Kanto Gets Loud
Chapter 78: Attack of the Prehistoric Pokemon (Part 1)
The next day, outside of Celadon City,
With their sights set on the Fushcia City Gym, Lincoln and friends zip along Route 16 on the bikes they had gotten from Midori, "Man, these bikes are going to save us so much time with travelling!" Lincoln exclaimed, as he pedaled along the path, followed by Brock and Misty on their own bikes.
"We should be seeing Grampa Canyon before too long if we keep up this pace!" Brock commented.
"Are there any important landmarks we should keep a look out for?" Misty asked.
"Not really. We should be entering the rocky terrain here shortly, so we should proceed with caution once we arrive," Brock replied. And in fifteen minutes, they entered a more dry, mountainous area. They also saw a large group of people with picks and shovels walking down the road.
"I wonder if they're all going to Grampa Canyon too?" Lincoln asked, as he and his friends stopped pedaling.
"You got that right!" a familiar, nasally voice rang. The three of them turned to see none other than Gary Oak, dressed up as an archaeologist.
"Gary?! I'm guessing you're here for the Fossil Dig too?" Lincoln questioned.
"You know it! I want to get my hands on a Fossil then get it restored," Gary replied.
"GARY, GARY, HE'S OUR MAN! IF HE CAN'T FIND THEM, NO ONE CAN!" Gary's cheerleaders cheered.
"Thank you, thank you to all my adoring fans! Now then, if you'll excuse me, I got to get going before all the fossils are gone! That, and I can't be seen with a third rate wannabe like you, Lincoln," Gary said, as he went to join the other excavators.
"Full of ego as always," Lincoln commented dryly.
"We should hurry and try to find a Fossil too! Who knows how many will be claimed before we even get there?" Misty suggested.
"Good call," Lincoln replied, as he and his companions began pedaling alongside the crowd. Somewhere far behind the crowd, but still closing in fast on them were some busses. While both were filled with several familiar faces, one of them had a familiar emblem on its side.
Later at the Dig Site,
Lincoln and company soon arrived at the dig site, where they encountered two more familiar faces, "Red! Leaf! Haven't seen you guys in a while!" Lincoln greeted the two trainers.
"Likewise, Lincoln. The last time we met was back at AJ's Gym, if I recall," Red replied.
"And we haven't seen each other since Porta Vista! How'd your match at Maiden's Peak go?" Leaf asked. Lincoln whipped out his Badge Case.
"I'd say 'fairly well'," he replied.
"Whoa, the Phantom Badge!" Red exclaimed.
"Did you try challenging that gym too, Red?" Lincoln asked.
"Not yet. I was actually on my way over when I heard about the Fossil Dig," Red replied.
"Well, don't think you boys have gotten a leg up on me!" Leaf said, as she showed off her badges, which included the Fushcia City Badge, "I got this Soul Badge from Fushcia City here a while back. Though that Gym Leader was tough. She tested my ability to adapt to new surprises mid battle," Leaf explained, as their attention was redirected to what appeared to be a stage.
"Hmm? Is someone going to be saying a few words before we begin?" Brock wondered. And he was right, as a chunky man with a beard, wearing archaeology clothing stepped up.
"Thank you all for coming all the way out here for the Grampa Canyon Fossil Rush. As we all know, Fossils are ADVENTURE! And part of that adventure is to explore the world of the ancient past by learning about the history left over by the traces left by these extinct Pokemon! Now, as you all might know, there are special machines in both Pewter City and on Cinnabar Island that will allow you to restore certain Fossils you find into extraordinarily rare Pokemon! If you have any questions about what Fossils will yield what Pokemon, please, come to the main tent here and reference the chart we have on display," the man proclaimed. With that, the crowd dispersed, and went on the hunt for fossils.
"Well, where should we get started then?" Lincoln asked.
"Good question. I'd say just about anywhere could be worth checking out," Brock replied. Just then, they heard the sound of bus horns blaring, as one of the two busses pulled up. From it, stepped out the gang from Cerise Labs.
"Well, looks like they arrived just in time!" Lincoln commented.
"You knew they were coming here?" Misty asked.
"Yep. When I went back home, I brought Leni along so she could choose her own room herself," Lincoln replied.
"Wait, you went back home to America?" Red asked.
"Oh, right, you weren't there. Well, you know the Interspecies Exchange Bill?" Lincoln asked.
"Yeah, we saw it on the news," Red replied.
"I was pretty surprised to learn that monsters were actually real," Leaf added.
"Yes, well, you see, I'm kind of the main reason it was established," Lincoln replied.
"How so?" Leaf asked, sounding surprised. Lincoln then briefly explained the details of his engagement to some of the princesses from the Monster Realm, "Whoa, that's some story!"
"Yes, but it's all true. The Queen of the Monster Realm, Lilianna, even gave me this Amulet to allow me to pass through to places I've previously visited. Perfect for revisiting the Battle Chateau or heading back home to help out with something on my family's end," Lincoln replied, showing them the amulet, just as his friends approached.
"Hey there, Lincoln!" Clyde greeted.
"Hey guys, glad you could make it," Lincoln greeted back.
"So, this is Grampa Canyon? Kind of what I was expecting," Rusty commented.
"And it looks like people have already begun digging around for Fossils," Bobby observed, as people were already digging in the rocks around the area.
"Which means I should get going before all the Fossils are found!" Red said, as he went off with Leaf.
"That guy another friend of yours?" Tabby asked Lincoln.
"Yeah. Along with Leaf and Professor Oak's grandson, Gary, Red is another trainer that started on his journey the same day I did. I don't know too much about him otherwise. We never really hung out like how I did with Leaf when you guys first came to Kanto. But I do know that he's a strong trainer," Lincoln replied, just as the second bus pulled in. Upon seeing the emblem on the side he groaned, "Oh no, not that place!"
"Is something wrong, Lincoln?" Giggles asked, as the passengers from the second bus stepped out, including Cardin and Leanne.
"Yeah. That bus is from Pokemon Tech. It's this really snobbish, high level private school just outside of Viridian City. It's a place where trainers, upon passing a variety of tests, can enter the Pokemon League without having to go collect badges. But the lower ranked students are treated like less than dirt by their peers. Leaf was actually a student there before she could no longer stomach the mistreatment the lower ranked students received, and dropped out to go to public Trainer School. And before you ask, if the teachers know about the bullying problem they've got going on, they pretend not to notice. And it was all because of another former student that got expelled once I defeated her in a battle," Lincoln explained.
