View source for PS409

{{MangaPrevNext/Adventures
|prevcode=PS408
|prevtitle=High-tailing It from Haunter
|nextcode=PS410
|nexttitle=Creeping Away from Cradily
|series=Diamond & Pearl
|colorscheme=Sinnoh}}
{{ChapInfobox
|title_en=Shunning Spiritomb
|subtitle=Champion and Boss
|title_ja=VS ミカルゲ
|title_ro=VS Mikaruge
|image=PS409.png
|scheme=Diamond & Pearl
|pub1=Shogakukan full volume
|pub1-data=Chapter 409 in [[Pokémon Adventures volume 37|Vol. 37]]
|pub2=VIZ Media full volume
|pub2-data=Adventure 72 in [[Pokémon Adventures volume 37|Vol. 8]]
|location=[[Team Galactic HQ]]
}}

'''Shunning Spiritomb''' (Japanese: '''VS ミカルゲ''' ''VS {{tt|Mikaruge|Spiritomb}}''), titled '''VS Spiritomb''' in the [[Chuang Yi]] translation, is the 409th chapter of the [[Pokémon Adventures]] manga, and the 72nd chapter of the {{MangaArc|Diamond & Pearl}}.

It is subtitled '''Champion and Boss''' (Japanese: '''チャンピオンとBOSS''' ''Champion and the Boss'') in the [[VIZ Media]] translation and '''Champions and Bosses''' in the Chuang Yi translation.

==Plot==
{{spoilers}}
Confronting [[Cynthia]] after she busted into the [[Team Galactic HQ]], [[Cyrus]] acknowledges her status as the [[Sinnoh League]] {{pkmn|Champion}}. While surprised that Cyrus knows of her status, she also exclaims that she doesn't have to hold back against people who know she's a Champion. With her {{p|Spiritomb}} defeating Cyrus's {{p|Honchkrow}} with {{m|Shock Wave}}, she swears to defeat Cyrus and put a stop to [[Team Galactic]]'s plans, which she is fully aware of.

Cyrus sends out {{p|Weavile}} to confront Spiritomb. The battle grows more intense as both Pokémon are affected by each other's {{a|Pressure}} [[Ability]]. Cyrus remarks that Spiritomb is a spectacular Pokémon, its typing of {{2t|Ghost|Dark}} leaving it with no weaknesses, while also sporting notable {{stat|Defense}} and {{stat|Special Defense}} [[stat]]s. However, he also states that against such a Pokémon, the solution is to simply attack it with strong [[move]]s. At that moment, Spiritomb suddenly retreats into its [[Odd Keystone]], causing Cynthia to realize that it's been {{status|frozen}} by an {{type|Ice}} move while she wasn't paying attention. She tosses an [[Aspear Berry]] at Spiritomb to heal it, but Weavile pins the Berry down with {{m|Embargo}} to prevent it from being used.

Cynthia replaces Spiritomb with {{p|Milotic}}. While Milotic smashes Weavile with {{m|Iron Tail}}, Cynthia expresses her outrage at [[PS368|Cyrus's]] [[PS369|earlier]] [[PS370|attack]] on [[Celestic Town]], which is her hometown. Cyrus confirms Cynthia's suspicions on him having used the mural inside the Celestic Ruins to deduce which {{adv|lake guardians|lake guardian}} resides in which lake, as he was already aware of their names and existence beforehand. Cynthia questions why he [[PS398|exploded]] [[Lake Valor]] specifically, which Cyrus responds to by saying that of the three things the lake guardians represent; willpower, knowledge, and emotion; he felt that willpower was the most important one, his logic being to crush and control willpower with willpower.

Cynthia's attention suddenly returns to the battle at hand as Weavile attacks Milotic on its weak spot on its tail. Cynthia has Milotic counterattack with {{m|Brine}}, which is boosted to double power by the [[damage]] Weavile took from the earlier {{DL|Type|Type effectiveness|super effective}} Iron Tail. Cyrus withdraws Weavile in exchange for {{p|Gyarados}}, which Cynthia realizes was the trump card he was counting on. Gyarados's great {{stat|Speed}} proves troublesome for Milotic, and before Cynthia can think of a counterattack, she is blinded by the morning sun shining in through the hole in the wall. Using this to his advantage, Cyrus has Gyarados fly outside and in front of the blinding sunlight. By the time Cynthia can make out that Gyarados is using {{m|Dragon Dance}}, it already attacks with a boosted {{m|Giga Impact}}, slamming into Milotic and the building with devastating force.

