@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 81: Ancient Family Matters


"Let's do this!" Ash smiled as the group made their way to Canalave Gym some days later. "Now I can have my long awaited match with Byron!"

He balked when he saw the referee by the door. "I'm sorry, but Byron is not taking challenges right now..."

"Why not?" Ash asked, his heart racing as he imagined all kinds of nightmare scenarios.

The referee noticed Ash's panicked look. "Actually, Byron is spending some quality time with his son."

The group followed the referee inside the Gym's main hall, where Roark and a man with deep red hair in well loved adventurer's clothes were talking. "Roark?" Dawn asked.

"Oh, hi!" Roark smiled. "Fancy seeing you guys here! I was just telling Dad about you..."

He motioned to the man. "Everyone, this is my dad, Byron."

Byron smiled when he saw Ash had offered his Badge case for him to see. "Ah! That's Oreburgh's Gym Badge!"

His smile turned thoughtful. "I see...you've defeated my son. But I'm not surprised. He still has a lot to learn."

"Speaking of learning things, I want to know more about the fossils you found on your travels in Unova." Roark asked, steering the discussion back to its previous topic.

"One of them appeared to come from a turtle-like Pokemon, and the other from a prehistoric bird Pokemon of some kind." Byron replied. "Once the research on them is complete, I'll put them in my collection."

"See, Dad's been all over the world, and has amassed a lot of fossils." Roark explained. "We haven't actually counted them all, but if I had to take a stab in the dark as to how many he has so far, he has about 500 from across the world."

"Wow!" Dawn was impressed.

"Can you give us a tour of your collection?" Ash asked.

"Come on, then." Byron got up from his chair. "The storage vault is around the corner and down the right hall, past the main arena."

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Access approved--welcome to the vault. the security unit reported as Byron led Roark and the group into a massive vault filled with Pokemon fossils, bones, teeth, and other parts.

"I can only imagine the stories behind some of these..." Brock mused as he admired an Old Amber with a tiny Aerodactyl skull inside on one shelf.

"You're actually looking at the smallest fossil I have." Byron grinned before making a grand gesture to a massive claw shaped fossil that had its own shelf. "This is the pride of my collection--an Anorith fossil three times the size of a normal Anorith."

"So, would you say Crystal is more powerful than Escudo now that she's evolved?" Roark asked as the group continued to explore the vault.

"Power isn't everything--Despite its rough, intimidating appearance, Bastiodon is actually a docile, caring Pokémon that eats grass and Berries. Its steel-hard, shield-like face is capable of repelling any attack." Byron reminded Roark.

"They say that a charging Rampardos can knock down virtually anything with one hit." Roark explained. "You think Escudo could take a hit from Crystal at full tilt?"

"Escudo could take any of Crystal's attacks, and more." Byron confidently replied. "When multiple Bastiodon line up, their faces form a wall that nothing can break through. This was how they protected their babies."

Ash looked back and forth as Roark's and Byron's conversation continued to get heated. "Mind if I borrow your whistle for a second?" he asked Brock, aware of Roark and Byron debating EV's and IV's of their respective Pokemon a few feet away.

"Sure..." Brock draped his referee's whistle into Ash's hands. "Maybe we can find a better way to settle their debate than a shouting match."

"Okay..." Ash next blew the whistle as hard as he could, snapping Roark and Byron from their debate. "Rather than fighting over facts and figures all day, wouldn't it be much better--and quicker--to have both Pokemon battle to see whose Fossil Pokémon is better?"

"A wonderful idea!" Byron smiled as Ash returned the whistle. "Let's meet in the main arena and settle this once and for all!"

"You're on!" Roark smiled, giddy over battling his father.

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In the arena, Ash and Dawn watched Roark and Crystal battle against a massive reptilian Pokemon with a shiny steel face, legs, back, and tail. "Crystal, try Zen Headbutt again!" Roark called.

"Escudo, use Iron Defense!" Byron commanded.

Ash located Brock at the midpoint sideline of the arena, just as Crystal tried unsuccessfully to ram into the massive reptile Pokemon, which had turned a shiny silver under the effects of Iron Defense. "That looked like it hurt..."

"Actually, I think Byron actually has the upper hand." Brock replied as Byron instructed his Bastiodon to use Flamethrower, which the Rampardos nimbly jumped away from.

Roark grimaced as the flames impacted the Diamond safety barrier. "Crystal, try Head Smash!"

"Escudo, counter with Iron Head!" Byron shot back.

The group held their breaths as the Rampardos and the Bastiodon pushed back and forth in an attempt to shove the other away. After a few tense moments, both of them collapsed to the arena floor, prompting Brock to blow his whistle. "No contest! This match is a tie!"

"Maybe both our Pokemon are strong in their own unique ways..." Roark mused as he collected Crystal.

"Speaking of which..." Byron showed Roark a fossilized leaf. "I'll never forget the day you found this fossilized Sunkern leaf...your gift and ability to pitch in when it mattered most helped the collection grow to what it is today."

He smiled. "You and Crystal are growing stronger every day...I look forward to the day you can take over here. But if you want to continue running your own Gym, that's okay--I will always be proud of you, no matter what happens."

"Aw..." Dawn smiled as Roark and Byron shared a loving hug as father and son. "Maybe I need to call Mom and say hi..."

"Come to think of it, I haven't talked to the clan in some time--they probably miss me by now..." Brock agreed.

"As soon as we return to a place with a phone, I'm calling Mom and Dad right away." Ash smiled. "I'm sure they'd love the update."

"Ash..." Byron began "I know you have journeyed so far, and waited for me so we could battle. But can you wait one day more? Escudo needs time to rest."

"Sure--that gives me a little more time to train." Ash replied.

Byron nodded. "Very well--we will meet in the arena the day after tomorrow."

To Be Continued...