"Oof, sounds pretty harsh. Glad we don't go to schools like that," Liam commented, as a short, chubby man with a single bushel of yellow hair stepped out from the bus. One distinct trait that he had was that his yellow moustache appeared to be growing right out of his nose.
"Alright students! We've arrived at the Grampa Canyon Fossil Dig! You have your assignments. Go and make our most prestigious institute proud!" the man boomed. Based on his haughty tone, he was clearly the type of guy who was full of himself.
"YES, PROFESSOR EVERLUE!" the students replied. But just as they were getting ready to disperse, Leanne spotted some familiar faces.
"Well, look what we've got here! The gaijin that completely wrecked our school's reputation by taking down some our best students!" Leanne chided, glaring icily at Lincoln.
"Oh, that's perfect! I've been wanting some payback for that humiliation you threw my way!" Cardin said, cracking his knuckles.
"Hmm, so that's the American who's been making waves in Kanto as of late? I find it hard to believe that anyone could lose to him," Everlue commented, sneering at Lincoln.
"And it would appear there are more of his fellow gaijin filth littering the landscape! Seriously, why must Americans always come and sully up Kanto instead of staying in their own country where they belong?" one of the other students rudely stated. It was then that one student stepped forth to stop the students from advancing. He was also wearing the same uniform as the others, but he had wavy sapphire blue hair.
"That's enough out of all of you! Remember what we're here to do!" he yelled, no shortage of authority in his voice, which caused some of the students to back off slightly.
"Back off, Slate! You don't know what we went through because of him!" Cardin yelled back at the boy.
"You're right. I don't know what he did to you. But what I do know is what might happen to you guys if you slack off!" the boy, now known as Slate, yelled.
"Well, why don't you take him on and see just how easy it is to face him?!" Cardin yelled. Slate didn't so much as flinch.
"You know, all that bravado only masks just how much weaker you are compared to others," Slate replied, before turning to Lincoln, "That being said, I have been wanting to try my hand at battling the American that's been making a name for himself."
"Hmm, I'd kind of like to evaluate the boy myself as well. The rest of you shall stay to observe the battle!" Everlue boomed.
"YES SIR!" the rest of the students bellowed, as Slate approached Lincoln.
"Sorry about my classmate's hostility towards you. He sometimes lets his ego cloud his judgement. I'm Slate by the way. And you must the famous Lincoln Loud," Slate said, introducing himself in a civil manner.
"Yes, that's right," Lincoln replied.
"As I understand, you challenge my new school to a battle here a while ago, and won. I would like to say that I'm impressed, but given how much weaker your opponents were, I hardly have anything to base the rumors about you on," Slate added. Lincoln and his friends felt sweat drops on the back of their heads.
"Well, at least this guy has more manners than the others," Misty commented.
"I'll cut right to the chase. I'd like to formally challenge you to a battle," Slate said, holding out a Pokeball.
"A battle? Um, sure, I'm game. Is there a clearing nearby we can battle at?" Lincoln asked.
"I believe there's one on the other side of that mound over there," Slate replied, pointing to a nearby mound. It was then that the rings on Lincoln's arms for Charlie, Loona, Octavia, Milt, and Miu began vibrating.
"Hello, Lincoln? Are you there?" Charlie's voice asked. Now the Pokemon Tech students and their portly professor were puzzled.
"Yes Charlie, I'm here," Lincoln replied.
"We were calling to ask if you've arrived at that Canyon Place yet," Loona stated.
"Well, you're in luck. We just arrived here moments ago," Lincoln replied.
"Great! Our Dads are all ready to join in on the Fossil Hunt," Miu replied.
"Excellent! Do I need to open the portal or…?"
"No need. Daddy's homing in on your amulet as we speak," Charlie replied as a portal opened nearby. From it, stepped Lucius, Stolas, Taur, Wolfgang, and Akuma, all dressed in more sporty clothes than their usual regal attire.
"They've arrived safe and sound. I'll take to you girls again," Lincoln said, as the communication cut off. Needless to say, everyone who didn't know about the arrangement involving Lincoln and the Monster Realm were shocked to see some of the Royals, especially Lucius, since he's the one who's appeared on TV the most.
"Hello Lincoln! Glad you followed through on our arrangement," Lucius greeted.
"Yes sir, Lucius. I've also been looking forward to this as well," Lincoln greeted back.
"So, this is Grampa Canyon, huh?" Wolfgang asked, looking around.
"Yep! There's bound to be fossils aplenty around here," Brock replied.
"How wonderful! Shall we then?" Stolas asked.
"Of course, but I have one thing to deal with first," Lincoln replied, looking over at Slate, who, along with his classmates, were still stunned to see Monster Royalty.
"Ah, a battle then?" Lucius asked.
"Yeah. These guys are from some really stuck-up academy that likes to boast about how great they are. But this guy here seems to be far more civil than the rest," Lincoln replied.
"Hmm, I see. Well, we can't really stand in the way of how things are done in this country, so perhaps we could observe?" Stolas asked.
"By all means. We're heading over to a nearby clearing for the battle," Lincoln replied.
"Ah, sounds good," Akuma commented, as the Pokemon Tech Students began heading towards the clearing.
"Afterwards, we can get on with the Fossil Dig," Goh stated.
"Just remember that I need help with my project for school," Chloe replied dryly.
"Uh… right," Goh replied sheepishly, as they all made their way towards the clearing as well. Once there, they could hear the Pokemon Tech students talking with one another.
"Where does that gaijin get off, talking to King Lucius and the others like he's buddy-buddy with them?"
"On that note, how does he even know them?"
"And what's the deal with that weird amulet he has?"
"Well, looks like they're trying to come to terms with the fact that we all know each other," Lincoln replied, as he took his spot opposite of Slate, while his friends all stood off to the side, "Alright Slate, what're the rules for this battle?"
"How about one Pokemon each, and a five-minute time limit?" Slate suggested, holding what looked like an egg timer.
"Sounds good," Lincoln replied, as the two of them readied their Pokeballs.
"Alright, Skarmory, you're up!" Slate said, as he sent out what appeared to be a grey, metallic bird Pokemon with sword like wings.
"Whoa, who's that Pokemon?" Lincoln questioned, as he and Carlota scanned it.
