Ashlyn and her friends have now arrived at Grampa Canyon. Ashlyn remembered this part of the episode. She was concerned about the Aerodactyl that will come into play. But she'll be annoyed when Gary shows up. But this is also when Togepi's egg will be found. Not to mention that Natsu will evolve into Charizard.
As the gang approached Grampa Canyon, they noticed a bunch of people everywhere carrying backpacks, pickaxes, etc. much to the gang's confusion, except Ashlyn.
"What's going on down there?" Flint asked.
"I wonder what everybody's doing with those picks and shovels." Misty pondered.
"I think they're...searching for fossils." Ashlyn said.
"Fossils? What for?" Misty wondered.
"Fossils carry a trace or piece of an organism from the past, like a skeleton, shell, or a leaf preserved in the earth." Ashlyn explained.
"I see, they're searching for fossils of Pokémon that existed way in the past!" Brock concluded.
"Yep." Ashlyn nodded.
"It sounds fun. We should look for some, too!" Flint suggested.
"I'm in." Volkner said.
"Might be fun." Brock smiled.
"We might get lucky and actually find something." Ashlyn said.
"Then we should definitely do it." Misty said getting excited.
"Why hello, Ashy." An familiar arrogant voice said.
The gang turned and saw the annoying grandson of Prof. Oak, Gary Oak.
"Rai. Raichu (Of course. He has to be here.)" Tesla groaned.
"Chu? Pika Pikachu? (Who? Mommy who's that?)" Levina asked, blinked in confusion.
"Rai Raichu. (An arrogant jerk.)" Tesla growled.
"Gary, I'm not all that surprised that you're here." Ashlyn said, calmly.
"Of course, a great trainer like me has heard of the great fossil rush." Gary bragged.
Tesla snorted.
"Gary, Gary he's our man! If he can't find them, no one can!" Six cheerleader girls cheered as they waved their pompoms in the air.
"You gotta be kidding me." Flint said, disbelief.
"He has cheerleaders with him?" Volkner whispered to Ashlyn.
"Yup." Ashlyn popped the 'P'. Then sighed, "He's going to be even more annoying now."
"I agree." Volkner agreed.
"Thank you. Thank you to all my loyal fans!" Gary waved, "I got to go. I got to find all the fossils quick before anyone else does. Can't waste my precious time hanging around with a loser like you." He ran off.
Misty, Flint, Tesla, Raichu, and Levina glared heatedly at Prof. Oak's grandson.
"Is that really Prof. Oak's grandson?" Volkner asked.
"Yeah, he's very arrogant, huh?" Ashlyn asked.
"Extremely arrogant is more like it." Volkner replied.
"I agree with you on that," Ashlyn agreed, "Anyways, just ignore him. Let's goes and find some fossils."
"Yeah!" Misty and Flint cheered.
=========================================================
And so, the gang began looking and digging for fossils. Even though they were far from people, they're still able to hear what's going on.
"Success. My first Pokémon fossil." Gary said, proudly.
"Yay. Gary, Gary, he's the best. Found a fossil before the rest." The cheerleaders cheered.
Gary grinned at his cheerleader squad when suddenly the old man, who's a fossil expert of all regions, took it and examined the 'fossil' Gary had found.
"Impressive, isn't it? Found it on my first try." Gary bragged, "Looks like a brain from an extinct Pokémon."
"This is--" The fossil expert trailed off.
"A brain?" Gary asked, excitedly.
"It's fossilized Pokémon manure." The fossil expert replied.
"Huh?" Gary face faulted and fell on the ground in disgust.
"Ew, yuck. Gross." The cheerleaders were grossed out.
=======================================================
The gang burst out laughing, but not too loud.
"I can't believe it. The great Gary Oak found fossilized Pokémon manure on his first dig." Flint chuckled.
Ashlyn chuckled and stopped to take a breath, "Alright, that's enough...for now. Let's get back to digging."
She went back to digging, "Where could the fossil be?" She hit another place and out came two rocks that both looked like fin fossils.
"Hey guys I found two fossils." Ashlyn announced.
"I found something." Misty picked up a fossil.
"Me too." Brock picked up a fossil.
"They don't look like fossils I've ever seen before." Volkner commented.
"Me neither." Flint said.
