A/N: To the guest reviewer who gave me that helpful EXP tip, I thank you. While I was looking for the level increase as well, I was able to do that myself, making Pikachu's level either 8 or 9. Which means she'd have learned Double Kick too by the time of Trace's rematch. Like I said though, Trace is going again because Eevee is currently stronger and will be able to get through this match quicker.
"Aha, there it is!" Ash laughed as the group found Orebourgh City, after having arrived in Jubilife City and catching Pokemon along Route 203, with Ash capturing and keeping a Starly, and Elaine catching and keeping an Abra.
"Yep, certainly looks like a mining place from the research we did." Elaine confirmed, with Clefairy agreeing with a nod. Trace added,
"And a great place to have a two win streak against rock type gym leaders." Though once they made it to the gym, they were surprised with how even more rock themed it was, by being part of the mountain it was installed into.
"These gym leaders really like to be on brand, don't they?" Elaine awkwardly chuckled.
"The gym could be in an extinct volcano for all I care! Coronation Match, he I- huh?! Unavailable?!" Trace gasped to see that Roark was not accepting drop in matches, just later scheduling.
"So he's not here." An unknown voice replied. The trio turned to see a serious faced teenager with a blue jacket and purple hair. And he looked annoyed. "Waste of my time."
"You here for a coronation match too?" Ash asked him.
"That's none of your business." The teen rudely responded, which irritated Ash and Pikachu.
"Hey, I didn't say anything to warrant that!"
"PikaPika!" Pikachu agreed with angry eyes and a spark of her cheeks. A man exited the gym to greet them.
"Ah, visitors. Welcome. If you're either here for a gym or coronation battle, you'll have to wait. The gym leader Roark isn't in at the moment, so I'm sure you all will have a turn battling Roark when he returns from coal mining."
"Nah, I'm the only one having my coronation match." Trace told the guy, whom read his name tag was Ian. "And I think I'll go after this guy. To see Roark's strategies."
"Whatever. Until Roark gets back, I'll be at the Pokemon Center." He went off on his own.
"Man, he sure isn't the social type." Ash commented.
"Yeah, more like the lone wolf kind." Elaine remarked. She then elbowed her friends with a smile. "You guys know I'm not into that kind of cool guy attitude."
"Yeah, cause you know the cool guy, which is me, is the slicked hair, tight chest, standing in front of the sunset kind of guy." Trace boasted about himself, flexing his muscles and even kissing his arm. His Eevee was confused. Elaine laughed in response.
"Haha, not even close! I don't want some 50's love novel tough guy either! I want a guy who's... understanding, sweet, and is passionate about the beauty in everything." Ash blushed. Deep down, he's always had this crush on her since they grew up together so young, and unlike the majority where growing up made her seem like a sister to him, he still wanted to be her boyfriend. She was so optimistic, so strong both He just didn't want to disrupt the status quo of the three of them being best friends.
"Ash!" He jumped when he heard his name yelled by Elaine. She chuckled.
"Dude, where were you? Seemed like you were hanging out with lunatones and solrocks in that cute head of yours."
"Oh uh, sorry." He looked away. "I was just thinking about-"
"Come on, I really need to face this Roark guy!" Trace interrupted with what he was going to say. "I'm going to where he is!" Trace ran off, leaving his friends behind with Eevee following suite.
"Sheesh, these coronation battles must be revving up his spirit!" The girl then grinned. "That's my kind of attitude! Come on Ash!" She ran after Trace with Clefairy.
"Pi?" Pikachu questioned her partner, to which he sighed and stroked her chin.
"Sorry pal, I just don't know what to do. Let's go." Ash followed them to the mines. When they found the place, they were awestruck by all the conveyer belts moving coal around and a bunch of Haruyamas and Machokes hauling stuff around. A man approached them.
"Hey, you wanting to get in the mine?"
"Yeah, to find this Roark person." Ash answered.
"Ah, trainers then. In that case, here's a few hard hats. Don't want any concussions." He passed three helmets made of durable plastic. Ash, Elaine and Trace took off their hats respectively to put on the protective gear. From the mine they heard both cheerful and professional shouting.
"We got a fossil people! Bring it out!"
