"Ugh, finally!" Jake breathed a sigh of relief as he walked through the opening at the edge of the forest. He had been wandering Viridian Forest for hours and he along with his Pokemon were no doubt exhausted. He kept walking reaching a hill which allowed him to get a good look at his bearings. Yup there it was, Pewter City, once a small town now a bustling community. While it lacked the hustle and flare of the likes of Saffron City or Goldenrod, it was no doubt impressive. Jake's first stop was the Pokemon Center, as Nurse Joy healed his Pokemon, Jake couldn't help but notice a poster on the wall, showcasing a tall man with spiky hair and tannish skin, his eyes were squinted and he was wearing some sort of vest. Behind him stood an Onix and along the top of the Poster it read: "Challengers wanted".
"I'm guessing this is the local gym leader?" Jake asked, pointing at the poster.
"Hm?" Nurse Joy turned from the machine. "Oh you mean Brock? Why yes he's the Pewter City gym leader."
The healing machine beeped, signaling that the Pokemon were healed.
"He specializes in rock types you see, they're really powerful."
She then handed him his Pokemon. "There you are."
"Thanks Nurse Joy." Taking his Pokemon, Jake headed for the door, but as he stepped out, something caught his eye. It was a strange trench coated figure just standing there mumbling to himself.
"So this is Pewter City?" The figure said to himself. "Doesn't seem so great to me..."
"Excuse me?" The figure jumped, caught off guard. "Can I help you with something?" Jake asked somewhat weary.
"Uhh...No thanks kid...I'm just passing by." Before Jake could say anything else, the figure swiftly hurried off elsewhere.
Jake just stood there, dumbfounded, what strange people they have here in Pewter City. What was with that guy? Why was he acting so sneaky? Was he a spy? An undercover cop? A crimi-
"GET BACK HERE!"
Jake's thoughts were interrupted as a Clefairy ran past him, laughing mischievously. Not far behind it, followed a very frustrated looking girl with blue hair, glasses and wearing a zipped up hoodie. Following her was a blue otter-like Pokemon wielding two scallop shells.
"No way you're getting away this time!" The girl yelled. "Dewott, Ice Beam!"
Immediately, her Pokemon leaped into the air, it took a deep breathe and then shot out a light blue beam of energy, the Clefairy smiled smugly, as it leaped, avoiding the attack, a large chunk of ice formed where the beam struck. The Clefairy chuckled and started to spark, suddenly it shot out a massive bolt of electricity.
"Thunderbolt?!" The girl yelled in shock "Quick Dewott, get out of the way!"
Dewott jumped, trying to avoid it, but the bolt still made contact shocking Dewott and inflicting massive damage.
The girl growled. "Grr, we can't let it get away, quick Dewott, Quick Attack!" But Dewott just stood there, paralyzed in place. "Crap it paralyzed us.." She growled.
"Here let me try." Jake stepped forward, pokeball in hand. "Alright Gible let's show em!" Gible emerged as he threw the pokeball. The Clefairy snickered before using Thunderbolt once more. A direct hit, but Gible didn't budge, in fact it showed no signs of even feeling the attack. The Clefairy's smug smile changed to a look if genuine shock once its' attack ceased and Gible still stood strong. Jake laughed. "No way an electric attack that is gonna even dent my Gible."
"Hm, not bad." The blue haired girl thought.
Jake grinned. "Now it's our turn. Alright Gible, use Take Down!"
Gible lunged forward, in a panic the Clefairy jumped, trying to avoid it. Gible immediately leaped after it, striking it.
"Great work, now Dig!" Gible dived under ground. At that point Clefairy looked around, panicked, but in a flash Gible resurfaced, uppercutting Clefairy.
"Let's rap this up, Gible, one last Take Down!"
Once again, Gible lunged forward, Clefairy was at that point too dazed to try to dodge. Gible then tackled Clefairy against the wall, Clefairy then fell to its' hands and knees as Gible jumped back.