"Skarmory, the Armor Bird Pokemon, a Steel and Flying Type. Skarmory is clad in entirely in ironhard armor. It flies at speeds over 180 mph. People fashion swords from Skarmory's shed feathers, so this Pokemon is a popular element in heraldic designs," both of their Pokedex's explained.
"A Steel Type, huh? Could be tricky for Lincoln," Brock commented.
"Alright, now for my choice! Inferna!" Lincoln yelled, sending out Inferna.
"Whoa, I don't think I've seen that one before," Bobby commented, as he took a moment to scan Inferna.
"Charmeleon, the Flame Pokemon, a Fire Type, and the evolved form of Charmander. It has a barbaric nature. In battle, it whips its fiery tail around and slashes away with its sharp claws. If agitated during battle, it spouts intense flames, incinerating its surroundings," Bobby's Pokedex explained.
"Ok, so a Fire Type against a Steel Type means Lincoln has the upper hand," Ronnie Anne stated.
"In terms of typing, sure. But that may not matter depending on the level the two of them are at," Brock replied, as Slate set the timer.
"Alright Lincoln, you have the first move!" Slate stated.
"Thanks! Alright, Inferna, use Flamethrower!" Lincoln instructed. Inferna then blasted Flamethrower right at Skarmory.
"Dodge it!" Slate instructed. Skarmory flew up, avoiding Flamethrower, "Now, use Air Cutter," Skarmory then fired off Air Cutter.
"Quick, use Dig to dodge!" Lincoln called out. Inferna quickly burrowed underground, avoiding Air Cutter.
"Nice save. Even if Ground Type Moves aren't effective on a Flying Type like Skarmory, Dig can still be used defensively," Brock commented.
"Hmm, this is quite the test for both of them," Taur commented.
"How do you mean?" Akuma asked.
"Well, that Skarmory Pokemon is an airborne creature, while Lincoln's Charmeleon is of the land. Skarmory might have better maneuverability, but air attacks won't cut it unless Charmeleon is out in the open," Taur replied.
"Keep your eyes open, Skarmory! As soon as it resurfaces, use Brave Bird!" Slate called out. Soon, Inferna resurfaced, prompting Skarmory to plunge right at her, glowing a bright red color.
"Watch out Inferna! Use Protect!" just as Skarmory was about to slam into Inferna, she had erected Protect, blocking Brave Bird.
"Good move on Lincoln's part. Brave Bird's a move that causes sizeable damage to the user as well, so using Protect to block it was smart thinking," Brock commented.
"But wouldn't that also mean that only Skarmory took damage from the attack then?" Lucius asked.
"Afraid not. Moves like Brave Bird need to make contact with the opponent to deal out recoil damage," Misty replied.
"Ok, while it's reeling, let's use Fire Fang!" Lincoln called out. Inferna charged straight at Skarmory, and bit down on it with flame coated fangs.
"Nice move. But we can do better! Use Drill Run!" Slate instructed. Skarmory then once again rocketed at Inferna, this time in a drilling motion.
"Inferna, use Flamethrower!" Lincoln called out. Inferna began spewing Flamethrower, as Skarmory dove right in. Inferna did her best with blasting Skarmory in the face with Flamethrower, but got stuck with Drill Run.
"Oh man, both of those moves were super effective!" Brock exclaimed, as both Pokemon appeared to have taken major damage.
"Yes, but it would appear that Skarmory creature has some lingering burn marks," Stolas observed.
"It's an additional effect of most Fire Type Moves. Sometimes, they can inflict Burn Status, which not only deals damage, but also weakens the Attack Power of the Pokemon afflicted with it," Brock explained.
"Add to the fact that Steel Types are weak against Fire Attacks, and it can be brutal," Misty added.
"Alright Inferna, use Flamethrower, once more!" Lincoln instructed. Inferna was about to fire off Flamethrower again, when…
*RING* *RING*
Slate's timer went off, "Alright, that'll do for the battle! Excellent work, Skarmory!" Slate said, as he treated Skarmory's injuries.
"You were great too, Inferna," Lincoln praised, spraying Inferna down with some Super Potion. He then turned to Slate, "So, were you able to find out what you wanted to?"
"Yes, I did. You combine brute force, sneak attacks, and strategy into your battling style, as well as making use of a move, like Dig, that would normally be ineffective against Flying Types in a creative way," Slate replied.
"Great! So, what would that exactly mean overall?" Lincoln asked.
"It means that your win over my classmates was anything but a fluke. Though given how poorly they've trained their own Pokemon, I have a hard time believing they could stand a chance against anyone," Slate replied.
"HEY! WE HAPPEN TO THE BEST IN THE SCHOOL!" Cardin yelled.
"And yet, you and the others managed to lose to me in less than half an hour," Slate retorted coldly, making Cardin quiet down, "In any case, this was a good battle, but we really need to get to our field trip assignments," he said, as he and the others went off into the canyon to join the dig.
"That was some fancy battling there, boy," Wolfgang commented.
"Thanks, though I thought that last attack by Slate was a bit dicey, even with Flamethrower," Lincoln replied, recalling Inferna.
"How do you mean?" Akuma asked.
"See, Drill Run is a Ground Type Move, which is strong against a Fire type, like Inferna," Lincoln replied.
"Well, in any case, shall we proceed to the dig?" Stolas asked.
"Sounds good. Though you might want to get some information from the guy heading up this dig first, just so you know the full details on the types of fossils we might find," Lincoln suggested, as they left the clearing, and made their way over to the foreman's tent, "Hello, foreman? Are you there?"
"Of course, my dear boy! Please, come on in!" the foreman urged, holding open the tent flap for the large group. It was then he noticed Lucius and the others, "Oh, and the King of the Monster Realm himself, along with his entourage! I'm honored to have such distinguished guests such as yourselves!"
"Thank you for your hospitality, my good man. Lincoln advised that we talk to you about this Fossil Dig before we join in on this expedition. What can you tell us about this dig?" Lucius asked.