"Oh, excuse me teenagers, I've got something to oversee." The man excused as he went to all the hub bub. The trio of teens followed suite as they saw the entrance of the mine with a huge load of coal being brought out. One of the men being a red headed young man wearing glasses being Roark. As he closely inspected the fossil, he cheered,
"It's a cranidos!" All of the miners celebrated.
"Welcome from your millennium to mine." As he said this, Trace approached Roark.
"Excuse me, are you Roark?"
"Just a moment, I'm having a talk to this fossil right now." As to not be disrespectful, the young teen kept his snicker to himself, but he did ask,
"You talk to fossils?"
"I sure do. And right now it's talking to me all about the good old days. I can still feel its warmth. Its breath. Someday, you'll come back to life." That caught the ears of a criminal trio in disguise as the mine workers. "Alright, let's get it to the museum!" Elaine sighed romantically.
"See, this is what I'm talking about in a guy that I like." Ash and Trace looked at each other.
"I don't think an archeologist is the right thing for you." Trace told her. "You're more into climbing rock walls, not inspecting them for fossils."
"Well, that's not necessarily true. Some archeologists need to have good rock climbing skills to get to fossils." Elaine defended the topic. "But yeah, the profession certainly doesn't sound like me." As they talked, Team Rocket began to speak.
"Listen, is that big money calling from below?"
"The sound of success tells me so."
"Work hard..."
"Dig deep..."
"Make some dough." A talking Meowth added.
"Sucking away at a breakneck pace."
"Putting big bucks in our pockets place."
"Roses smell sweet but we prefer coal."
"A rose doesn't cut it if money's your goal.
"Jessie..."
"James..."
"Dig, Meowth's the name!"
"Tired of being on the(A/N: I'm sorry, but I have no clue what word Jessie uses here. It sounds like 'dull' but that word makes no sense in this sentence. Will fix if someone knows the correct word.)
"We're Team Rocket!"
"And we're on a roll!" Jessie laughed.
"Talk about killing two birds with one stone. Not only have we found those kids who beat us, but now we have fossils ripe for the taking." James nodded.
"Yes, along with their precious little Pikachu."
"Jeez, just thinking about our first encouter makes my fur stand on end!" Meowth growled. "Me, a cat losing to a mouse!"
"Well, given the shocking amount of power it has, it must certainly be very rare." James remarked. "A prize almost as perfect as all these fossils. Especially once revived."
"But first, we have to find and steal one of those reviving machines."
Back in the gym, Trace, Ash and Elaine watched as the World Coronation Series battle between Roark Blair and Paul Rebolledo. A normal class two-on-two.
"Geodude, let's go!"
"Marill, stand by for battle!" Paul sent out a blue and white water type Pokemon. "Use Water Gun!" Spraying out a stream of water, it seemed like this would be a one hit match. Except for...
"Counter with Bide!" Crossing its arms, the Rock Pokemon almost didn't survive the damage, but managed to persevere with extreme effort.
"Water Gun, again!"
"Roll back, then attack!" Paul was confused as Geodude rolled itself back, just barely being sprayed by the second Water Gun, before using its powerful body with all that built up energy in it, sprung forward with mighty power, and bashed into Marill with a surprising amount of power. Marill went down in one go after crying out from the blow.
"What?!" Paul gasped in angered shock that a water type of his lost to a rock/ground type.
"Whoa, did that seriously just happen?!" Elaine inquired from awe.
"This must be why he's higher than Brock." Tracer guessed. "He knows how to handle water types on par of his." Paul returned his Pokemon.
"Good for nothing." He insulted his Pokemon, which put off all of them.
"What did that jerk say?!" Ash called out.
"Nobody insults a Pokemon!" Elaine objected.
"That's so wrong!" Trace complained. Paul ignored them as he sent out his next Pokemon.
"Elekid, stand by for battle!" A yellow oval shaped Pokemon with bulky arms, plug prongs on its head and black electrical stripes on its body, legs and arms. "Use Quick Attack!" Moving at a blinding pace, Elekid bashed into the Rock Pokemon, and even with an ineffective move, Geodude was too weak to endure and rolled across the field until he was face up, unconscious. Returning his Pokemon and thanking it, Roark sent out his second Pokemon.
"Well, it's time to bring out my final Pokemon. I suggest you get ready. Cranidos, let's go!" A small, gray colored dinosaur came out with a big blue cranium. "Cranidos, Headbutt!"