Just then the fossil expert came over smiling, "Congratulations young ladies, young man, you found some amazing fossils!"
"Really?" Ashlyn, Misty, and Brock asked.
"You young lady found two Sail fossil's!" The man pointed at Ashlyn.
"Sail fossils? That means I can have two Amaura's!" Ashlyn exclaimed.
The man turned to Misty, "You young lady found a Cover fossil."
"Cover fossil?" Misty asked.
"You'll have a Tirtouga, who's a water/rock type Pokémon." Ashlyn explained.
The man turned to Brock, "And you young man found a Dome fossil, a Pokémon known as Kabuto."
"Wow." Brock said.
"Well congratulations once more to you three." The fossil expert said.
"Thank you." Ashlyn, Misty, and Brock thanked the fossil expert and he left them alone.
"What's an Amaura and Tirtouga?" Volkner asked.
"Amaura is a fossil Pokémon that's native to the Kalos region and Tirtouga is native in the Unova region, but I wonder how these fossils got all the way over here in Kanto?" Ashlyn wondered.
"Guess we'll never find out, but that means you get to keep those fossils." Brock smiled as he put his fossil away and Misty put away hers.
Ashlyn smiled back putting her fossils in her backpack, "Let's keep looking around, we might be able to find more fossils around here."
"Right." They all nodded going back to digging for fossils.
Suddenly they heard voices nearby and not just any voices, it was Team Rocket!
"Hey, what you three doing here?!" Flint yelled.
"Hmph, isn't it obvious twerps? We plan to blow up this canyon so we can find some fossil Pokémon." Jessie bragged.
"Uh, Jessie? I don't think we were supposed to tell them that." James said nervously.
"Oh...you're right." She said just now realizing what she just did.
"Like we'd let you do that!" Ashlyn yelled and turned to her friends, "I'll handle them, you guys warn the other diggers!"
"Right!" Misty said and the others went to warn the other diggers.
"Squirtle come out!" Ashlyn sent out Squirtle.
"Squirtle (Let's do this)!" Squirtle said.
"Squirtle, use Water Gun to try and diffuse that dynamite!" Ashlyn told him.
"Squirtle (Got it)!" Squirtle used Water Gun on the dynamite trying to diffuse it but it kept prompting the water type to try and follow it being closely followed by Ashlyn and Tesla as well as Team Rocket who was trying to stop them. But the dynamite soon went off trapping all of them underground.
Volkner, Flint, Misty, and Brock heard the noise and ran towards it and saw the hole that was covered up by all of the rocks.
"Oh no!" Misty yelled.
"We have to get them out of there!" Brock said sending out his Geodude to help them dig their friends out.
Volkner and Flint sent out their Pokémon as well to help out.
Ashlyn's backpack wiggled and all of her Pokémon came out wanting to help save their trainer. Hopefully they could get them out.
=========================================================
Ashlyn groaned, "Ow, my head." She opened her eyes and didn't see the clear blue sky. She looked around and noticed that she was in an underground cave. She felt something in her arms and looked down to see Tesla and Squirtle in her arms. She sighed in relief at seeing them. Then she noticed that she didn't have her backpack on her. She guessed that it must up on the surface.
Groaning again as she sat up, alerting Tesla and Squirtle.
"Hey, you two okay?" She asked.
"Raichu. (We're okay.)" Tesla said.
"Squirtle? (What about you?)" Squirtle asked.
"I'm alright," Ashlyn stood up, "We could try to find our way out of here, I'm getting a bad feeling."
They started walking to try and find their way out of here only to run into Team Rocket again.
"It's your fault that we are trapped in this cave!" Jessie accused.
"My fault?!" Ashlyn shouted, "You're the morons who thought it'd be a good idea to use dynamite on a freaking cave to search for fossil Pokémon and now thanks to you we're all trapped here!"
"Rai raichu. (We got company.)" Tesla said when she noticed something.
They were about to argue some more, when they heard growls. They turned to see glowing red eyes in the dark cave area.
Jessie screamed in fright, "I don't think we're in here alone."
Tesla and Squirtle stepped back and hid behind Ashlyn's legs.
As the glowing red eyes stepped closer into the light, they were confronted by fossil Pokémon.
Ashlyn recognized those Pokémon and took out her phone.
