[Note: Set pre-series]

News from the dig site had come in; they'd found another fossil. And seeing as how he already owned another fossil pokémon, it made sense to tell him. As Grant prepared his backpack to go straight to the dig site - preferring to collect the fossil himself to deliver it to the lab in person - he picked up Tyrunt's Poké Ball and tossed it in his hand lightly.

"Another one for the team, boy," he said to the ball, giving it a small smile as it trembled in his hand. He was especially excited, as a gym leader position had just opened up, and with this extra pokémon, he could be in for a shot at the position. His friend, the gym leader of Lumiose City, had even put in a good word for him; the position was pretty much his. He just needed one more pokémon...

"Alright," he grunted, standing and throwing the backpack over onto his back, "that should do it." He gave Tyrunt's Poké Ball one last toss before he pocketed it and set out for the dig site at Glittering Cave.

"So wait, you're gonna leave your kid in charge of the gym while you decide to go off and travel?" Grant said. He'd made it to Ambrette Town and was about to make his way down Route 9 to the cave when his friend, the aforementioned Lumiose Gym Leader, called. The man on the other side of the phone chuckled dryly, "You make it sound like a bad idea. Look, I know it does sound a little crazy, but he's perfectly capable, I know it. He's my son after all. Besides, he's hardly the youngest gym leader in history." Grant sighed. It definitely did sound like a bad idea, but he couldn't argue his friend's judgement. Plus, he himself was still busy.

"Well, you seem pretty dead set on this. Look, I've got to head, the scientist is waiting with the fossil they found at Glittering Cave," he said, to which his friend responded, "Ah, that pokémon you got your eye on. Will it be part of your gym team?" Grant shook his head and said, "I'm not leader yet."

"But there's a good chance you've got the spot. Plus practically everyone in Cyllage wants you for the position as well." Grant checked his watch and grimaced at the time.

"Yeah, that's great. I really-" He was interrupted as his friend, hearing the urgency in the man's voice, laughed, "I know, I know, you got to go. That's my kids home from whatever they were doing anyway. See you." When the phone hung up, Grant couldn't help but muttered sarcastically as he pocketed the phone, "Ain't he just father of the year?" He walked onto Route 9 and up to the Rhyhorn carer, saying, "I have to get to Glittering Cave. How much to use your Rhyhorn to travel?"

"600 Pokédollars," the carer said. Grant grimaced again and said as he paid the amount, "That's a touch pricey for a quick trip." The carer added, "Plus return. But if you think that's pricey, then you'll be glad to here that I've got a side job helping out in Ambrette's aquarium. Might just make using Rhyhorn here on Route 9 free if the pay is good enough there."

"Here's hoping then, for the sake of everyone's wallets," the man chuckled, shaking his head as he mounted the Ground-type. The carer nodded, then gave his pokémon a quick pat on the head, signalling that it was to head out and take the man to his destination.

Rounding the final corner of the confusing cave system, Grant looked around the larger cave that he'd entered before walking up to a young female scientist near the entrance.

"Excuse me, I'm here about the fossil that was found," he said. The orange haired woman lowered her rather odd looking visor from her eyes to look at him, eyebrow raised. Replacing the visor over her eyes, she said, pointing down the corridor, "The scientist you're looking for is down there. Just keep going, it doesn't branch out." With that, she turned back to her clipboard, leaving Grant stading there awkwardly.

"Uh, thanks, I guess," he muttered, though the woman gave no indication she'd heard him. As he continued down the long corridor, turning several corners - though true to her word, the corridor didn't contain any additional paths like the initial portion of the cave - he found himself wondering what sort of pokémon this fossil would produce. He hoped at least one of its types, if it was duel typed, matched up with Tyrunt's. While having a gym with no set specialty wasn't unheard of, it also wasn't a common thing, and most gym leaders, except under special circumstances, were pretty much required to be single type specialists for the most part.

"Ah, Mister Grant." He was taken from his thought process as a scientist approached him. Taking the scientist's outstretched hand and shaking it, Grant smiled as the man continued, "It's a pleasure to see you. I hope your journey wasn't too difficult." He shook his head, saying, "Not at all."

"Good good. That's always good to hear. Ah, this way, please," the scientist said, motioning round another corner and leading the way. Around the corner was another scientist, holding a large lump of rock in his arms. This scientist shifted the rock till it was underneath his arm so he too could shake the newcomer's hand.

"Hello there, sir. I'm assuming you're the man here about the fossil?" Grant chuckled, "Unless someone else had their eye on it." The scientist chuckled himself as he handed the fossil over to the man, telling him, "Alright alright, fair enough. Now, I wish you a safe journey back to the labs, as well as many good times with whatever pokémon comes from this fossil. Do keep in touch to tell us how it develops." Grant nodded.

"Of course. Thank you." And as he turned to leave, the first of the two scientists called after him, "Good luck with the gym leader position as well!"