"And now for the final touch..." Jake pulled out a pokeball. "Pokeball go!" He tossed it, it hit Clefairy right on the forehead, pulling it inside. The pokeball landed on the ground. It shook once, twice, a third time, and then "pinged".
"WHATS THE BIG IDEA!?"
Jake jumped as the blue haired girl stomped up to him, with a look of sheer rage.
"I'VE BEEN CHASING THAT THING SINCE MT. MOON, AND YOU JUST WALTS IN HERE AND STEAL MY CATCH?!"
"S-steal?! Hold on a sec-"
"JUST WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE MISTER?!"
"Calm please I didn't steal the Clefairy." He picked up the pokeball containing Clefairy. "I just wanted to give you a hand."
"Wait, say what?" The Girl's demeanor suddenly changed.
Jake held up the pokeball. "Here, it's yours."
She snatched the pokeball in a huff.
"Heh, your welcome."
She sighed. "Sorry...when you spend hours looking for and chasing after a Clefairy, you become...eh, temperamental.."
"Hey it's okay, we're just glad we could help."
Gible growled in agreement.
"You were great Gible, return." Jake recalled Gible.
"So, what's your name?" Jake tucked away Gible's pokeball. "Where are you from?"
"I'm Emma," She adjusted her glasses. "I'm from the Unova region."
Dewott growled still unable to move.
"Hold on a second." Emma reached into her bag, pulling out a yellow spray bottle and sprayed Dewott. In mere seconds, Dewott was moving regularly again. "There all better." Emma petted Dewott softly, it purred. "Alright Dewott return." She recalled the Pokemon.
"Well I'm Jake, I'm from Pallet Town."
"Pallet Town huh? Hmph, lucky you don't have to go far from home. Of all places, why'd it have to be Kanto for the World Tournament?"
"That reminds me," Emma raised an eyebrow "you wouldn't happen to know where the gym is around here, would you?"
"Well yeah," She unzipped her hoodie, showing off the Boulderbadge pinned to her shirt. "This way."
She led Jake to a massive building with a large sign that said "Gym".
"Now that I think about it, I probably should have noticed sooner." Jake said, slightly embarrassed.
"Yeah? Well hate to break it to ya but..." She pointed to the sign on the door.
Jake's eyes widened. "Closed?!" He looked closer. "Due to a fossil dig?"
Emma sighed. "Well that would explain why everyone's running around with pick axes."
Just then two men walked by with digging tools.
"Man, what a let down.." Jake sighed.
"Well, as long as we're here, maybe we should check it out." Emma said pointing at the men.
Jake looked up and sighed. "Might as well I guess."
The duo followed the men until they reached Route 3, now with a massive fossil digging site.
"Hmm, I probably should have noticed this earlier." Emma said rubbing her chin.
"Didn't you say you were chasing a Clefairy?"
"Oh yeah, that might be why."
"Well well, what have we here?"
Jake and Emma turned. Standing before them was a muscular and at the same time, youthful man with red hair and glasses. He wore a red hardhat, tank top, and baggy pants, wrapped around his waist was a grey and yellow jacket and in his hand he held a shovel.
"You guys here for the fossil dig?" He asked.
"Not exactly." Jake said, rubbing the back of his head. "Actually I had been hoping to challenge the gym."
"Oh yeah, Brock came by." He pointed his shovel at Brock, who was busy excavating with his Geodude's assistance. "He's got enthusiasm I'll tell you that."
"Wait a minute," Emma spoke. "Who are you?"
The man placed the shovel over his shoulder. "My name's Roark, Oreburgh City gym leader, and supervisor of the Oreburgh Mines."
Emma and Jake both looked puzzled. "Oreburgh?"
"I'm guessing neither of you are from the Sinnoh region?"
"Nope, Unova." Emma said proudly.
"And this is my home region." Then something came to Jake. "Wait a minute, shouldn't you be back at your gym? What if you have a challenger?"
