon's Pokémon:
Venusaur (male): Serious Nature, Overgrow Ability, moves: Solarbeam, Body Slam, Sludge Bomb, Vine Whip
Fearow (male): Adamant Nature, Keen Eye Ability, moves: Drill Peck, Steel Wing, Fury Attack, Aerial Ace
Golem (male): Bold Nature, Rock Head Ability, moves: Rock Slide, Earthquake, Rollout, Double Edge
Gyarados (male): Sassy Nature, Intimidate Ability, moves: Surf, Ice Fang, Payback, Waterfall
Arcanine (male): Naughty Nature, Flash Fire Ability, moves: Hyper Beam, Extremespeed, Flare Blitz, Fire Blast
Electabuzz (male): Rash Nature, Static Ability, moves: Thunder, Mega Kick, Thunder Punch, Shock Wave
Questions for the Chapter:
What is your experience with the TCG?
What did you think of Samir's past as a TCG player?
What did you think of Mr. Ishihara and Jonathan?
What did you think of the duel?