"Of course! As you probably already know, many extinct lifeforms get buried underground after their lives end, and eventually become fossilized as a result, right? Well, the same holds true for Pokemon as well. In fact, a small number of Pokemon Species have remained extinct for millions and millions of years, and inhabited many different parts of the world. But until recently, the Kanto Region's only Fossil Pokemon that can be restored are Omanyte, Omastar, Kabuto, Kabutops, and Aerodactyl. Lately, we've been getting reports from trainers that passed through Grampa Canyon that fossils originally discovered in other regions, such as Claw Fossils, Skull Fossils, and even Sail Fossils had been found in this area. Which is why the Great Fossil Rush was organized to see if any other kinds of Fossils can be found! And even if they can't be restored, Fossils are still an adventure!" the foreman explained.
"Hmm, most intriguing! What sort of fossils are there?" Stolas asked.
"If you take a look at that chart over there, it shows what Pokemon can be restored from what fossil," the foreman said, pointing to a nearby chart, which had several different and ancient looking Pokemon on it. Next to them were pictures of distinct looking rock like objects.
"Hmm, Dome Fossils, Helix Fossils, Root Fossils, Claw Fossils," Polly read.
"Skull Fossils, Armor Fossils, Cover Fossils, Plume Fossils, Jaw and Sail Fossils too," Haiku read as well.
"That's right! But there's more! There's one other object similar to a Fossil that can be restored into a Pokemon! This item in question is referred to as an 'Old Amber', which can be used to yield an Aerodactyl!" the foreman exclaimed.
"Hmm, each of these Pokemon look like exact copies of the fossils embedded into the rocks," Zach commented, seeing some similarities between each fossil and the Pokemon they can yield.
"Of course! And the labs on Cinnabar Island and in Pewter City can be used to restore these Pokemon by analyzing the DNA in each specimen, and reconstructs them into their former glory!" the foreman exclaimed.
"Whoa, Lisa would definitely love to learn how that works," Lincoln commented.
"Are you seeing any Fossils up there that you'd want to try and find?" Leni asked her brother, who took a moment to think.
"Hmm, well, any of them would give me a Rock Type, but that Pokemon restored from the Sail Fossil would also give me an Ice Type, which are the only two types I haven't caught yet," he replied.
"But all these other fossils, they're all from Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, and Kalos. So how are any of them being found here in Kanto?" Brock wondered.
"Well, one possible theory is that when all the continents of Earth were one huge supercontinent, they could've migrated from their natural habitats and ended up becoming fossilized before they could return to their natural habitats," Goh suggested.
"That's precisely what I'm thinking!" the foreman proclaimed.
"Alright, so we know that there are a wide variety of Fossils in this canyon. Is there anything else we should know, like where to dig?" Wolfgang asked.
"We're trying to limit ourselves to just one area for right now. But just about everywhere in the canyon is a prime spot for Fossil Digging Adventure!" the foreman proclaimed.
"Well, why don't we all split up into groups, and explore the dig site? We're sure to find something," Lincoln suggested.
"Sounds good. Though we would like to stick with our original plans with hanging out with you today, Lincoln. You know, the whole 'future in-law thing'," Lucius replied.
"Sounds reasonable," Lincoln replied, as he and the others exited the tent, and broke off into four groups. Lincoln went with his future fathers in-law, Misty tagged along with Carlota's group, while Brock followed Leni and her group, leaving Goh, Sid, and Chloe to join Bobby's group.
A little later, with Lincoln's group,
As they were digging, Lincoln and his future fathers in-law didn't really find any fossils, but did find stuff like Nuggets, Stardust, and even a pair of Comet Shards, "My, these are quite the find! What do you use these for, Lincoln?" Taur asked.
"Well, treasures like these can be sold in stores to help trainers like myself get more spending cash, which comes in handy if we're low on supplies, such as food, Pokeballs, medicine, those sorts of things," Lincoln replied, as he used the tool that he got from Blitz to smash apart some rocks, resulting in finding about three or four Star Pieces.
"But you aren't hurting for money right now, are you?" Wolfgang asked.
"Thanks to the Battle Chateau, I'm doing fairly well financially speaking. If you guys want to split those things up amongst yourselves, then please be my guest," Lincoln replied.
"Hmm, you know, if we were to give these Nuggets to master dwarven artisans, we cold probably fashion them into accessories for our daughters," Akuma pointed out, examining the Star Pieces that Lincoln had just unearthed.
"Is what the tales about dwarves true? That all the things they craft are high quality?" Lincoln asked.
"That would be a criminal understatement. Dwarves are not only master craftsmen, they're also the best of the best architects, not to mention they're one of the wealthier demihuman monster species," Lucius replied, swinging a pickaxe against a rock, causing it to crumble, revealing what appeared to be a fossilized jaw, "Hey, I think I found a Fossil!" he exclaimed, taking a closer look at it.
"If I may, your majesty?" one of the nearby archaeologists offered.
"Of course," Lucius replied, handing it off. The archaeologist examined it with a magnifying glass closely, "So, what do you make of it?"
"Hmm, well, your highness, it would appear that you've discovered a Jaw Fossil. Having one of these restored shall produce a Tyrunt," the archaeologist replied.
"A Tyrunt?" Lincoln parroted, as he then remembered the costume Bill was wearing when he and his friends visited him at his lighthouse, "Oh yeah, Brock mentioned that was a Pokemon Fossil first discovered in the Kalos region!"
"Does it have a face to go with it?" Wolfgang asked. Lincoln took out his Pokedex, and punched in a few keys.
"Here's what it looks like," he said, showing them the entry.
"Tyrunt, the Royal Heir Pokemon, a Rock and Dragon Type. An ancient Pokemon restored with modern technology, this Pokemon has a violent disposition. It'll tear anything it can get between its jaws to pieces. Because it's spoiled, if it bites something it doesn't like, it'll go on a violent tantrum," Dexter explained.
"Yeesh, I wouldn't want to run into something like that in a dark alley," Akuma commented.
"It's kind of like how Lola used to be, except with stronger jaws," Lincoln added, as the archaeologist gave Lucius back the Fossil.
"Well, seeing as how I have no need for a Pokemon Fossil, why don't you take it, Lincoln?" he offered.
"Whoa, really? That'd be great!" Lincoln exclaimed, accepting the Jaw Fossil from Lucius.
"Since you're kind enough to let us take these treasures with us to make accessories for our daughters, how about any Fossils we find we give to you as a trade?" Stolas suggested.
"I'd say that sounds like a fair deal," Lincoln replied, smashing another rock, unearthing another Big Nugget and Comet Shard, "Man, I got to thank Blitz again for this tool!"
"I'll be sure to pass the message along to him personally," Stolas replied, smirking in a lovestruck manner.
