A Diamond in the Rough

### Written by

Sonic876, Punkasaurus0530, Frogadier55, NegimaLover, TMNTHedgehog5, and DragonSpore18

### Directed by

Sonic876 and NegimaLover

***A Diamond in the Rough*** is the 30th episode of *Josh's Adventures of Pokémon the Series: XYZ*.

## Plot

A group of Carbink are looking for another Carbink but are unable to find it. Once they have left, the Carbink they are searching for jumps down from a tree and laughs at them for not finding it, before it goes underground and pops up near where Bonnie and Dedenne are playing. The ball they are playing with ends up hitting Carbink as Dedenne jumps through the bushes and hits Carbink as well. Bonnie joins them and spots Carbink. Bonnie introduces her, Dedenne and Squishy but Carbink dives underground once more as Clemont calls Bonnie back over, as they prepare to leave.
Ash and his friends are heading to Lumiose City for the Lumiose Conference and are passing through Route 14. Dedenne is excited at the idea of meeting Goodra again as Clemont knows the two were very close. They come across Keanan who is getting some water from the swamp with Bellsprout when Ash and friends come over and say hello. Keanan says that Goodra is by the spring and asks Bellsprout to get Goodra but Ash says they'll go themselves. Keanan says Goodra will be glad to see them as they head on their way. At the spring, Goodra is watching the other Pokémon play alongside Florges and Floette when Ash and friends arrive. The Pokémon say hello as Dedenne runs up to join Goodra followed by Ash and friends. Bonnie introduces Goodra to Squishy as Ash sends out his other Pokémon, revealing to Goodra that Greninja and Talonflame have evolved and introduces Goodra to Noivern.

Elsewhere, a Lotad is walking out of a lake, when Carbink pops up right under it. Lotad is not happy and attacks with Psybeam which Carbink dodges. Carbink uses Sandstorm to engulf two other Lotad in the sandstorm as the first Lotad races off to get help and finds Ash and the others. Lotad leads them to Carbink which has also captured Wooper. Ash yells at Carbink to stop which it does. Bonnie recognizes Carbink from before as Ash scans Carbink with his Pokédex, as the other Carbink joins it. Clemont notices that they usually live in underground caves so wonders what they are doing above ground. The Carbink proceed to leave but the troublesome Carbink whips up another sandstorm before going underground once again. The other Carbink confirm to Ash that they are friends with the mischievous Carbink. Ash agrees to help find the Carbink and calls Talonflame and Noivern out to help find it as Clemont sends out Bunnelby to look underground.

The search begins with Talonflame and Noivern searching from the sky. Bunnelby pops up near Clemont and Serena but hasn't found Carbink. A Pinsir picks up a rock but doesn't find Carbink either. Pikachu checks with two Lotad but they haven't found Carbink. Florges and Floette lay a berry on a rock to try and entice Carbink. When they aren't looking, Carbink takes the berry. When Florges notices the berry has gone, she spots Quagsire looking and believes Quagsire took the berry and attacks with Vine Whip. As the other Carbink keep looking, three Beedrill are also searching when the Carbink pops up from underground and chases them as Team Rocket spy on the Carbink. Meowth sees that it is a Carbink and James provides information. The idea of a Jewel Pokémon attracts Jessie but soon works out carrying Carbink as jewelry is no easy job. James says that Carbink's body is as hard as diamond which gives Jessie an idea and they decide to catch Carbink. As Carbink dives underground, Florges has another go at attracting Carbink with berries only for Carbink to attack her and making her drop the berries. Seeing Quagsire nearby, Florges assumes that Quagsire is responsible and attacks with Hidden Power as Carbink laughs nearby. Ash meets up with the others but none of them have found Carbink as Noivern and Talonflame come over. Clemont guesses that Carbink went further away so they spread out further.

Team Rocket are preparing their latest mecha when the other Carbink come over and Jessie spots them. Meowth translates their dialogue and learns that they are searching for a missing Carbink and James guesses it must be the Carbink they saw earlier. Jessie stops Meowth from revealing it went underground. When asked what the strategy will be, Jessie decides to make use of all six Carbink. Florges has another go with the berries which Carbink takes again but is spotted by Floette and prevents Florges from attacking Quagsire when she notices the berries have gone as the Beedrill come over. Florges and Floette inform the Beedrill what has happened and they move on. The Carbink is laughing as it eats the berries and run off as the Beedrill approach; the Jewel Pokémon is surrounded on the water and attempts to escape but fails as Lotad and Ariados keep watch, Talonflame and Noivern leave to inform the others. Ash, Goodra and Bonnie are still looking when Talonflame arrives to inform them that Carbink has been spotted and they follow but Bonnie notices that Dedenne is missing. Noivern arrives where Serena, Clemont and Bunnelby are searching to tell them that Carbink has been located and they head off. Florges heads over to Carbink as Ash arrives and tells Carbink its friends have been searching for it before realizing that its friends have disappeared as Clemont notices that Bonnie is missing as well.

Team Rocket marvel at their new mecha which is shaped like a Carbink which is now ready, unaware that Dedenne is watching them from behind a rock and notices that the six Carbink have been captured and goes to free them; after trying to bite through, the Antenna Pokémon attacks the force field with Nuzzle but fails. Team Rocket spots it and Jessie sends out Gourgeist who attacks with Shadow Ball and James sends out Inkay to attack with Psybeam. Dedenne dodges and runs off. Bonnie is searching for Dedenne and spots it coming her way followed by Gourgeist and Inkay and runs away, dodging another Shadow Ball as Ash and Clemont realize that Bonnie can't be far away just as Bonnie catches up to them followed by Gourgeist and Inkay as Team Rocket arrive inside their mecha.