"I doubt it. Challengers have been slow since everyone's coming to Kanto, I'm sure everything's fine back home."
Emma glanced at the fossil site. "So what are you guys digging for anyways? Dinosaur bones?"
Roark suddenly jammed his shovel into the ground. " Not quite." He turned to the site. "We're digging for fossils of ancient Pokemon, I've heard that just recently the Pewter City Museum got a machine that can revive fossils." He then pointed at the various trainers digging in the site. "That's why so many people volunteer to dig, any fossil you find is yours to keep."
"Ancient Pokemon eh?" Jake thought. "Yes, I could use a new Pokemon for the gym battle."
"Yeah, an ancient Pokemon does sound pretty cool." Emma said nonchalantly.
"Well you both are more then welcome to join."
"Wait, really?" Jake asked eagerly.
"Sure, the more the merrier." Roark then pointed to a box labeled "equipment". "Grab a tool, and have fun."
Jake and Emma both rummaged through the box, Jake pulled out a pick axe and hardhat, while Emma grabbed a shovel. The duo then jumped into the site and began going to work. It has looked so much easier from afar but Jake and Emma groaned as they continued to dig, with little results.
"Man this is taking forever!" Emma complained, wiping sweat off of her forehead.
"I don't care." Jake dug into the ground again with his pick axe. "I'm not stopping til I find myself a fossil!" Just as he brought his pick axe down, he hit something hard. "Wait a second," He tapped lightly on it again. "I-I think I hit something!"
Everyone around them turned their attention to the duo as Jake began to rapidly dig out the object. After about five minutes he managed to pull out the object.
"Whoa, what do ya think it is?" Jake asked Emma, while keeping his eyes locked on the object.
"Looks like a fossilized butt-cheek." Emma said, looking at it funny.
"I'll be the judge of that." Roark then took a closer look at the object in Jake's hand. "Hmmm, yes! I'd recognize that fossil anywhere!"
"Wait so that is a fossil?" Emma asked.
"Not just any fossil, but the rock-hard skull fossil of a Cranidos."
Jake looked puzzled. "Cranidos?"
"Cranidos is a powerful Pokemon that lived 100 million years ago, they have one of the strongest headbutts of any Pokemon." Roark then pulled out a pokeball. "I should know afterall..." He then pressed the button on the center, immediately from the pokeball emerged a large intimidating black Pokemon with a blue dome-like scalp and spikes on various parts of its' body. "I raised one myself." Roark said smiling.
Jake and Emma both cringed a bit as the large Pokemon glared at them.
"This is actually its' evolved form, Rampardos. Don't let it fool ya, it won't hurt you." Roark said petting it.
Emma pouted. "Well this is just great, you've got a fossil for a powerful Pokemon, and I've yet to find squat!" She kicked the dirt, but hit her foot on something. "Ow! What the?!" She looked down to see something pointy, jutting out of the ground. "Jackpot!" She grabbed her shovel and began to dig up the object. What she dug up, looked like a rock with a feather ingrained into it.
"Huh, well looks to me you've found yourself a plume fossil." Roark took a closer look. "Though I've never seen one quite that big before."
"Well," Emma turned to Jake. "What are we waiting for? Let's get these to the museum."
Jake and Emma dropped their tools, and ran off towards the museum, fossils in hand.
"Hey, wait up!" Roark yelled as he ran after them.
The duo dashed through Pewter City until they reached a brown building on the north side of Pewter. They rushed in, tripping over one another as they did so.
"I win!"
"What?! No way, I was here first!" Jake said.
"As if, I stepped in just before you!" Emma retorted.
"No way!"
"Yes way!"
"Excuse me?"
Jake and Emma turned to see a tall scientist standing before them. "Can I help you?" He asked adjusting his glasses.
Emma stood up. "Yes you can in fact,".
Jake jumped in front of her. "We were hoping to revive some fossils we found."
