Pokémon Platinum (Currently being rewritten as Pokémon: Platinum Chapter)

Chapter 18: Hearthome City Gym

Dawn, Barry, and I walk into the gym. Roark decided to spend the day on his own. I see a lady in a purple dress at one end of the battlefield. "I am Fantina," she says. "Welcome to the Hearthome City Gym."

I step up to the battlefield. "I will be your first challenger. My name is Chris."

Barry goes to the bleachers. He already beat her. I smile as she throws a pokéball. A Duskull appears floating above the battleground. I look at my feet. Eevee nods and runs out to the battlefield. "Quite brave," Fantina states. "Using a Normal type in a Ghost type gym."

I nod. "I'm not your usual trainer."

Eevee and Duskull glare at each other. The referee stands at the side of the field. "Let the battle between Chris and Fantina commence. Round one, Eevee vs. Duskull."

He chops the air. "Begin!"

"Pursuit!"

"Protect."

The Ghost type bounces off the barrier put up by Eevee. "Iron Tail."

Eevee runs forward. She hits Duskull repeatedly. Eevee jumps back, landing by me. "We're doing it!" she shouts excitedly.

I nod. "Let's go. Dazzling Gleam!"

Eevee runs forward and jumps in front of Duskull. As she brightens, a small ball of flame hits her. "Will-O-Wisp?!"

Duskull faints after the light from Eevee fades. Eevee limps back to me. "It hurts..."

She lifts her right paw. I hold it. A burn is searing on her leg. "Do you want to sit out?"

She shakes her head, holding back tears. "I can do this!"

She blows on her burn, lessening the pain inflicted on her. She turns around. "Let's go, Chris."

I nod. The referee points his arm at me. "The round goes to Chris. Round two begins now!"

Fantina throws her second pokéball to the field. A Haunter appears. Eevee is constant pain. I nod. "I believe in you, Eevee!"

She surrounds herself in a white aura, then dashes forward. "Quick Attack? That won't affect him!"

She continues towards Haunter, ignoring her pain. She jumps through the Ghost type, but uses Iron Tail as her tail passes through. Haunter is sent flying upward and Eevee lands on the ground. Her right paw hits the ground first. She yelps in pain and falls to the ground. "Chris!"

I gasp. "Eevee!"

She slides across the ground for a few feet before she stops. Haunter looks at the small pokémon and laughs. Eevee shakes as she stands up. She turns around and stares at the levitating Ghost. "Eevee," she says to him.

"Haunt, haunt!" Haunter replies.

Eevee steps forward, but falls down again. I see tears in her eyes. "Chris, I can't move."

I sigh and walk to the battlefield. I pick up Eevee and carry her to the sidelines. "Eevee is unable to battle. The round goes to Fantina!"

I set Eevee on my bag. I grab a pokéball from my belt and look at Haunter. "I'll fight fire with fire," I say.

I throw the pokéball, releasing Rotom into the battle. Rotom grins and stares down Haunter. Fantina grins. "Let's start. Shadow Claw!"

Haunter dashes forward and scratches. "Dodge."

Rotom speeds backwards, narrowly dodging the attack. "Ominous Wind!"

Rotom shouts his name and Haunter is blown back, hit with the powerful move. "Thunder Wave!"

Rotom sends a jolt of electricity to Haunter, paralyzing him. "Haunter!" Fantina yells.

"Shadow Sneak," I say.

Rotom disappears and reappears behind Haunter, ramming him. Haunter falls to the ground. He rises up slowly and glares at the grinning Rotom. "Shock Wave," I say.

"Hypnosis."

Haunter raises his arm to Rotom. Rotom is caught in a trance and falls asleep. He drifts to the ground, leaving him open to attack. "Shadow Claw. Repeatedly!"

Haunter dashes forward and scratches at the Electric-Ghost type furiously. "Wake up!"

Rotom gives no response. He hits the ground. I look at him. He is unconscious. "Rotom is unable to battle. The round goes to Fantina."

I drop to my knees. "No."

I return Rotom and grab another pokéball. I throw it. Piplup stands in the field, ready for battle. "Go. Whirlpool."

Piplup jumps up and creates a vortex of water above her. "Pip!"

She throws it down at Haunter. "Lup!"

Haunter is trapped in his watery grave as he is slammed with the pressure. Haunter drops to the ground when the whirlpool disappears, unconscious. Fantina returns Haunter and grabs her last pokéball. "Go, Mismagius!"

A Mismagius appears before us. Her strongest pokémon. The battle is just beginning. Piplup readies up and growls. "Shadow Ball!"

Mismagius creates a dark orb in front of her and fires it forward. Piplup is too slow to dodge it and is hit with the full force of the attack. I gasp as Piplup slams into the ground. "Piplup!"
"It's over," Fantina says. "Psybeam!"

Her pokémon fires a beam of psychic energy at Piplup. Piplup shouts in pain as she is ravaged by the power of the attack. She drops to one knee, still awake. I see her get to both feet, albeit shakily. Piplup fires a Bubblebeam at her dealing minimal damage. Mismagius readies another Shadow Ball. Piplup charges another Bubblebeam. They both fire their attacks, stopping them in their paths. I grit my teeth as Piplup's attack is being pushed back at her. Suddenly, Piplup is enveloped in a blinding, white light. Fantina gasps as Piplup grows and changes her shape. A Prinplup is standing where Piplup was. The Bubblebeam pushes the Shadow Ball back at Mismagius. She fires more Shadow Balls, but to no avail. They all explode is her face as the attacks collide on her. The dust settles, revealing Mismagius on the floor, knocked out. "The battle is over. The match goes to Chris and Prinplup!"

Fantina smiles and returns Mismagius. She walks to me from across the field. She opens a case. "You've earned this," she says.

I grab a badge with three purple orbs arranged in an upside-down triangle. They are connected by a white circle. "This is the Relic Badge. Good luck on the rest of your journey."

I nod and shake her hand. "Thank you."

She smiles again and hands me a bottle of something. "What is this?"

"Burn Heal."

I thank her and use it on Eevee's leg. The burn vanishes and she starts walking immediately. "Thank her for me, Chris," she says.

I turn to Fantina. "She says thanks."

"What?"

"I can talk to her through her mind or something like that."

"Really?"

She observes me. "There's more to you than meets the eye, isn't there?"

I shrug. "Maybe?"

I head to the bleachers. Dawn challenges the gym and wins quickly. Afterwards, we start heading away from Hearthome City. We are ready for the next challenge our journey brings.