"Though it's amazing that we're finding so many of these items," Akuma commented, examining the newest Comet Shard.
"They probably got embedded in the rocks around here when they fell from space or something," Lincoln theorized.
"Speaking of which, Lincoln, Milt mentioned something interesting you told her and the others during your date the other day," Taur commented.
"Oh yeah? What did she say exactly?" Lincoln asked.
"She mentioned that you're also engaged to an alien princess… Is that true?" Taur asked. Lincoln felt a chill run up his spine from that one question.
"Wait, by alien, you mean like space aliens?" Lucius asked in surprise.
"Yeah, it's a bit complicated, but I got myself engaged to the second daughter of the ruler of the entire universe. A powerful military man by the name of Gid Lucien Deviluke," Lincoln replied.
"What, so being engaged to our daughters ain't good enough for you?!" Akuma exclaimed, sounding offended, but Lincoln could tell he was only teasing.
"What's this about you getting engaged, boy?" Lincoln once again felt a chill run up his spine, as he heard the all too familiar voice of Gid, who was standing nearby.
"Oh, uh… King Deviluke, sir! Fancy seeing you here," he nervously greeted. Gid then donned some reading glasses, and pulled out what appeared to be a flashcard.
"'There is no need to fear, my boy. I have come at the suggestion of my wife and three beautiful daughters to try and spend some time trying to get to know you personally in preparation of your wedding to Nana. Read this, or you're sleeping on the couch tonight'," Gid read the card, before facepalming, "Damnit, I wasn't supposed to read that last part!"
"I'm guessing THIS is that Gid Deviluke guy?" Lucius asked a little rudely.
"As a matter of fact, I am. Who the hell are any of you?" Gid asked, trying to outmatch Lucius' rudeness.
"Well, if you must know, I am King Lucius Magne, supreme Demon King of the Monster Realm!" Lucius said, introducing himself.
"Well, I am the king of Planet Deviluke and the entire universe, Gid Lucien Deviluke, so ha!" Gid said, trying to outdo Lucius.
"Be that as it may, the Monster Realm in itself is its own universe, so I'd say that you and I are on equal footing, so ha-HA!" Lucius proclaimed.
"HA-HA! Fuck you!" Gid said through gritted teeth.
"Children, please!" Lincoln pleaded, trying to break up the fighting, "Look, the point is that I'm engaged to each of your guys' daughters, so you guys should at least TRY to make the effort to get along. I mean, I'm certain that Charlie and the others would no doubt try to get along with Nana, and vice versa. So why don't you guys try to follow that kind of example and get along?"
"He does raise a valid point, reluctant as we are to get along with this guy," Stolas pointed out, glaring down at Gid.
"Alright, we'll try to get along, but I refuse to enjoy it," Gid stated.
"And the feeling is mutual," Wolfgang replied.
"Well, that's something of a start… I know! Why not show each other pictures of your daughters?" Lincoln suggested.
"What would that do?" Taur asked.
"Well, both sides can see what the other's daughters look like, and maybe you could do some Dad like things, like telling about their upbringing or something," Lincoln replied.
"Well, it would do me some good to show just how beautiful my three little girls are!" Gid proclaimed, pulling out not a wallet sized photo, but a full-sized portrait of Lala, Nana, and Momo inside a very fancy looking frame, while, for some reason, taking on the shape of an egg, "These happen to be my little princesses, Lala, Nana, and Momo. Nana's the one that Lincoln is engaged to," he said, pointing to each individual daughter.
"Hmm, well, I suppose they do have a certain charm to them, but I'd say they pale in comparison to MY sweet little demon!" Lucius said, pulling out an even larger portrait of Charlie, also taking the form of an egg.
"That's right! And let's not forget about each of our little girls!" Taur proclaimed, as he and the others pulled out portraits. They too also took on egg forms.
"Well, am I right in assuming that they're your ONLY daughters?" Gid questioned, feeling superior for having three daughters.
"Well, yes, but they're all we really need!" Stolas replied.
"And besides, wouldn't having three daughters mean your three times as daddy-whipped?" Wolfgang said smugly.
"Not all the time. My girls know who's in charge of our family!" Gid retorted. All the while they were arguing, Lincoln was standing off to the side, stressing out from the conflict that was ensuing.
"Oh man, this is NOT going the way I wanted it to go!" he exclaimed.
"Maybe you need to get their attention back on the dig?" Pikachu suggested. There was an idea that Lincoln thought just might work.
"Good idea. I doubt anyone else here would appreciate these guys potentially leveling the entire canyon," Lincoln replied, as he approached the bickering fathers, "Uh, Lucius? Gid? If I may? We're here for a Fossil Dig, remember? A little in-law to be bonding?" the two fathers took a moment to calm themselves.
"You're right, Lincoln. I guess we got a little carried away with trying to compare our daughters. Not really good parenting right there," Lucius commented.
"True, so why don't we take a step AWAY from the whole competitive father thing, and just focus on the Fossil Dig?" Lincoln suggested.
"Hmm? So that's what you're doing all the way out here?" Gid asked.
"That's right. A lot of people are out here as well, looking around for Pokemon Fossils, like this Jaw Fossil that Lucius just found before you got here," Lincoln replied, showing the Jaw Fossil.
"Hmm, I see. I'm really more of a military man, so stuff like history and archaeology aren't really my forte. But I can see that you must have a keen interest in this sort of thing," Gid stated.
"Hey, back off, bub!" they all heard a commotion nearby.
"What was that?" Akuma wondered.
"Sounded like another trainer I know by the name of Gary," Lincoln replied.
"A friend of yours?" Stolas asked.
"Hardly. He's another trainer that set out from Pallet Town the same day I did. He's the grandson of Professor Oak. He's got some talent in battles, but he's also a bit full of himself, likes to brag about the Pokemon he catches, and the fact that he has a convertible and a harem of cheerleaders," Lincoln explained.
"Really? Is he compensating for something?" Wolfgang chuckled.
"More than likely, but Pikachu and I already did that joke in an earlier chapter," Lincoln replied.
"Damnit! I thought I had a chance for something funny!" Wolfgang cursed.
"Well, either way, we'd better go see what's up," Lincoln said, as he and Pikachu went over to the source of the commotion, followed by Gid, Taur, and Akuma, leaving Lucius and Stolas to follow slowly behind them.