"Oh? Fossils you say?"
Jake pulled out the skull fossil he had found earlier and handed it to the scientist, who then began to examine it.
"Yup that's a fossil alright."
He tucked it away and motioned to follow him.
"This way please."
He led the duo down through a door labeled "staff only". They then found themselves in a large laboratory with various machines and biotanks.
"Huh, so this is what the inside of a museum looks like." Emma said as she looked around.
"Ah, here we are." They then gazed upon a massive machine. "Now this machine will, take DNA from this fossil" he pulled the skull fossil and placed it into a compartment next to a control pad. "And watch as it recreates a Pokemon." He then pressed a few buttons on the control pad before pulling a lever next to the pad. The machine immediately sprung alive, lighting up as there was a loud whirring sound. The skull fossil was then pulled into the machine from the compartment as the machine began to work faster. At that moment Roark ran in, out of breath. No sooner had he arrived, the machine stopped. It made a loud beeping sound as a light on the top blinked on and off.
"And voila! Here's your Cranidos." The large, tubelike part of the machine opened up, revealing a short and somewhat stout Pokemon with stubby arms. It had a hooked beak, a curved back, and a light blue dome-like skull with spikes on the back of its' head. Jake pulled out his Pokedex.
Cranidos, the head butt Pokemon. It lived in jungles around 100 million years ago. Its skull is as hard as iron.
Cranidos looked around, somewhat puzzled by its' surroundings. "Well hi there Cranidos." It looked up to see Jake, smiling at it warmly. "Welcome to the team." He reached for Cranidos, it flinched at first, unsure of Jakes intention. He petted it softly, causing it to somewhat pur. He then lifted it out of the machine, though with some effort. "Boy, for a little guy," he struggled to lift it up. "You sure are heavy." Roark couldn't help but smile as Cranidos rubbed its' head on Jake's leg affectionately.
Meanwhile...
Just outside of the museum, a certain trench coated figure walked up to the front.
"I've found the museum." He said into a walkie talkie. "Commencing operation: Firewall."
Back inside...
Emma tapped her foot impatiently as the scientist taught Jake about his new Pokemon.
"Excuse me!" She blurted out. "He's not the only one with a fossil you know!"
The scientist seemed puzzled at first, but soon realized what she meant. "Oh yes, I believe you also had a fossil that needed to be revived?"
"Yes in fact," she pulled out her plume fossil. "I do."
"Hmm, that's one big plume fossil." The scientist took the fossil and placed it into the machine. "Sure hope it works." He was about to start the machine when there was a loud explosion that seemed to come from the front of the museum.
"What on Earth?!" All four of them ran out to the museum entrance, there they were greeted by a massive blue, bulky Pokemon, behind it stood a Caucasian man wearing a black officer cap, and stiff military-like outfit. On the center of his hat and right side of his suite was a red "R" insignia.
"Nidoqueen, Hyper Beam!" The massive Pokemon then fired an orange beam out of its' mouth into the museum, setting part of it ablaze.
"Hey! Just who are you!?" Roark demanded. The man turned to see them.
"The names Zero." The Nidoqueen turned, glaring at them. "And you're dead." Nidoqueen lunged at them.
"Go Rampardos!" Roark threw a pokeball, Rampardos immediately emerged, charging forward, its' head lowered. "Zen Headbutt!" Rampardos's head began to glow as it struck Nidoqueen in the stomach.
"Strength attack, now!" Nidoqueen then punched Rampardos right in the face, striking it with enough force to make it stumble back.
"That's strong!" Roark said in disbelief.
Jake glanced at his Pokedex. "Maybe we can help." Cranidos then stepped forward. "Go Cranidos!" It ran towards Nidoqueen.
"Oh please," Zero scoffed. "Nidoqueen, crush it!" Nidoqueen swung at Cranidos but it leapt, avoiding it's massive paw. "What's this?!" Zero could hardly believe what he saw.
