"I don't see why you wanted me to come down here," the Cyllage City gym leader said as he and the scientist walked down the cave passage. "I don't need anymore pokémon; I'm perfectly happy with the team I have." The scientist nodded, saying, "I'm aware of that. This isn't about pokémon, it's more about a person." Grant cocked an eyebrow, curious, but he didn't ask anymore questions. Rounding a corner, they came across a large group of people.
"I'm gonna guess and say this is that fossil excavation group you mentioned over the phone," the man said. The scientist nodded, saying, "Yes, yes. People from different regions all here hunting fossils. I must admit its an honour that they came here considering some regions have better locations and equipment for fossil excavation. Sinnoh especially in both areas." Grant nodded absently, his attention focused mainly on the group than the scientist before asking him, "So, where's this person you wanted me to meet?" Motioning down the corridor, the scientist said, "Down that way. He's working alone from the rest of the group." A quick gesture from the gym leader indicated he wanted the scientist to lead the way. As he followed behind him, he couldn't help but watch, oddly fascinated despite fossils rather ironically not being his thing, as many of the excavators - some quite young, which surprised him - unearthed different fossils he couldn't recognise, at least immediatly.
"There he is." Snapped back to what was going on in front of him, he focused on the young man the scientist had pointed out; red hair topped by a worker's helmet, decked in clothing fit for working underground and wearing small, square glasses, he seemed deep in his work. Before Grant could tell the scientist to leave him to his work, to introduce him later, the man walked up, saying, "Roark, my man, I'd like to introduce you to somebody!" The man, Roark looked up from his work and stood, shaking the hand that was held out to him as he said, "Really? Where are they?" Urging Grant forward and out from behind the corner, the scientist introduced him.
"This is Grant, from Cyllage City just down Route 8. He's a good friend of the lab back in Ambrette Town, and even has some fossil pokémon himself. Grant, Roark here is from Sinnoh, primarily Oreburgh City." As the two men shook hands, Roark nodded, saying, "Pleasure to meet you." Grant responded, "Likewise." As they both turned back to the scientist, they saw he was interacting with a young boy holding an Old Amber fossil.
"We can take that back to Ambrette Town and get it revived for you. For now, you keep searching and maybe you'll find more," he said to the boy, who nodded enthusiastically before running off, pocketing the piece of amber. Standing straight again, he told them, "I need to kee an eye on the group, especially the younger ones. Can I leave you?" he asked, departing after both men gave him a quick nod. Alone together, Roark asked, taking out a rag and whiping his forehead, "Could we maybe head out for five minutes? I've been down here all afternoon and its pretty stuffy." Grant shrugged.
"Sure, I don't see a problem with that." With Grant in the lead, the two men made their way outside, with Roark taking a seat on the stairs leading down to the rocky trail that was Route 9. The Kalosian remained standing, leaning against the rock wall with his arms folded. He clicked his tongue, unsure of what to say. He was curious about the Sinnoher, and he especially wanted to know why in particular the scientist wanted to introduce him to the man. Having fossil pokémon didn't seem enough. However it was Roark who spoke up first.
"It's a good view," he said, nodding his head toward the large expanse beyond the edge of Route 9. Grant shrugged. "It looks nice, yeah. But there ain't much out there; as far as anyone's explored, it's just wild pokémon territory. Not much else to see and not really a place you can settle down and build up a town or city." Roark looked up at him and said, "True. But really, you don't want to change too much about a place, do you?"
"I suppose," the gym leader muttered. Before the pair could fall into silence again, Roark said, "The scientist said you've got some fossil pokémon. If it isn't any trouble, could I maybe see them?" Shrugging again, Grant dug out his Poké Balls and said before he tossed them, "I don't see a problem with that." He released Tyrunt and Amaura, the former immediatly backing away from the latter toward his partner with a hostile growl, making Amaura's sails sag with sadness.
"That's Amaura, a Rock/Ice-type, and this little bully is Tyrunt, a Rock/Dragon-type," Grant introduced, casting a stern look at the pokémon as he went and pet Amaura over the head, trying to comfort it. Roark stood and looked over though two, though from a distance as Tyrunt was also casting uneasy glances his way and he wasn't sure if he were allowed to get closer, nodding as he muttered, "They're interesting types. I must admit, they do have a few weakness." Grant scratched the back of his neck as he chuckled, "Yeah, they're not too good defensively. But they make up for it by being good attackers. Don't you guys?" He scratched Amaura's head, making it chirp happily. Looking back up again, he saw Roark take out a Poké Ball.