[Omanyte and Omastar, Kabuto and Kabutops. It is believed these Pokémon became extinct tens of thousands of years ago. The details of their behavior is shrouded in mystery. Though some have speculated that they may still exist, none of these Pokémon have ever been seen alive.]
"Until now." Ashlyn commented, "The explosion must've woken them up."
"Well its good for us, we can capture them and take them to the boss! Go, Arbok!" Jessie calls out Arbok.
"Chabok (I'm here)!" Arbok announced.
"Use Tackle!"
Arbok rushed at Kabutops who's pincers glowed purple sending an attack right at Arbok cancelling out its tackle attack and sending the poison type Pokémon flying back towards Team Rocket.
"That was Night Slash!" Ashlyn said.
"Squirt Squirtle! (They're coming!)" Squirtle announced.
"Tesla use, Electro Ball!" Ashlyn ordered.
Tesla wasted no time in using Electro Ball on Kabutops making it crash into Kabuto.
"Use Thunderbolt!"
Tesla launched her electrical attack which hit Omanyte, Kabutops, and Kabuto. They fainted after the attack. Then she saw more fossil Pokémon coming their way.
"They just keep coming!" Ashlyn said until she noticed that they suddenly froze then ran away, "Something tells me that that's not good."
"SCREECH!"
Ashlyn didn't like the sound of that screech at all, she heard something big come their way and soon saw what it was making her go pale, "An Aerodactyl!"
She quickly scanned it.
[Aerodactyl, an extinct Flying Pokémon. Its hard fangs suggest that it was a carnivore. Its sharp claws were probably used to capture prey.]
Ashlyn grabbed Tesla and Squirtle and ran away from the ferocious looking Pokémon, even Team Rocket knew it wasn't worth trying to catch and wisely decided to run away along with the twerp only to be knocked aside like flies.
Ashlyn had both Tesla and Squirtle on each shoulder. Before she could look over her shoulder, two claws grabbed her around her waist, causing Tesla and Squirtle to fall off her shoulders. Then the prehistoric Pokémon started to fly up to the collapsed area.
"Rai! (Ashlyn!)" Tesla cried out in horror as she and Squirtle grabbed onto the Pokémon's tail.
"Squirtle! (Let her go!)" Squirtle shouted.
=========================================================
Misty, Brock, Volkner, Flint and the Pokémon were still digging out the rubble only to stop when they heard a rumble and soon enough a giant flying Pokémon came out from underground with Tesla and Squirtle holding onto its tail only to fall down as they were finally outside.
"What kind of Pokémon is that?!" Misty yelled.
"It's an Aerodactyl!" Brock exclaimed.
"Wait, there's something in its talons...its Ashlyn!" Flint cried out in horror.
"Raichu! (Ashlyn!)" Tesla cried out worried for her trainer.
"Squirt Squirtle! (Drop her now you jerk!)" Squirtle yelled.
"Bulba! Bulbasaur Bulba! (Fool! If it does Ashlyn will die!)" Bulbasaur told him.
Ashlyn had never felt so scared as the Aerodactyl stared down at her with hunger in its eyes. She couldn't help but tremble in fright.
Natsu looked down right pissed off! What pissed him off the most was the fact that every time Ashlyn tried to pry its talons off it grabbed on tighter causing Ashlyn pain! Unable to stand it any longer Natsu roared as his body glowed white.
"What's happening?" Misty stared at Natsu.
"Natsu's evolving!" Flint exclaimed.
The white light surrounding Natsu's body disappeared and another Pokémon took is place. Replacing Natsu was a draconic, bipedal Pokémon, that's dark charcoal grey with a light grey underside from the chest to the tip of its tail, which burns with a sizable flame. It had a long neck, small red eyes, raised nostrils, and two horn-like structures protruding from the back of its rectangular head. There are two fangs visible in the upper jaw when its mouth is closed. Two large wings with red undersides sprout from its back, and a horn-like appendage juts out from the third joint of each wing. The arms are short and skinny compared to its robust belly, and each limb has three white claws. It has stocky legs and light grey-colored soles under its feet.
"ROAR!" it roared.
"Natsu evolved into Charizard!" Misty exclaimed.
Ashlyn stared at her second Kanto starter in awe. Then she heard her phone go off in her pocket.