"Fire Punch!" Cranidos' hand became engulfed in flames, it then punched Nidoqueen on the side of its' head.
"Now it's our turn!" Roark stepped forward. "Rampardos, Head Smash!" Rampardos then flung itself forward with the force of a freight train, striking Nidoqueen. The lumbering Pokemon fell with a loud thud. At that moment the scientist ran over to the portion of the museum, still ablaze.
"We need to douse these flames!"
"Leave that to me." Emma said grabbing a pokeball. "Dewott, Water Gun!" Dewott emerged from the pokeball and without skipping a beat it sprayed the flames with a stream of water that it shot from its' mouth.
"Alright, what's your deal here?" Roark demanded.
"Hmph, you really don't know? Have you never heard of Team Rocket?"
Team Rocket. Why did that name seem so familiar to Jake? He knew he had heard that before, but where?
"That's right..." He had finally had the realization. "Those guys Professor Oak spoke of." He thought to himself.
"Shame." Zero recalled Nidoqueen. "It seems that our reputation isn't as strong as I thought." He then pulled out another pokeball. "Oh well." There was a flash and suddenly standing before them was a large , grey, pterodactyl-like Pokemon.
"An Aerodactyl?!" Roark couldn't believe his eyes.
"Aerodactyl, Supersonic!" The Pokemon flew up in the air before letting out a high pitch screech. Roark and Jake both covered their ears as Cranidos and Rampardos seemed to get the raw end of the attack. When Aerodactyl's attack had ceased, Rampardos and Cranidos seemed incredibly shaky, having difficulty keeping their balance.
"Oh no!"
Jake looked puzzled.
"Whats wrong with them?" Jake asked.
"They've been confused by Supersonic!"
"Confused?" Cranidos began head butting everything in sight, believing it to be the enemy. Rampardos bashed its' head on the ground, harming itself in the process.
"Pathetic." Zero smirked watching them struggle. "Aerodactyl." He snapped his fingers. Aerodactyl flew up, its' body becoming hard as steel. It then dived at the two Pokemon, knocking them over.
"Come on Rampardos," Roark urged. "Snap out of it!" Suddenly Rampardos shoke its' head regaining control of its' senses. It glanced over to Cranidos (who was still confused) and poked it on its' shoulder. Cranidos flailed a bit at first but then shoke off its' confusion.
"Yes! Alright Rampardos, Zen Headbutt!"
"Cranidos, use Headbutt!" Both Cranidos and Rampardos charged at Aerodactyl, but it avoided their attack with little effort.
"That's the best you can do?" Zero taunted.
Roark growled. "Rampardos, Stone Edge now!" Rampardos then was surrounded by two blue rings that then materialized into jagged stones. It then fired them at Aerodactyl. It avoided the stones with ease seemingly grinning as it did so.
"That Aerodacyl's fast!" Emma said in amazement.
"Yeah, it's too fast." The scientist said. "Flying types are tricky, they can be incredibly hard to hit. Especially one that's that fast. If only we had...That's it!" Emma turned to scientist. "Your plume fossil. We need to revive it!"
He grabbed Emma by the hand and ran back into the lab.
"Whoa, whoa wait, what's the plan here?"
"That Plume fossil contains an ancient flying type Pokemon. If we can revive it, we may have a chance against that Aerodactyl." He pressed the same buttons on the control pad as before. "I sure hope this works..." He pulled the switch. Yet again the machine sprung to life. But this time it seem to be working harder, as if it were creating something bigger. It continued with this for about a minute before the red light on the top started blinking and the machine buzzed. The scientist sighed in relief. "It worked." The front then opened up but what his eyes widened as he saw what stood inside. Standing in the machine was a reptilian looking Pokemon with feathers. It had a long tail, sharp claws and bald head. "That's no Archen." He said somewhat amazed. Emma pulled out her Pokedex.