"Sire, should we tell the boy about Stella's theory?" Stolas asked.
"No. Remember, he's already had a near death experience on that cruise ship. Anymore unwanted stress might affect his ability to perform in that Pokemon League he's trying for," Lucius replied.
"Hmm, fair point. But still, I can't believe that Stella would even suggest something like that," Stolas replied, as he and Lucius thought back to just after Lincoln left the Monster Realm.
A few days ago, in the Monster Realm, just after Lincoln left,
The room was filled with unease, as Stolas had just told them that Lincoln would have a near death experience in the near future, "This does not bode well," Stolas commented.
"What does it all mean, Dad?" Octavia asked.
"I don't know, Via. The vision is still a bit fuzzy, so I can't make out a lot of details, other than that white wolf," Stolas replied.
"What does a white wolf have to do with the kid?" Kat asked.
"We can't say for certain. The closest thing to a white wolf involving Lincoln is another one of the Pokemon he's encountered in Kanto. I think its name was 'Absol'," Charlie replied.
"Yeah, but it didn't look much like any wolf I've ever seen," Moxxie pointed out.
"You know, I might have one idea," Stella piped up, catching the attention of everyone there.
"And what's that, sugar tits?" Striker asked.
"Well, seeing as how the boy was able to induce the evolution of a succubus into a High Succubus, would it be too far out of the question to suggest that white wolf could have something to do with a Demon Lord?" Stella asked. Once more, the room was heavy with silence.
"A-A Demon Lord?! One of the highest classes for all known species of Monsters?! That's impossible! There hasn't been a Demon Lord for nearly 20,000 years!" Lucius retorted.
"But with the boy, you can't exactly rule it out. After all, there hasn't been a High Succubus for centuries either, and yet, take a look at Verosika," Stella pointed out.
"Well, a High Succubus is nothing like a Demon Lord. Demon Lords were among the most feared creatures for both Humans and Monsters," Elanor replied.
"But there is SOME degree of merit to what Stella is saying," Lilianna said, getting everyone's attention, "If Lincoln was able to make something like inducing a succubus to evolve into a High Succubus, which is something that hasn't happened for centuries, who's to say that a new Demon Lord won't be born?"
"And if Lincoln is somehow involved with it, then could it have something to do with that wolf?" Charlie theorized.
"Maybe it'll be a Werewolf Demon Lord that'll be born?" Milt chimed in. Once more, silence descended onto the room.
Realtime,
"A High Succubus is sure to get the Monster Realm up in arms enough already, who knows how they'll react to the news of a Demon Lord being born on top of that?" Lucius commented.
"Still, I have to wonder about the lad's role in this development," Stolas replied, as they joined the others, who saw Gary and his cheerleaders arguing with Cardin and Everlue over what appeared to be a spiral shaped fossil.
"I'm telling you that I found this fossil first! I'm the one who actually excavated it!" Gary yelled.
"But it was from a rock that broke of a section I was digging in! That means its mine!" Cardin snapped back.
"That's right! And as his teacher, I must insist that you relinquish this fossil to us immediately!" Everlue yelled.
"Looks like Gary's arguing with those Pokemon Tech students. This should be interesting to see," Lincoln commented, as an archaeologist took the fossil to examine it.
"Pretty cool, huh? I bet it's the brain of some kind of extinct Pokemon!" Gary proclaimed.
"That's bullshit! The spiral pattern means that it has to be a Helix Fossil, meant for restoring an Omanyte!" Cardin argued.
"Hmm, actually, this is…"
"A brain?!"
"A Helix Fossil!?"
"It's Fossilized Pokemon manure," the archaeologist replied, causing Gary, Cardin, and Everlue to fall to the ground in comedic fashion.
"Mmm, that's ever so pathetic," Pikachu commented.
"Too true," Lincoln replied.
Meanwhile, at Professor Oak's Ranch,
Selena was walking around the ranch, looking for the rest of Lincoln's Pokemon to force them to do her bidding, "That Gardevoir and Tsareena just came back from that Contest thing. I think I'll go pester them," she cackled maliciously, as she continued on her merry way. It didn't take long for her to locate her targets, who were chatting with some of the other Pokemon, "Ho-ho boy, this is all too easy! I'll get those others to do my bidding as well!" she said, as she made her way over to them. However, she didn't know that they were talking about Selena's own Achilles heel.
"So, little miss High and Mighty Furball has her own little crush, eh? Good to know, since we'll make her know how it feels," Queeny commented.
"Yeah, no doubt it'll learn her something," Aizami replied.
"Oh, speak of the devil, here comes her majesty," Buzzerker sarcastically remarked, as Selena walked up to the group.
"Well, isn't this nice? The little furball has 'graced' us with her unwanted presence," Skyera snarked.
"I wouldn't take that sort of insolent tone with me, bird butt! That is, unless you want a certain secret to get out," Selena threatened. Much to the mischievous Meowth's surprise, Skyera, and the others, didn't seem worried. If anything, they all looked rather smug.
"Oh, you won't be telling any secrets, Selena," Lapis said, as they all began circling Selena like vultures. Now, Selena was worried.
"What are you saying?! I have your secrets! I can go telling the others around this ram shackled lab and make you all complete laughingstocks!" Selena yelled.
"Well, you're more than welcome to, that is, if you don't mind us telling a certain Persian about a little something WE heard about," Mawile replied. Selena felt herself breaking into a cold sweat.
"W-W-What are you talking about? What does a Persian have to do with me?" Selena asked.
"Well, seeing as how we heard that you feel the same way about Percival the same way some of us feel about OUR desired mates, well, you can do the math," Lapis replied.
"The point is, if you blab about OUR secrets, we're going to take you down with us!" Buzzerker proclaimed. Now Selena was scared. She wasn't ready to tell Percival how she felt. At least, not until she evolved into a Persian herself. Sensing she had no possible way out of this, she relented.
"Ugh, fine! I'll keep quiet about your secrets!" Selena replied.
"And you'll start cooperating with Lincoln and the rest of us!" Skyera proclaimed.
"Now why would I do that?" Selena asked. She still didn't want to respect Lincoln if she didn't want to.
"Because like it or not, we're a family, and as such, we all have to pull our own weight to work together. And I'm fairly certain that Percival would agree that we have no need for dead weight," Buneary replied.
"Ugh, fine! But I refuse to like it!" Selena replied.