"Counter with Low Kick!" While the Head Butt Pokemon charged, Elekid leaned back while using its right arm for support so that Cranidos couldn't hit it as hard as it could've while at the same time, kicking the legs out underneath the surprised rock type.
"What?!" Roark gasped at its reflexes.
"Now punch it!" Springing back, Elekid punched Cranidos away, grunting from the second attack to the side of its head. The rock type leaped back to gain distance.
"Cranidos, use Take Down, and keep your head low!" Taking another charge, this one appeared to pack more power while keeping its head lower to counter any low kicks.
"Counter with Swift at where it'll be!" Crossing its arms, the Electricity Pokemon sent out a stream of stars by uncrossing them, sending the barrage to where it was about to step, and it sent the Pokemon flying, which caught everyone off by surprise. "Low Kick!" Using its ability to spin its arms like a wheel, Elekid placed its right arm on the ground and spun himself rapidly, becoming a blur as Cranidos collided into its super fast kicks. Cranidos crashed into a boulder, and tumbled through the broken rocks unconscious.
"As a result of today's battle, there has been a change in the WCS rankings effective immediately!" The Rotom Drone announced. Paul checked his black Rotom Phone, then gave a satisfied 'hmph'.
"Cranidos, have a nice long rest. Paul, that was an impressive battle. I'm confident you would've beaten me if it were a three on-three gym match too.
"Thank you very much. I'll see you." The teen said before taking his leave. Elaine noticed him taking out a pokeball and enlargening it, and decided to follow him. While her friends talked with Roark about scheduling, she remained out of Paul's sight as she sneaked to see what he'd do next. Once he was outside, he pressed the button of the pokeball, and released it with a blue glow. Looking up, she saw a cold faced, yet furious Paul.
"You can't even beat a lousy rock type. Talk about a waste of time." Paul tried to leave, but Marill grabbed hold of his leg, begging that it could do better. "Hmph, get lost." Using his other leg, he shoved the Aqua Mouse Pokemon off his leg, and abandoned it. Marill stared at Paul as he went further away sadly. It sat down and began to cry.
"That heartless monster!" Elaine snarled with gritted teeth and a clenched fist. Clefairy agreed with her own clenched fist. Marill heard Elaine and turned to gaze at them. The girl's rage quelled down when they saw Marill had noticed them, and cautiously stepped away from the corner.
"Marill, it's okay. We're good." She took slow, gentle steps towards Marill, whom looked nervous. "You haven't been long with him, have you? Freshly caught? That's probably why you didn't do so well." The water type looked down at the ground, depressed. "No, it's okay Marill. Paul's just terrible, abandoning you like that."
"Clefairy." The Fairy Pokemon agreed. Marill didn't say anything, but it was caught by surprise when it was picked up and hugged by Elaine.
"Don't worry. I'll take care of you. I'll raise you with love and compassion." Hearing this, and thinking about it, the Aqua Rabbit Pokemon accepted as it laughed with joy, snuggling into Elaine. "Aww, you're so cute and sweet!" Taking a pokeball out of her bag, she tapped it against Marill, which got absorbed into her pokeball. It wiggled a bit before clicking. "Welcome to the team."
"Clefairy." The Fairy Pokemon smiled with her owner. In the Orebourgh museum though, things were going to plan as it had been infiltrated by Team Rocket, now dressed as the scientists that work there.
"Science lovers, we are in." James chuckled. "The history of coal mining and ancient Pokemon. Just look at that Kabutops."
"Lots of priceless cool stuff to steal." Jessie agreed.
"I suggest we stretch our brains by doing some Pokemon research first." Meowth suggested. And that's what they did for the whole day. Surveying, sneaking and secretly recording everything so that they knew how to best steal the Pokemon fossil revitalizer.
A/N: It's been a while since I've done research of the Diamond and Pearl anime. It feels just like yesterday when I was writing Ash Platinum and covered... well, I don't want to spoil anything for readers who are reading this but not Platinum yet. But it sure is nostalgic to once again watch the Pokemon anime I grew up watching in middle school. Also, my reason for making Azumarill into just Marill is that level wise it's too strong. Not only is Marill alone strong enough with water to win with Water Gun, Azumarill is quite durable for Roark's team in the game so I had to tone it down where defeat was at least plausible. What do you think of Elaine getting Marill? Let me know in the review below what you think about.