Archeops the first bird Pokemon and the evolved form of Archen. It runs better than it flies. It takes off into the sky by running at a speed of 25 mph.
"No wonder the fossil was so large." The scientist said with a chuckle.
"Yes! With Archeops, we can win this." Unbeknownst to Emma, Archeops glanced out the doorway, noticing the battle taking place. It snorted before grabbing Emma's shoulders with its' feet. Without waisting any time it took off out the doorway.
Rampardos flew back into a display case.
"Rampardos!"
"Crap! Quick Cranidos, use Fire Punch!"
"Wing Attack!"
As Cranidos ran at Aerodactyl, its' hand engulfed in flame, Aerodactyl knocked it back easily with its' wing. It landed near Rampardos as both struggled to try and get up.
"Finish it Aerodactyl." Aerodactyl opened its' mouth as the inside began to glow. "Hyper Beam!" Aerodactyl fired a massive beam at the two Pokemon.
"Rampardos get out of there!" Roark urged.
"Quick Cranidos get out of the way!"
Cranidos attempted to stand up while Rampardos struggled to sit up, But both Pokemon seemed unable to escape the attack. Just then a green stream of fire intercepted the Hyper Beam attack.
"What the-?"
Roark, Jake and Zero all looked over as Archeops flew up to Aerodactyl's level.
"Sorry I'm late." Emma said still in its' grip. "I was getting a friend."
"An Archeops, eh?" Zero said intrigued.
"So that's why the fossil was so large." Roark thought.
"No matter. Aerodactyl, Hyper Beam!"
"Quick Archeops, Dragonbreath!"
Archeops then expelled a stream of green flames from its' mouth, striking Aerodactyl just before it could use its' attack. Aerodactyl cringed as it was engulfed by the flames.
"Don't just sit there Aerodactyl, Hyper Beam." But Aerodactyl, couldn't move, it had even stopped flying, and stood on the ground immobile.
"Aerodactyl's paralyzed, now's our chance!" Roark said.
"Right, Cranidos, Headbutt!" Cranidos charged forward, tackling Aerodactyl in the stomach.
"Now Rampardos, Stone Edge!" Rampardos finally stood up before white rings formed around it. It flung the stones at Aerodactyl just after they materialized, and this time each of them struck their mark. Aerodactyl fell back, defeated.
Zero growled. "Return." He recalled the Pokemon. "You may have beaten me now, but that was only a taste of our might."
"Our might? Just who are you guys?!"
Zero grinned maliciously. "We are Team Rocket. And very soon we will rule all."
He pulled out a pokeball. "But for now..." He tossed it. "Magmar, Smokescreen!" Immediately a flaming Pokemon emerged and exhaled a massive cloud of smoke. Everyone covered their faces, careful not to inhale the smoke, and by the time it cleared, Zero was gone.
Later...
"Man I still can't believe he got away." Jake said disgruntled as Officer Jenny closed off the museum.
"Yeah well, at least we were able to stop him from causing too much damage." Roark replied. "And besides, I think you two made some new friends." He pointed at Archeops, who was still perched on Emma's shoulder and Cranidos who stood next to Jake's leg.
Jake smiled at Cranidos before petting it. "Yeah, I guess you're right there."
Roark chuckled. "Say, didn't you say something about wanting to challenge Brock."
Jake looked up. "Yeah."
"Well Brock's gym happens to be a rock type gym. And I happen to be a rock type gym leader myself." He adjusted his glasses. "If you want, I could train with you and prepare you to face Brock."
Jake lit up to the offer. "That'd be great Roark."
Roark turned to Emma. "Emma, I could train with you as well."
"Nah, I'm good." She showed him the boulderbadge pinned to her shirt. "But I've got nothing better to do, so I think I'll watch."
Roark nodded. "Fine by me." He and Jake moved to a more open area, at that point Roark pulled out a pokeball. "Now let's get started."
Next up: Showdown at the Gym