"We'll take what we can get," Lapis replied, as Selena pranced off, leaving the rest of Lincoln's Pokemon to snicker giddily.
"I can't believe it actually worked!" Skyera exclaimed.
"At least now we don't have to worry about her spilling our secrets!" Mawile added.
"We'll have to let Inferna and the others know when Lincoln cycles them out for us again!" Queeny proclaimed.
"Speaking of which, who's travelling with Lincoln now?" Lapis asked.
"Last I checked, including Inferna and Pikachu, there's also Spirit, Dragonair, and Grovyle. From what you told us, that Egg he received is taking up one of the slots on his team, and he can't have more than six Pokemon at a time," Buzzerker replied.
"I just wonder what those guys are all up to now," Skyera commented.
Back at Grampa Canyon,
Everyone decided to sit down for a little lunch break. The lunches consisted of sandwiches, stew, or curry, being made by several trainers who were more than happy to cook, including Brock, "Absolutely delectable. Our servants' cooking can hardly compare," Lucius commented, as he took a bite out of some spicy curry.
"We're glad that you like it, your majesty," one of the trainers that cooked replied.
"And we used some of the berries we've been growing at the Cerise Labs to help make this," Clyde chimed in.
"You use berries for curry? What will you humans think of next?" Stolas questioned, eating some sandwiches.
"Well, to be fair, the berries come in five different flavors, including spicy," Lincoln replied, as he ate some of the curry as well. It was then that Cardin chose to confront Lincoln.
"Alright gaijin, spill it! How are you so buddy-buddy with King Lucius and his pals?" he questioned.
"Well, if you must know, there was a deal that was struck between their parents and my Great Grandmother, which includes an engagement between me and their daughters," Lincoln replied, in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Heh, yeah right! You really expect anyone here to believe that?!" Cardin laughed.
"Believe what you want, it's the truth," Lincoln retorted.
"And we can confirm that it is as he says," Lucius added.
"But what him so special that he gets to be with a bunch of princesses?!" Cardin yelled, only to get pulled back by Slate.
"Cardin, that's enough! It doesn't matter how or why Lincoln is engaged to their daughters, or even if its true or not. It's not any of our business, so go and finish your lunch!" Slate ordered. Cardin growled quietly, but did as he was told, "Sorry about my classmate's rudeness. He covers up his own weakness with his tedious bravado."
"It's alright. We're not going to let him spoil this expedition for us. But on a related note, I don't remember seeing you at Pokemon Tech when my friends and I visited a while back," Lincoln commented.
"Ah yes. See, I transferred to Pokemon Tech about a week ago from over in the Kalos Region. I was one of the top proteges of the Kalos Elite Four, the Steel Type Master, Wikstrom," Slate replied.
"Whoa, that's pretty rare, having a protégé of an Elite Four Member come from a different region like that," Brock commented.
"Indeed. Wikstrom advised that I should study up on battle tactics taught at a high-ranking school like Pokemon Tech," Slate replied.
"What's all this about a 'Four' something?" Gid asked.
"Charlie and them talked about the Elite Four when they came back from that Grand Prix you invited them to before, but I think we could do with a more in-depth explanation," Lucius added.
"Put simply, the Elite Four is a group of the four strongest trainers in each region. Each member specializes in one of 18 different types of Pokemon. And each one is led by that Region's Champion Master, who are much more powerful that the Elite Four," Lincoln replied.
"In order to battle the Elite Four in what's known as the Master's Tournament, and the champion, trainers first need to place first in that Region's Pokemon League Tournament. And if any trainer manages to defeat all the members of the Elite Four AND the Regional Champion, then they'll be honored for all time in that Region's Hall of Fame," Brock added.
"Of course, in order to get IN to the Pokemon League, you have to either go around the region and collect eight Gym Badges, or you have to get exceptionally high marks at schools like Pokemon Tech," Everlue said, walking up to them.
"And right now, you're still only at five badges, right Lincoln?" Stolas asked.
"Yep. Of course, with most of the Gym Leaders heading out to other regions to try and recruit trainers to join the battle against Team Rocket, it'll be something like finding a needle in a haystack. The Fuchsia City Gym in one of the few Gyms I know of that are still in operation," Lincoln replied.
"Only goes to show how much more efficient studying at our prestigious institute is compared to travelling around the Region," Everlue stated unsympathetically.
"Assuming ANY of the students are able to pass the exams. If anything, going around to collect Gym Badges is a more surefire way to get into the Pokemon League," Misty pointed out. Everlue could only sneer in disgust at what Misty had just said.
"Hmph, I suppose that's the way ALL ugly, deformed girls like you think," he stated. This instantly outraged Misty.
"'UGLY'?! 'DEFORMED'?! WHY YOU LITTLE TROLL! I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW THAT I'M QUITE THE LOOKER!" she yelled, grabbing Everlue by his shirt.
"Now hold on, Misty! Everlue isn't the kind of guy who's worth it!" Leaf said, trying to stop her friend from doing something rash.
"You should listen to her, ugly! After all, every ugly girl like the two of you are all alike; Thinking of yourself as beautiful when there's nothing even remotely attractive about you!" Everlue stated, as he broke away from Misty, before dusting himself off and walking away.
"Leaf, how can you defend a guy like him?!" Misty exclaimed.
"I must inquire as well. Sure, the two of you are a bit young for my tastes, but even I can admit that you're both quite attractive," Taur commented.
"It's because Everlue has an extremely skewed view on beauty. He thinks cute and pretty girls like Misty and myself are hideous, while he thinks girls who are beyond ugly are the 'embodiment of sexiness'," Leaf explained, feeling herself close to losing her lunch at the thought of the women Everlue was into.
"Am I to assume that they're THAT bad?" Lucius asked.
"Oh yeah. Some of the women have faces like rats or completely covered in warts, or massive, buckteeth… No offense to you, Lincoln," Leaf said, remembering Lincoln had buckteeth himself.
"None taken. But it's his own loss if he can't appreciate where a woman's true essence of beauty lies," Lincoln replied.
"True. But be honest with me, young lady," Lucius said, as he and the others got out the portraits of their daughters, "If he were to look at our daughters, would he categorize them as 'ugly' too?"
"I'm afraid so. He finds fair skin, perfect complexions, and nice bodies unattractive," Leaf replied.