Back in the lab in Ambrette Town, he'd handed the fossil over to be revived and was sitting waiting when a female scientist approached. Adjusting her glasses, she said, "Hello there mister Grant. Pleasure to meet you again." Standing, the man nodded, saying, "Yourself as well." The woman flicked through her clipboard before she settled on one page, then asked, "If it isn't too much trouble, while you're waiting, could I possibly see Tyrunt? Just as a quick check on how he's doing."

"It's no trouble at all," he said, taking the Poké Ball from his pocket and tossing it to the ground. The T-Rex pokémon yawned, growling as it did so.

"Excellent. He looks quite fit and healthy; you must be taking care of him." The man nodded, however before he could reply, the scientist behind the counter called his name.

"The fossil must be ready. You can leave Tyrunt with me while you collect it," the woman smiled. Grant gave her his thanks before he turned and walked to the counter, which he was ushered behind and led into the back room. Sitting on a table in the center of the dark room was a sleeping pokémon.

"I've done checks of all currently known fossil pokémon and it doesn't match up, so I did some digging with our database; this is Amaura, a Rock/Ice type pokémon." The scientist gave the pokémon - Amaura - a scratch near one of the sail like structures on top of its head, awakening it. It crooned at his touch, then focused on the newcomer. Stretching out its long neck, it sniffed the air curiously in Grant's direction. After a nod from the scientist, the man held out his hand which the pokémon, after sniffing some more, burrowed its head into it, crooning some more.

"I think it likes you." Grant looked at the scientist, who began digging around in his pocket. He pulled his hand out and gave Grant what he'd found; a Poké Ball.

"Thank you very much," the man said, clutching the ball while Amaura looked the Poké Ball over curiously. After Grant motioned to it, the pokémon got to its feet, shakily at first. However it steadied itself and, after jumping down from the table, began to follow its new partner out of the room.

"So, I see we may just have a Rock Gym Leader in Cyllage, eh?" The scientist said, looking enthusiastic. The man sighed, scratching his head as he said, sounding slightly frustrated, "It's not been confirmed yet. As much as I do want the position and as much as I know I'm gonna get it, I'd still rather not chance it." The scientist shrugged.

"Either way, whether you get it or not, Amaura's got you pegged as a Rock specialist either way. And, just to note, if you do become Gym Leader, its interesting knowing you'll be the first known Rock Gym Leader that doesn't use a Geodude." Grant's eyebrow rose, confused.

"Why is that significant?" he sighed. He didn't receive an answer. As the two plus the pokémon stepped out into the main room again, Tyrunt noticed his partner re-emerge and ran over to him, leaving the female scientist to write down whatever she'd been investigating about him in her clipboard. The Rock/Dragon type rubbed its head against Grant's leg affectionately, until it noticed the curious little pokémon that had come with his partner, now staring at him.

"Tyrunt," Grant said, bending down next to his partner and placing a hand each on both their heads, "this is Amaura. He's part of our team now." Tyrunt and Amaura stared at each other, until the latter chirped happily, causing Tyrunt to growl and look away. When Amaura's face fell, Grant sighed at his pokémon's behaviour.

"I don't know what to do with him sometimes," he muttered as he stood again, taking out their Poké Balls and recalling the two into them. He collected his backpack and, once again thanking the scientists for all their help, set out for Cyllage City, where hopefully, he would get a call about a particular position he had his hopes on getting.

Another quick drabble! Yay!

So Tipsy Trickster wanted a drabble about Grant. I will admit, some of the currently in progress drabbles I'm working on contain Grant, but it's not that easy to write him. I've just been having trouble writing a drabble with him. So, having said that, I'd also like to thank a friend of mine on LiveJournal for the idea behind this. She suggested a fossil dig of sorts and this is what come from that.

Also, I would like to note that the thing about Grant's friend, the Lumiose gym leader; that's Clemont and Bonnie's father. I have an idea for a story, whether its part of this drabble collection or a separate thing entirely, that explains that conversation further. The whole 'Making my son a gym leader in my stead' thing. But I'm sort of holding off on doing that. Just for a little while.

At the very least till episode 9 of the anime comes out, cause its hinted that their father appears in that and since they don't have a father shown in game, he's the closest to a canon relative of theirs that I've got, and I'd rather use a canon character - from the anime, manga or the games - than make up my own.

So, rambling aside, I hope you enjoyed reading. Please do review, suggest, fave and follow.

Thank you!

Angel-chan x

Ps. Thank you to Tipsy Trickster and Floracat for reviewing last night/yesterday. I will admit, the lack of reviews does get me down a bit, though all the faves and follows do make up for it, but getting two reviews in one night really made me happy. So an extra thank you to you both!

Pps. Free cookie to anyone who can guess who that first female scientist is. The one Grant meets in Glittering Cave, I mean. As little description as there is, I'm sure you can tell who it is. ;)