Coal Badge Battle

This book follows the storyline of the Pokémon the Series: Diamond and Pearl episode O'er the Rampardos We Watched!. Ash battles Roark in order to earn the Coal Badge.

The book starts with Ash on the rocky field on the Oreburgh Gym, facing Roark and stating that he will be leaving there with a Gym Badge for sure. Brock is mentioned to sit in the stands with his Sudowoodo and Croagunk, and Dawn cheers Ash with her Buneary and Piplup. There is a recapitulation that Ash was ready for this Gym battle, that Roark had a new Rampardos and Ash had trained very hard to beat it. The battle begins, and Roark sends his Onix to battle, with Ash sending out his Pikachu. Ash commands Pikachu to use Quick Attack, and Pikachu runs at Onix. Although Onix tries to use Slam, Pikachu climbs up Onix's neck. Roark commands Onix to use Screech, and Onix performs the attack. However, Pikachu holds on tightly, and Ash tells Pikachu to use Iron Tail. Pikachu jumps up and smacks Onix with Iron Tail. Roark commands Onix to use Double-Edge, and as Onix prepares to use the attack, Ash commands Pikachu to spin. Pikachu jumps and spins at the same time, dodging the attack. Ash then commands Pikachu to finish it with Iron Tail, however Onix uses Slam, hitting Pikachu with its tail and causing Pikachu to smash into a pile of rocks.

Pikachu uses Thunderbolt and blasts out of the rock pile. Pikachu again uses Iron Tail on Onix, which faints and causes Ash to win the first round of the battle. Roark brings out Geodude, and Ash tells Pikachu to take a break. Ash throws out a Poké Ball, choosing Aipom, and brings out Aipom to the battle. Geodude rolls across the field to attack Aipom, however Aipom uses Double Team, causing several fake Aipom to appear. Geodude, not knowing which one to attack, misses. Ash commands Aipom to use Focus Punch, and Aipom tries to punch Geodude. Geodude blocks it, then uses Rollout again. Aipom dodges the move by spinning, and Ash commands Aipom to use Focus Punch. Aipom successfully performs the move, and Geodude faints.

Dawn cheers that it is two wins in a row, but Brock says for her not to forget about Roark's last Pokémon, and he knows Roark is saving his best Pokémon for last. Roark sends out his Rampardos, and Aipom uses Swift, with the projectiles of the attack flying across the field at Rampardos. Rampardos does not move, and Ash wonders aloud how he is going to get past Rampardos's defense. Roark commands Rampardos to use Headbutt, and Rampardos slams into Aipom, causing Aipom to faint.

Ash sends out Pikachu, and Pikachu starts off with a Thunderbolt. Rampardos dodges it, and proceeds to use Zen Headbutt. Pikachu tries to dodge the attack, but Rampardos is too fast. Rampardos aims another Headbutt at Pikachu. Ash commands for Pikachu to jump, and Pikachu jumps into a spin. However, Rampardos bashes Pikachu with another Zen Headbutt, and Pikachu faints. Ash runs to Pikachu, and asks if it is okay, to which Pikachu affirms with a nod. In the stands, Brock claims that Turtwig is the only one left.

Turtwig is sent out of its Poké Ball, and the last round of the battle begins. Turtwig and Rampardos run across the field, and Turtwig dodges a Headbutt before using Bite on Rampardos's tail. Rampardos is sent flying into a big pile of dirt. Ash commands Turtwig to use Razor Leaf, and Turtwig sends leaves flying at Rampardos. However, Rampardos uses Flamethrower, and burns all the leaves. Ash deduces aloud that they are too far away for Razor Leaf to work. Roark commands Rampardos to use Head Smash, and Rampardos charges across the field. Rampardos smashes into Turtwig, causing Turtwig to fly up and land in the dirt. Turtwig uses Synthesis to get energy from the sun, and Rampardos uses Flamethrower again, however Turtwig jumps over the flames.

Ash commands Turtwig to use Razor Leaf while it runs. Turtwig executes the command, with the leaves hiding Turtwig as it runs and preventing Rampardos from aiming an attack. Rampardos charges at Turtwig, and Ash commands Turtwig to jump. Roark commands Rampardos to 'Use Jump' too, but Turtwig rolls underneath Rampardos. Turtwig blasts Rampardos with Razor Leaf, causing it to faint.

With Ash winning the Gym Battle, Roark presents the Coal Badge to him as proof of his Oreburgh Gym victory, and Ash is depicted to pose triumphantly.

It's a rematch!
Roark has a new Rampardos. Ash has trained hard to beat it!

Will Ash finally win the Coal Badge? Or will the Oreburgh City Gym Leader defeat him once again?

• Ash wins the Coal Badge.

Debuts

Pokémon debuts

• Rampardos

Humans

• Ash
• Dawn
• Brock
• Roark

Pokémon

• Pikachu (Ash's)
• Piplup (Dawn's)
• Aipom (Ash's)
• Turtwig (Ash's)
• Buneary (Dawn's)
• Sudowoodo (Brock's)
• Croagunk (Brock's)
• Geodude (Roark's)
• Onix (Roark's)
• Rampardos (Roark's)

Errors

• In the book, Double-Edge is spelled without a hyphen.
• Roark commands his Rampardos to "use Jump", as if it was an attack.