"Well, the good news is that we don't have to worry about meeting HIS absurd standards. After all, it should only matter that WE see our little girls as beautiful, right?" Wolfgang asked.
"That's right! And of course, Lincoln's enough of a gentleman to know better than to think of any of our daughters as 'ugly'," Lucius replied, turning to Lincoln, with a threatening look on his face, "Right?!" he asked in a demonic voice.
"O-O-Of course, Lucius! I couldn't possibly ever think of ANY of your daughters as ugly," Lincoln nervously exclaimed.
"Good to know we're on the same page," Lucius replied, sounding much calmer.
"And I trust that also applies to MY Nana as well?" Gid asked, sounding equally threatening as well.
"Y-Yes sir!" Lincoln replied.
"Hmm, see that it stays that way," Gid demanded.
'Man, all this stress and pressure is NOT good for my heart,' Lincoln thought to himself.
"By the way Lincoln, we saw your contest in Celadon City. What was that other thing you received alongside your Ribbon?" Bobby asked. Lincoln took a moment to dig through his bag, and pull out the Pokemon Egg. Upon seeing it, Stolas immediately got in Lincoln's face.
"Is that an Egg?! It wasn't enough for you to kiss Octavia, but now you made her lay both hers and your egg?!" he yelled.
"Whoa, Stolas, calm down!" Akuma said, pulling Stolas away from Lincoln.
"I received this AFTER I got back from the Monster Realm, and after I won the Pokemon Contest, I swear! It's a Pokemon Egg!" Lincoln exclaimed, holding it tightly.
"An actual Pokemon Egg?!" Sid exclaimed.
"I've never seen one before!" Goh added.
"A 'Pokemon Egg'? Does that mean it was laid by some sort of bird or reptilian Pokemon?" Clyde asked.
"Not exactly. See, ALL Pokemon are able to lay and hatch from eggs. But until it does eventually hatch, there's no way of telling what it'll be," Sid explained.
"Even if it's not that rare of a Pokemon, it's still one of the best experiences to actually hatch and raise a Pokemon from birth," Brock added.
"Though Eggs are pretty rare themselves. It's almost impossible to find one out in the wild. Often times, they can be found at Daycares or at Breeding Centers," Misty added.
"I see. Fascinating!" Lucius proclaimed.
"Do all Pokemon lay eggs?" Wolfgang asked.
"No. There are some Pokemon that have never been documented in laying Eggs. In fact, according to Dad's assistants, Chrysa and Ren, there's some speculation that Pokemon don't actually lay eggs, and instead find their eggs themselves. Bottom line is, no one has ever actually seen a Pokemon lay an egg before," Chloe replied.
"But these Eggs have to come from SOMEWHERE, right?" Lucius asked.
"Yeah, but we think some mysteries are better left unsolved," Girl Jordan replied.
"It's more fun to keep guessing about things like that. Just like the mysteries of the Loch Ness Monster or Atlantis," Lincoln added.
"Well, I suppose you all do raise something of a valid point there," Lucius replied, knowing the thrill of a good mystery.
"But on a completely unrelated note, how are you guys doing with your Fossil Digs?" Lincoln asked.
"Well, we've been finding a lot of rare treasures, like Nuggets and Star Pieces. And we've only managed to three different fossils," Polly replied.
"Whoa, really? Which ones have you found?" Lincoln asked.
"The archaeologists we've consulted say the fossils we've found are a Plume Fossil, a Dome Fossil, and a Root Fossil," Clyde replied.
"And seeing as how Margo, Rusty and Leni found each respective fossil, they're the ones who'll be restoring them," Carlota added.
"If I recall from the chart at the excavation leader's tent, those fossils will yield… I think their names were 'Archen', 'Kabuto', and 'Lileep'," Stolas replied.
"Sounds about right. By the way Lincoln, is what you told that Cardin guy true about your engagement to Monster Princesses?" Red asked.
"Yeah, every word of it is true. And it's not just their daughters I'm engaged too. There's also an Arachne and a Succubus as well," Lincoln replied.
"What about Charlie's girlfriend, Vaggie?" Lucius asked.
"Well, since her family's not actually part of the deal that Great Grandma Harriet made for that spell book, I doubt she'll be open to the idea of marrying me along with the others," Lincoln replied.
"Well, from what Carmilla told me, it would appear that you've managed to appeal to Vaggie enough that she's willing to give you a chance," Taur replied.
"Really? Imagine that," Lincoln quietly commented.
Meanwhile, at Fountain Heights Psychiatric Sanitorium *thunder and lightning*
The head of the Sanitorium smiled as both Loud Sisters were sitting across from him in his office, "Well, Lori, Lynn, the two of you have shown exceptional progress with your treatments during your stay here. We've been able to get to the root causes of your poor behavior with hardly any issues," the head doctor said, looking over their charts.
"Well, it was mostly in our cells that we took some time to reflect on our actions against our family, especially Lincoln," Lori replied.
"And I finally came to terms with my… accident all those years ago," Lynn added, still shuddering slightly at the memory, "If only a little bit."
"Well, that's what this sanitorium is here for. To help our patients get to the root causes of all their less than acceptable behavior, and help them realize the flaws in such a way of thinking," the head doctor replied.
"And we're glad you did. We were finally able to see just how OUR actions affected the people around us," Lori replied.
"And I know now that everything happening to our family is really all MY fault, not Lincoln's," Lynn added.
"Good to hear you coming to terms with that, Lynn. Now then, it'll probably take a while for the request for both of you to get an early release to get processed, but more than likely once you leave out of here, you'll be on probation for at least a few weeks," the head doctor said.
"Yes sir. We understand," Lori replied.
"Good. Now then, you two can return to your rooms until then," the head doctor said, as some orderlies escorted both sisters out of the office. The doctor then went over to a filing cabinet, "These two were certainly troublesome, but like all others, we managed to break them before the end of the second week," he said, placing some files into the cabinet drawer.
Alright guys, its time once more for some more trivia questions! This time, the prize will be to determine which Fire and Electric Type Pokemon Lincoln should receive in the Fuchsia City Wonder Trade. And be sure to add whether you want them to be Shiny Pokemon as well. Anyhow, here's the first question for the Fire Type Choice;
Among all the Fossil Pokemon there are, what are the only ones that are NOT like all the others?
And now, here's the Electric Type Choice:
How many Poison Type Pokemon are there in the Kanto Region?