[Game thread] Skull Ruins Pokerole

[Iron]

"Because a Pokedex can halt evolution."

"Oh! This is from an ancient Pokemon, but not one of the usual fossils! Looks like an elephant toenail...Donphan? Or maybe something a little different...should I analyze this first or just revive it right away?"

"Good point."

"Yeah, I've got a Claw Fossil, too, but I figured this one would be more interesting to start with.  I've actually done a little research on it myself and have an idea of what it might be...but maybe you don't want me to spoil the surprise?  I'm all up for reviving it right away."  Nathan has a sly smile on his face.  He's been looking forward to this.

"I think I know what is too. A guess, at least."

The Toenail Fossil goes into a spherical machine, which scans it, crumbles it up, hits it with some lasers ("This heats up the DNA"), spins it at high speeds ("This is separating various components of the fossil"), bathes it in radioactivity behind lead shielding, and spits out a bowl of goo. 

"This is the DNA, fossilized, but it's useless until we know how it's coded and can replicate it in a living way. Next we need to expose it to various nucleotides and see which ones fit in which order." This is done in a tubelike machine. The DNA sequence starts appearing on the screen.

"There are two components to a revivification - both extremely expensive. We need to provide one strand of the DNA, which fixes all the errors and complements the original strand. But we also need a strand of the source DNA, which provides...well, Life! Science still isn't sure exactly what the stoney material provides. Some kind of fundamental force or energy, locked away in the stone. Some of that material is almost always present in any revivification - without it, the creature cannot live. Nor can one creature's fossil be used to give life to another creature's DNA sequence. One fossil = one Pokemon, no matter the size."

She absorbs everything into a special Pokeball, a purple one with a picture of DNA on it. She places this Pokeball in a small boxy machine the size of a suitcase, with a slot for just one Pokeball. It's not plugged into any power source, though it looks electrical. It looks more like a Healing Machine than anything, including the preponderance of flashing lights. Laurelin hooks it up to a big tank full of liquid. 

"This part makes some people squeamish. But it's at the heart of revivification!"

The "Healing Machine" starts glowing and flashing, bathing the Pokeball in radiance. A tiny blob like a Duosion, then like a baby bird, appears in the center of the machine. It grows more reptile-like as it increases in size. Soon it's the size of a kitten, but not yet formed the way you're expecting. The size is disproportionate to the detail. "It's going to be big, even as a child," says Laurelin.

The neck lengthens. A cobralike hood forms over the head, and beady eyes become visible. The body is getting very thick, the tail is growing from the earliest stage into a lengthy appendage. It has four legs, still devoid of toenails. The clone has taken on a sauropodian figure, longer and thinner than Tropius, but still recognizable as a very similar Pokemon.

Now rocky plates are sprouting from the spine, protruding diamonds. Toenails develop - rocky and stubby. Stone thagomizers grow from the vinelike tail - a lethal looking weapon.

From the tip of each dorsal plate sprout twin leaves. The hood and tail take on grasslike characteristics. Tiny Rowletty feathers grow around the ankles and spikes. The toenails are palmlike. The Pokemon is solidifying before your eyes, maturing into a longer and slightly thinner Tropius. It'll be heavier, though. 

The liquid drains away from the tank, and the ancient Tropius collapses. 

"She'll be unconscious until she spends the night in a Healing Machine at a Pokemon Center. Such is always the case. Other than that, preliminary scans reveal she's a success! Oh, you must beam this Pokedex data to Mallorn at once! She's beautiful..."

Delta Tropius was caught! (Delta? You're not quite sure)
Grass/Rock
7 Base HP
2 Happiness, 2 Loyalty
4 Disobedience
Ability: Sand Stream

Moves known: Bestow, Gust, Leer, Natural Gift, Cut (watered down, as Corebook).

Move list:
7 Growth
11 Razor Leaf
17 Bite
21 Sand Tomb
27 Roar
31 Wide Guard
37 Smack Down
41 Stealth Rock
47 Ancient Power
50 Head Smash
61 Solar Beam
71 Thagomizer*

? Poison Tail, Iron Tail, Outrage

The dorsal plates can whirl at high speeds, like mixer blades. They can also be fired for attacks, as can the tail spikes. 
No fruit seems to be forthcoming. The Pokemon's teeth look like they could eat entire saplings or palm trees. 

*Thagomizer - Attacks with all weapons at once, combining whirling dorsal plates, firing stones, and a devastating tail smash. Ranged area attack. Rock type. -4 accuracy. Power is 1d6+3