[Charizard, the Flame Pokémon. Charizard is a Flying and Fire type. When competing in intense battles, Charizard's flame becomes more intense as well.]
Natsu's eyes narrowed in on Aerodactyl and took to the skies kicking some dust as it did so, flying towards it quickly with anger in its eyes! It will pay for hurting Ashlyn!
"Holy! That's some power!" Flint exclaimed.
"No kidding!" Volkner agreed.
"Chu rai raii! (Get him, Natsu!)" Tesla cheered.
"(Teach that jerk a lesson!)" Lucario encouraged right along with Tesla.
Natsu didn't waste anytime reaching the prehistoric Pokémon taking by surprise, but what surprised everyone was the fact that Natsu's wings were brought together before a spiraling light blue orb of energy formed in between them. He then threw the ball at Aerodactyl watching as it slammed into it hard.
"That was Air Slash!" Brock exclaimed.
"What's that?" Misty looked at him.
"It's a damage dealing Flying-type move that inflicts damage, there's also a 30% chance of causing the target to flinch." Brock explained.
"That was impressive for its first try-crap, Ashlyn's falling!" Flint pointed up making them all cry out in horror but soon relaxed as Natsu soon had the girl in its arms.
"Thank goodness..." Misty sighed with relief.
Ashlyn opened her eyes and looked up to see a dark charcoal grey colored Charizard staring at her. It was her Charizard.
"Natsu, you evolved! I'm so proud of you!" Ashlyn hugged the fire/flying type Pokémon.
"Growl. (Thanks to you, Ashlyn.)" Natsu said.
A screech interrupted the moment making Ashlyn frown then smirked, "Let's show this fossil that you shouldn't mess with a Charizard."
"Roar! (Yeah!)" Natsu roared.
Ashlyn re-positioned herself till she was on Natsu's back, "Let's do this, Natsu!"
"Growl! (HELL YEAH!)" Natsu roared as he flew higher, and not to their surprise followed after them.
"Let's try that Dragon Rage, shall we?" Ashlyn asked.
Natsu nodded.
"Use Dragon Rage!"
Natsu turned and faced Aerodactyl this time as his eyes glowed white, then the flame on its tail grows to a huge size. It then forms a ball of fire in its mouth and releases a ball of orange energy from its mouth towards the prehistoric Pokémon making a direct hit causing it great pain.
"That was awesome!" Flint and other people down below with them were also shouting enthusiastic things at Natsu.
"That Dragon Rage was amazing." Volkner stared in awe.
Ashlyn decided to scan some of Natsu's updated move set with her phone.
[Shadow Claw, Wing Attack, Dragon Claw, Dragon Rage, Flame Burst, Slash, Fire Spin, Inferno, Heat Wave, Flare Blitz, Dragon Pulse, Dragon Dance, Dragon Rush, Focus Punch, and Metal Claw]
Looking back at Aerodactyl she saw it was beginning to get tired and decided to finish this, "Let's finish this, use Dragon Pulse!"
Natsu fired a multicolored dragon- shaped beam of energy from its mouth at Aerodactyl making another direct hit and watched it screeched in pain before it closed its eyes signaling it had finally been defeated. Before it fell to the ground though Ashlyn threw a Pokéball at it, watching as it dinged immediately. Natsu caught the ball in his hands and descended to the ground.
Ashlyn sighed before rubbing Natsu's neck, "That was amazing Natsu, I'm so proud of you."
"Growl. (I couldn't have done it without you, Ashlyn.)" Natsu said honestly.
Ashlyn simply smiled as they landed, getting off the fire-flying type's back and took the Pokéball from him, as soon as she touched it the Pokéball disappeared from her hand, going back to the ranch no doubt, she then noticed something on the ground. It was a Pokémon egg that was white with red and blue triangles on it, bending down wincing a little she picked up the item, "Why don't we take this with us?"
Natsu nodded in agreement.
"Ashlyn!"
Turning her head, she saw it was her friends and waved, "Hey you guys, I'm alright!"
"Thank goodness for that!" Misty said.
"You sure you're okay?" Brock asked again, just be sure.
"Mm-hm, my sides are a little sore but other than that I'm okay." Ashlyn assured them as her Pokémon wasted no time in clinging to her sides.
"But still...I can't believe Natsu evolved into a Charizard, and a strong one too." Flint stared at the imposing Charizard.