"As it turns out, I also have a fossil pokémon," he said, releasing said pokémon; the Cranidos instantly began rubbing its head against its trainer's leg affectionately. As the man bent down to pet the pokémon, Grant couldn't help but say, "It's a good pokémon. When'd you get it?" Roark smiled as he said, "I dug up his fossil myself. Sinnoh's underground is a good place to find fossils and the like."
"I'll take your word on that. Not only is digging not really my thing, I don't think I could take the cold. No offence," he said, with Roark quickly responding, "None taken, but really, it's not that bad in Sinnoh. In the mainland at least, Sunnyshore City is probably the warmest area in the region, though Eterna is a close second. And Oreburgh gets at least a little heat from the steam vents leading out from the mines. Speaking of which, the undergrounds of Sinnoh are surprisingly warm. I've found myself being grateful for the cold air when I get out, it's that warm." Grant chuckled again, "I'll take your word on that as well. Frankly, I'm quite happy in Cyllage. Plus I can't really leave my gym, after how long I waited to get the position." Roark blinked, surprise on his face.
"You're a gym leader?" he asked, an amused smile on his face. As Grant nodded, eyebrow raised in confusion, Roark laughed. "What are the odds? I'm a gym leader too, in Oreburgh. And Cranidos is my main partner," he said, placing a hand on the pokémon's head. Grant's face lit up with realisation, and he snorted dryly, "Of course. That explains it." He smiled and said, "That scientist said he wanted to introduce me to a specific person, and now I see why." Shaking his head, he then asked, "Alright then, what do you specialise in?"
With the simple reply of, "Rock-types" Grant frowned and said, "Okay, now that's a little too much of a coincidence." Roark gave him a small smile, saying, "You'll be glad to hear then that it doesn't quite run in the family. My dad's a Steel specialist in Canalave City."
"You're dad's a gym leader as well? The specialty might not run in the family but being a gym leader seems to be a thing. But why in a different city?" The Sinnoher shrugged, his tone suddenly turning melancholic almost as he replied, "I can't really recall if I'm honest. He just left one day about 10 years back for Canalave City, and next thing I knew, he was running the gym there and had left the one in Oreburgh to me. It isn't too bad though; we still get along and he comes home to visit me and mom often enough." Despite his words, he seemed a little upset. Unsure of what to say, Grant remained silent, and neither of the two said a word. They sat for a short while, either looking out at the open expanse of unclaimed Kalosian territory or tending to their pokémon, until Roark got to his feet again and said, recalling his Cranidos, "I think I'll head back in now. D'you want to come with?" Grant glanced into the cave entrance, torn between joining him and returning back to Cyllage City, though what he would do he didn't quite know. Eventually however, he stood and nodded as he too recalled his pokémon.
"Yeah sure, why not? I don't have anything else to do." Motioning for the redhead to lead the way, they made their way back into the cave, with Roark's words of "Maybe I'll even show you how to dig up fossils." being the last thing the outside world heard before they disappeared.
That last line sounds ominous. :'''D
This was suggested by AceOfEagles, though it isn't quite what you suggested and I apologise. I would like to maybe do a continuation drabble or maybe a separate drabble where Grant goes to Sinnoh and meets up with Roark in Oreburgh and is all like "Okay show me this underground you were telling me about."
I'm gonna be doing the suggestions you've all been leaving me and I'm sorry I haven't done them before now. I'm also sorry that the Unova ones are gonna be a while due to Black's delay. However, good news, Black did come through and I am now making my way - or should make my way - to Castelia City.
/random update on Angel-chan's gaming hooray
So, soon you guys! Soon, we shall feature Unovans in this thing! Also, can I just point out something? This is the third Sinnoh leader that's been featured in this drabble collection. Don't get me wrong, I hold Sinnoh dearly in my heart since it was the first region I ever experienced (Diamond was my first ever Pokémon game), but simply because I'm paranoid as heck, could I please request that, just for a wee while, we hold off on suggestions with Sinnoh leaders? Just because I don't want them to be featured heavily and because, like I said, Sinnoh is a dear place to me, I don't want to seem like I'm showing favouritism or something.
...Yeah, I'm paranoid. :''D
So, it's probably wise to end my rambly author's notes here. I apologise for the many rambling author's notes I've dished out to you; I try to keep these short and sweet, these are spur of the moment thoughts and feelings, and I try to get down all the important stuff, but as you can see, I fail at the short and sweet part.
Thank you all for reading, I do hope you enjoyed, especially the suggester. Please review, suggest, fave and follow. :D
Till next time!
Angel-chan x