Pokemon Platinum

Chapter 16: Our Will of Steel

Sexyblossom08, here's the next chappy you've been waiting for! ^.^ Sorry for the wait. :)

Enjoy~

The shaking stops, and the book I'd dropped during the commotion is retrieved by Lucas, who hands it to me. "Don't panic," Rowan says, as Barry runs around in circles, freaking out about the roof caving in. "Let's get out of this building and try to figure out what is going on."

I hold the library book in my hand, and refuse to let it go; I need to read these books...Uncle said too. Slipping it into my bag, I follow the three of them outside. We stand in a crowd of Canalave citizens as everyone talks quietly in nervousness. I notice Paul walking into the group of milling people, and head over to him.

"Hey," he says.

"What do you suppose the explosion was?" I inquire.

He shrugs, as if he didn't care. "Who knows. But it made sure I won my battle, so I'm not complaining."

I look towards the gym. "Do you think the Gym Leader will battle me?"

Paul gives me a look. "Go ask him yourself." With that, the purple headed boy walks right out of Canalave city. I frown, and turn to the gym.

"Are you going to battle Byron?" I hear, and turn to see Lucas running up to me.

"Yes."

"Alright, I'll come watch. Barry headed to Iron Island."

"Iron Island?"

"Yes, it is quite close to Canalave, and that is what everyone is thinking the explosion came from." I nod, before heading towards the gym.

Suddenly, my Poketch beeps, and I look down to see I have a personal message. Stopping mid-step, I click on the icon before reading my message. I blanch, and flick the screen off.

"What's wrong?" Lucas asks.

I look at the ground as head into the Gym. "My brother has gotten severely injured.." I murmur.

"Your brother?!" Lucas says in surprise. "Where's he?"

"In Hoenn."

"What happened?" Lucas asks.

My eyes stay downcast, and he gives me an awkward smile. "Never mind," he says, and pushes the door open for me as we walk into the battle arena.

"Another challenger right after a huge earthquake?" a loud voice says. "Well, that's gutsy! C'mon and lets have ourselves a battle!"

I look up, and I could've sworn I'd heard Barry yell something about him being Crasher Wake's brother in my head, but I'm probably just imagining it. Tossing a Pokeball up and down, I look at a man with purple hair, a black cape...and holding a shovel for one reason or another.

"You look like Roark," I say, it slipping out for some reason I don't know.

He roars in laughter. "He's my son! My name is Byron! I run this Steel type gym!"

"He bears a striking resemblance to Crasher Wake.." I hear Lucas comment with a deadpanned face.

"Let's get this battle underway!" Byron says, and tosses out a Pokeball. "Magneton!"

I feel something come over me, and a blankness fills my mind, blocking out my intense worry about my brother. "Roserade!" I murmur immediately, and Lucas sprints towards the side, surprised about how fast we jumped into the battle.

"Razor Leaf!"

"Mirror Shot!" Both attacks collide, sending showering shards of metal in every which direction; some cut my legs, and arms as I block my face.

"Flash Cannon!" Byron calls.

"Magical Leaf!" I command, throwing my arm out. Roserade leaps into the air, and spins while Magneton points all its magnets before focusing and shooting out a ball of light.

"ROSE RADE!" my pokemon calls, and her attack flies around the flash cannon before slamming into Magneton, knocking it backwards.

"Magneton, use Thunder Wave!"

"Dodge."

Roserade steals across the battlefield, and the thin, lacing electricity misses its target.

"Solar Beam."

"Magneton, Mirror Shot!"

"Stay where you are." Roserade glares at the Steel move head on, and takes it as it knocks her back, whilst she charges her own attack. "Now."

"Roseerrrrr!" she calls, and shoots out a beam of light, knocking Magneton backwards and onto the floor.

"Aw man..." Byron says, and returns his Pokemon. "This Pokemon is gonna give you a much harder time! Steelix!"

"Return Roserade. Go Monferno."

"Mon mon!" "Steeeeeeel."

"Crunch!" "Flame Wheel." Both Pokemon leap into action immediately, at the beck and call of their trainers, and charge up their attacks.

"Sttteeeel!" the opponent growls, as it slithers forward, jaws open wide. Monferno simply rolls around it, and attack it from behind, getting a direct hit on the Steelix's head.

"No! Use Iron Tail!"

"Flame Punch." Monferno holds up its fiery hand as it waits for Steelix to approach. The steel type Pokemon swings its tail around and Monferno jumps in the air to dodge it easily, before dropping down and smacking its fists into Steelix.

"STEEEEEL!" the other Pokemon roars.

"Rock Slide!" Byron commands, slamming his shovel into the ground.

"Flame Wheel again," I counter. Both Pokemon face off, and run directly at one another. "MON!" "STEELIX!" Rock Rain down on Monferno as it rams into Steelix and both retain severe damage. Monferno stumbles backwards as Steelix crouches low to the ground. "Mon...mon.." my Pokemon mutters, and suddenly starts glowing.

"Monferno?" Lucas says from the sidelines.

"Inferrrr!" my newly evolved Pokemon says, the light showering away from it in sparkles.

"Infernape..." I murmur. "Good. Use Flamethrower."

"Steelixuse-"

"INFERRRR!" my Pokemon roars, and shoots out a blast of fire, knocking out Steelix in one blow. Byron stares at the ground, before returning his Pokemon.

"Hm...nice," he says. "Go Bastiodon!"

"Luka!" I call, after taking Infernape back.

"Ancient Power!"

"Bone Rush. Break those rocks." A long, glowing bone appears in Luka's hands, and she knocks all the floating rocks away from herself as they fly through the air.

Some land near Lucas' head and he ducks. "Watch it!" he calls, and backs up a bit.

"Take Down!" Byron says.

"Aura Sphere!"

"Dodge it Bastiodon!" Byron's Pokemon attempts to escape the attack, but Luka has always been too precise in her attacks, and knocks Bastiodon several feet back. "Try an Iron Head!"

"Close Combat." Luka streaks forward, and beats Bastiodon into the floor.

"Metal Burst!"

"Aura Sphere one more time," I command calmly. A bunch of shooting lights fly towards Luka while she runs, and there's an explosion as they hit her. Byron smiles, but stares as Luka shoots out of the smoke with an Aura Sphere pulsing on her paw, before she holds it near Bastiodon's face.

With a loud kaboom, Bastiodon is knocked backwards, and lies on the ground, unconscious. Byron just looks at me with an expression I cannot describe.

Blinking, I feel the emptiness inside of me dissipate, the worry of my brother come back, and I return Luka to her Pokeball. "Good work."

Byron walks towards me, shaking his head. "Never met a challenger like you," he says, propping his shovel over his shoulder. "But no matter...here's your newest gym badge. The Mine Badge." Placing a small object in my hand, I look at it, before placing it carefully into my bag.

"Good job!" Lucas says, walking over to me. "You're getting stronger and stronger...I really ought to tell..."

"Tell who?" I ask. He blinks, and looks back at me. "Err...nothing-"

Suddenly, his Poketch starts ringing. "One moment," he says, and looks down at his wrist. "Yes?"

"It's BAD!" Barry's voice shrieks. "Hurry and get to Iron Island!"

"What-..Barry?" Lucas says in confusion, but the call buzzes, and ends.

Lucas and I both exchange a look.

Yep. There's the cliffhanger for you guys. ;) And YES. Platinum's brother is in Hoenn. (He is in my Hoenn fanfic if you wanna see him.)

Tell me what you thought!

~Misty/Ms. Ketchum