Team Rocket recite their motto and reveal their new mecha, the "Carbink Robo Drillalyzer". Serena claims that the mecha looks silly, but Jessie chides her, revealing the six Carbink attached to the robot's six arms, worrying the mischievous Carbink. Team Rocket proceeds to destroy the wetlands with their mecha, and James is happy to see that the Carbink really are as hard as diamond. Pikachu attacks the mecha with Thunderbolt but in vain, and Team Rocket knocks Ariados and Pinsir, who are trying to destroy the robot, off it. Seeing the damage being caused, Carbink decides to confront Team Rocket and asks for Goodra's help, to which it agrees. Executing their plan, Carbink rushes towards the robot to attack it, propelled by Wooper, Quagsire, and Lotad using Water Gun. The Carbink successfully manages to destroy one of the arms and free the Carbink trapped inside. Then the Carbink simultaneously attack the robot until all the Carbink are rescued, destroying Team Rocket's glass shield in the process. Not in a mood to give up, Jessie and James command their Pokémon to use Shadow Ball and Psybeam respectively, hurting the wild Pokémon in the wetlands. Goodra is not happy with this progress, and takes another Psybeam head on to protect its friends, then retaliates with Dragon Pulse, knocking Gourgeist and Inkay out. Ash commands Goodra to use Ice Beam while the seven Carbink use Power Gem to blast off Team Rocket again.

Evening sets in, and the mischievous Carbink apologizes for its troubles, the other Carbink happily forgiving it. The group and Goodra lead Carbink back to the cave, and Ash advises Carbink to not cause any more mischief and troubles for its friends and then they bid their farewells. Later, Ash, his friends, and the Pokémon rest in the spring, Serena commenting that everyone needs a little down time, especially since Ash and his Pokémon must rest for the Kalos League. Clemont states that it won't be too long till the League, and Goodra wishes good luck to its former Trainer. Ash sheds its concerns, claiming with his Pokémon, that he will win the Kalos League.

Concurrently, Alain and Charizard have defeated Korrina and her Lucario in the Shalour Gym, successfully earning the Rumble Badge. Korrina asks him if he intends to participate in the Kalos League, to which he replies in the affirmative, claiming that he wishes to battle someone. Korrina wishes him luck as Alain reveals that this person is quite strong and will rise to the top for sure.

## Major events

* Ash and his friends visit the wetlands again and meet up with Goodra and Keanan.
* Alain is revealed to have begun collecting Badges.
* Alain defeats Korrina at the Shalour Gym and earns the Rumble Badge, fulfilling his requirements for entering the Lumiose Conference.

## Characters

### Humans

* Ash
* Serena
* Clemont
* Bonnie
* Jessie
* James
* Korrina
* Alain
* Gurkinn
* Keanan

### Pokémon

Who's That Pokémon?: Carbink

* Pikachu (Ash's)
* Meowth (Team Rocket)
* Dedenne (Clemont's)
* Greninja (Ash's)
* Talonflame (Ash's)
* Hawlucha (Ash's)
* Goodra (formerly Ash's)
* Noivern (Ash's)
* Bunnelby (Clemont's)
* Gourgeist (Jessie's; Super Size)
* Inkay (James's)
* Lucario (Korrina's; Mega Lucario)
* Charizard (Alain's; Mega Charizard X)
* Bellsprout (Keanan's)
* Zygarde (Zygarde Core; Squishy)
* Florges (Blue Flower; anime)
* Wooper (anime; ×2)
* Floette (Blue Flower)
* Lotad (×3)
* Pinsir
* Quagsire
* Ariados
* Yanmega (×2)
* Beedrill (×5)
* Carbink (×7)

## Transcript

*Main article: A Diamond in the Rough/Transcript*
## Trivia

* Poké TV: "Burn! Pokémon Challenge!!" focusing on Goodra.
* This episode has similarities with *Lapras of Luxury*. Both take place shortly after Ash has earned his eighth Badge in the region he is traveling in, and feature Ash meeting up with a Pokémon he had previously released.
	+ Coincidentally, in the earlier episode, Ash met up with the Ice-type Lapras shortly after defeating Clair, a Dragon-type Gym Leader, while in this episode, he meets up with the Dragon-type Goodra shortly after defeating Wulfric, an Ice-type Gym Leader.
* An instrumental version of Team Rocket's Team Song is used as an insert song when Team Rocket recite their motto.
* Clemont and Bonnie narrate the preview for the next episode, and Ash and Bonnie say the catchphrase that Ash usually says by himself at the end of most previews.
* For the first time, all of the Pokémon Ash has caught in Kalos are seen together.
* The opening animation is updated, now replacing the scenes of Zygarde Complete Forme and Wulfric at the Pokémon Village with scenes of Bonnie watching Squishy and Z2 as a Zygarde Complete Forme attacking Team Flare's Megalith, which has taken on the appearance of a Zygarde 50% Forme.
* The episode's English title is a reference to the phrase "diamond in the rough".
* This episode shows the conclusion of Alain's battle with Korrina, which had begun during the introduction of *Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel*.