A Diamond in the Rough

Chapter 1: A Chance Encounter

The Pokémon world is vast and storied, filled from the tallest mountain to the deepest trench with wonders beyond imagination. Across the lands, you might see herds of wild Tauros galloping across the plains, schools of Wishiwashi swimming through the deep blue seas, or even a Magcargo making its home in a fiery volcanic crater. However, our story begins not in any of the sprawling lands above, but in the cavernous burrows below. Tunneling through the earth was a teal-colored Gabite named Gus. Like all Gabites, his infatuation with shiny objects drove him to spend his time searching for jewels and crystals.

"Honey, breakfast is ready! Come upstairs so you can eat!" called a female voice from above. Gus wanted to ignore his mother's summons, but he figured he could dig for treasure after he had finished his morning meal. The adolescent Gabite made his way up the dusty burrow steps and into the dining room, where his mother, father, and younger sister were all waiting. From there, Gus sat down at the table to eat his breakfast of bread with Wiki Berry jam and a portion of seared Relicanth. He ate it without question, but it was the same old dry cooking his mom always made.

"Gus, have you been digging for gemstones again? You know your mother and I don't want you doing that," said his father, a Garchomp. Sighing, Gus admitted to disobeying his parents' wishes.

"We care about you, Gus. All we want is for you to grow up well-adjusted like your sister Gabby," explained his mother as she pointed to the Gible sitting across from him. Gabby, having finished her breakfast in record time, was preoccupied with sinking her teeth into the table leg beside her. Gus was just grateful it wasn't his own leg this time around.

"I loved to hoard shiny things when I was your age too, son, but if you want to grow up to be a strong Garchomp, you've got to cut that habit early," continued his father. Gus knew his parents meant well, but he couldn't help but find them overbearing. After finishing his breakfast, the Gabite decided he'd head to the nearby caves to look for jewels, someplace where his parents couldn't bother him.

The grassy valley above Gus' subterranean home was as peaceful as ever. Pokémon happily frolicked about without worry, and there wasn't a cloud to be seen in the bright blue skies above. He enjoyed the underground, like all Gabites do, but even he had to admit that it was a nice day outside. After taking a moment to watch a few Buneary hop and play, Gus made his way over to his favorite haunt. The hills were a perfect place to find caves, so it was no wonder Gible and its evolutionary line liked to make their homes here. This cave in particular, however, was Gus' favorite. He had found most of the shiny objects he kept in his hoard here, giving it a lucky feeling that kept him coming back. As he entered the dimly lit cavern, the Gabite scanned for good places to dig. Settling on a spot between two stalagmites, he got to work excavating the stone and earth with his sharp claws. Luckily, it didn't take long for Gus to happen across a pretty little topaz that he giddily took into his claws.

"Wow! I already found one! This one's real pretty, too..." he exclaimed, staring at it with his typical infatuation. Not one to quit while he was ahead, Gus moved deeper into the cave in hopes of finding more. As he searched for a new spot to dig, he noticed a strange patch of dirt that looked different from the rest of the cave. Gus didn't think much of it at first, but when he felt something move under his feet after walking over it, his interest was piqued. Not one stroke of his claw passed before he struck something hard, something the Gabite quickly pulled out of the dirt. When he saw what it was, Gus gasped.

"It's a Carbink! Oh, I've always wanted to find a Carbink!" he exclaimed, squeezing the poor Pokémon with glee as celebrated his find.

"Eek! Please don't eat me!" meeped the rock Pokémon in a cute, feminine voice. Upon closer inspection, the Carbink was a lovely shade of orange and wearing a bow that matched its eyes.