"Hey Ashlyn, what's that your holding?" Misty pointed at the round object in her hands.
"It's a Pokémon egg, I found it right here on the ground when we landed. It must've been underground too, but probably came up here thanks to Aerodactyl. I'm just glad this whole mess is over with." Ashlyn sighed sounding tired before handing it over to Misty, "Here, you take it."
"Me? Are you sure?" She took it from her carefully.
"Yeah, I've already taken care of Pokémon eggs before, so I think you should have this one." Ashlyn said.
She knew that Misty will adore Togepi once it hatches.
Misty had stars in her eyes, "Awww Ashlyn, thank you!" she hugged being mindful that she was still sore.
Volkner walked up to her and pulled her into a gentle hug which made Ashlyn's eyes widened in surprise. Then she noticed that he was trembling and whispered in her ear, "Thank goodness you're safe."
Ashlyn's eyes softened at that, and she hugged him back. She too felt safe as Volkner held her. Suddenly she felt tired and the strength in her body was draining. "I'm tired..." she then fell asleep, but Volkner held onto her and re-positioned her bridal style in his arms.
"She must be exhausted." Misty said.
"Well, you would be too if you were dragged in the air by a prehistoric Pokémon, then became conscious enough to help your Pokémon take it down despite being in obvious pain. Her adrenaline rush must've finally worn out." Brock guessed.
"We should get her to the hospital." Flint suggested grabbing Ashlyn's backpack.
They all nodded in agreement.
=========================================================
Ashlyn woke up in the hospital and saw Natsu standing outside acting as her bodyguard. Officer Jenny had come to see her telling her that since she, Misty, and Brock found some fossils, they get to keep them, that included the Aerodactyl that Ashlyn had caught. She requested that Ashlyn should keep Grampa Canyon a secret which she swore she would, after that was done her friends came into the room along with the doctor who told her that everything checks out okay and that she'll just have some slight bruising on her sides for a little while, something Ashlyn could live with.
Ashlyn put her shirt on as she was checked out of the hospital, "Glad that's over."
"I'm just glad you only have some slight bruising instead of broken ribs." Brock smiled.
"Me too." Ashlyn said walking outside with everyone else seeing Natsu standing right there waiting for her, with a smile she rubbed her friend's neck again, "Thanks for the rescue, Natsu, get some rest now, okay?"
Natsu nodded without complaint and Ashlyn returned Natsu and smiled. While she was near the Pokémon center, she switched Mani, Espeon, Glaceon, Leafon, Parisa, Thor, Comet, and Boltund for her Dratini, Abra, Persian, Horsea, Dewgong, Marowak, and Growlithe. After the switch was done, the gang headed out once more.
=========================================================
After nearly staring death in the face, Ashlyn and her friends set out once more to continue their quest to head to Cinnabar Island where Ashlyn will earn her next gym badge. As for Team Rocket...well, they'll be underground for a while, but we'll see them again.
=========================================================
Pokémon on hand: Raichu (Tesla)(F), Lucario (M), Pidgeot (F), Bulbasaur (M), Shiny Charizard (Natsu)(M), Shiny Gyarados (Rory)(M), Squirtle (M), Pikachu (Levina)(F), Dratini (F), Abra (M), Persian (F), Horsea (F), Dewgong (M), Marowak (F), Growlithe (F)
Prof. Oak's Lab:
Mienfoo (F), Jolteon (F), Flareon (M), Vaporeon (F), Sandslash (M), Butterfree (M), Pink Butterfree (Momo)(F), Gengar (M), Rockruff (M), Raboot (M), Braixen (F), Kingler (M), Magnemite (Genderless), Muk (M), Nidorina (M), Nidorino (F), Cubone (M), Dewgong (M), Vulpix (F), Eevee (F), Kangaskhan (F), Tauros (9), Porygon (Genderless), Shiny Suicune (Azure)(F), Shiny Entei (Searius)(M), Primeape (M), Scyther (F), Clefable (F), Jigglypuff (F), Aerodactyl (F), Shiny Rapidash (Comet)(M), Boltund (M), Shiny Raikou (Thor)(M), Shiny Umbreon (Mani)(M), Espeon (F), Glaceon (F), Leafeon (F), Shiny Sylveon (Parisa)(F)