Replacing Milotic, Cynthia calls forth {{TP|Cynthia|Garchomp}}, which is still enraged from Cyrus destroying Celestic Town before its eyes earlier. While Cyrus is informed that the second [[Red Chain]]'s creation is ready to begin, Cynthia decides to use Garchomp's rage to her advantage and, despite not having fully mastered the move yet, orders a {{m|Draco Meteor}}. A barrage of meteors rains down from the sky and batters Gyarados. Cyrus is surprised to see a Pokémon move that can summon meteors, but also notes that Cynthia's trump card failed to make Gyarados [[Fainting|faint]], while Garchomp is now too exhausted from Draco Meteor's drawback to even stand up straight. He calls Cynthia out on using the move out of anger, which is why it failed to reach its full potential.

Deeming Cynthia no longer a threat, Cyrus declares that he will now head to [[Mount Coronet]] to bind time and space with the Red Chains. As Cyrus flies away on Gyarados, Cynthia realizes that he's talking about {{p|Dialga}} and {{p|Palkia}}, and understands she must follow and stop him.

==Major events==
* [[Cynthia]] and [[Cyrus]] battle each other.
* Cyrus escapes from the battle and leaves Cynthia too exhausted to follow.

{{Adventuresevents}}
{{endspoilers}}

===Debuts===
====Pokémon debuts====

==Characters==
===Humans===
* {{adv|Diamond}} (flashback)
* {{adv|Pearl}} (flashback)
* {{adv|Platinum}} (flashback)
* [[Cynthia]]
* [[Cyrus]]
* [[Professor Carolina|Cynthia's grandmother]] (flashback)

===Pokémon===
* {{p|Torterra}} ([[Tru]]/{{tt|Wig|Chuang Yi}}; {{adv|Diamond}}'s; flashback)
* {{p|Infernape}} ([[Chimler]]/{{tt|Chimhiko|Chuang Yi}}; {{adv|Pearl}}'s; flashback)
* {{p|Empoleon}} ({{OP|Platinum|Empoleon}}; flashback)
* {{p|Garchomp}} ({{OP|Cynthia|Garchomp}})
* {{p|Spiritomb}} ([[Cynthia]]'s)
* {{p|Milotic}} ([[Cynthia]]'s)
* {{p|Honchkrow}} ([[Cyrus]]'s)
* {{p|Probopass}} ([[Cyrus]]'s; flashback)
* {{p|Magnezone}} ([[Cyrus]]'s; flashback)
* {{p|Weavile}} ([[Cyrus]]'s)
* {{p|Gyarados}} ([[Cyrus]]'s)
* {{p|Uxie}} ({{DL|Lake guardians (Adventures)|Uxie|Adventures}})
* {{p|Mesprit}} ({{DL|Lake guardians (Adventures)|Mesprit|Adventures}})
* {{p|Azelf}} ({{DL|Lake guardians (Adventures)|Azelf|Adventures}})

==Trivia==
===Errors===

==In other languages==
{{Epilang|color=FFCCCC|bordercolor=9999FF
|zh_cmn={{tt|VS 花岩怪|VS Spiritomb}}
|fr=Maître contre Boss
|de=VS. Kryppuk
|it=VS Spiritomb
|ko={{tt|VS 화강돌|VS Spiritomb}}
|es_la=VS Spiritomb - La Campeona y el jefe	
|es_eu=Contra Spiritomb 
|vi=VS Mikaruge - Nhà vô địch và ông chủ nhóm Ginga
}}
{{-}}
{{MangaPrevNext/Adventures
|prevcode=PS408
|prevtitle=High-tailing It from Haunter
|nextcode=PS410
|nexttitle=Creeping Away from Cradily
|series=Diamond & Pearl
|colorscheme=Sinnoh}}
{{Project Manga notice}}

[[de:VS. Kryppuk]]
[[es:PMS409]]
[[fr:Chapitre 409 (Pocket Monsters Special)]]
[[it:LGA409]]
[[zh:宝可梦特别篇 第409话]]