31- Operation Bumblebee (part 2).
Bumblebee was lying unconscious on a medical berth in the Autobot base's control room, with Max next to him waiting for him to wake up.
"Of all the scrap brained ideas, taking Bumblebee into a potential chase scenario when he no longer has the ability to access his wheels?!" Ratchet yelled at Warpath.
"He improvised. Besides, even if I was there alone, I would not have succeeded in his place. I'm not build for that kind of speed."
"Hey, Bee's waking up!" Max called.
"(Oh, my head is buzzing.)"
"You've already lost your voice box and your T-Cog. Were you really trying to add your spark to the list?" Ratchet asked.
"(It's no use. I'm useless.)"
"Don't say that, Bumblebee. You're not useless." Max said.
"Look, I hate so much to break up the pity party but aren't we forgetting about something important?" Sideswipe reminded.
"Yes, the Cons just added unknown Iacon payday number two to their armory." Arcee ended.
"Neither blame or praise will modify past events. But we cannot afford to take further unnecessary risks." Optimus said.
"That means that you, Bumblebee, are not to leave our base. Not until we can retrieve your missing biomechanism." Elita declared before she and Optimus walked away, leaving Bee with the others, still depressed.
Ratchet went with them. "Bumblebee's right to be less than hopeful, but you and I know there exists a way to make him whole again."
Optimus knew what he was referring to. "A transplant."
"But Ratchet, that would require a donor." Elita objected.
"You need look no further than the Autobot standing before you." Ratchet offered himself.
Both Optimus and Elita remained shocked.
"You? Really?" Elita asked in disbelief.
"A generous offer, old friend. But your solution would merely trade one Autobot's handicap for another." Optimus defended.
"I don't rely on my T-Cog, not like Bumblebee does. The ability to transform is virtually wasted on me. This is where I spend my days, where my thoughts and hands are a value, not my weapons or wheels. Our team can't afford to be shy even one warrior on the field." Ratchet explained looking at Bumblebee while the others tried to cheer him up.
"You make a compelling case, but know that we will find Bumblebee's T-Cog."
"Optimus, Team Alien are savages. Who knows what damage they may have already inflicted upon it? Or…or if I will be able to repair it."
"So this is because of that, for what happened? Ratchet, that wasn't your fault." Elita defended.
"You did everything in your power." Optimus supported.
"Ugh, please. Do you really think this is simply about my inability to restore Bumblebee's voice box? I…I just want to do what's right, for our scout. For the team."
Meanwhile, on the Nemesis bridge, Knock Out showed Galvatron the relic he recovered.
"Ah, excellent work, Knock Out."
"I live to serve, lord Galvatron. But what exactly is it?"
Galvatron pulled out and fired his fusion cannon at Knock Out. As the soldiers behind him jumped out of the way, he got startled and a force field generated from the artifact and deflected the blast.
"Now you know." Galvatron simply said.
"I think I leaked a little transmission fluid."
Meanwhile, inside a canyon between a town and Violet City in the Johto region, a Team Alien squad, leaded by Misbelwy, was using a device to track an energy signal. Finally, it detected something.
"Source located." One of the soldiers announced before he and other soldiers advanced through the canyon.
"It feels gratifying knowing that we are finally making progress."
"Yes, gratifying, isn't it, Misbelwy?" Darkscream said approaching from behind her. "I often advised Galvatron to seek out human allies, after all it seems to provide the Autobots as an occasional edge. But despite his reputation as a brilliant strategist, Galvatron is woefully small-minded when it comes to working with minds smaller than our own." He said, until he saw Misbelwy looking at him, in a similar way Galvatron used to do. "I…was simply referring to head size."
"You don't need to exaggerate things with me, Darkscream. You can be all the honest you can. And I don't take it as an insult. After all, is what remains of your Decepticon nature, am I wrong?" She asked before walking with her soldiers.
"Hum, you are good." Darkscream admitted surprised. "Well, at least I will not feel that uneasy as when I was with Galvatron."
"Darkscream, I need you here!" She called, making him to catch up with her. "It is those?"
"Indeed." Darkscream answered at seeing familiar crystals in front of Team Alien soldiers. "Energon, in its purest state."
"Ready to be mined."
"And processed, my human fair lady. To give us the edge."
Back to the Autobot base, Ratchet already explained his plan to everyone, so Warpath, Arcee, Moonracer, Sideswipe, Hot Rod and Wheeljack lined up for his request.
"Obviously, since I am the other patient involved, I will be unable to perform the surgery. Therefore, one of you must serve as my proxy. Clemont, you will be the assistant."
"What? But Ratchet, I'm not a doctor, and I barely know about your biology."
"But I have taught you some useful things which I'm sure you'll have no problem to link up, so you know enough for this. I wouldn't ask to you if I wouldn't be certain you're capable to do this." Ratchet told him before walking next to Warpath. "Uh-huh, better at blowing things." That made Warpath sigh in relief. Next, he stopped next to Arcee and looked at her and Moonracer. "I don't know, too small to perform correctly such procedure with bigger Bots. No offense." That made both girls sighed in relief too. Next was Sideswipe's turn. "Pff, no way I'm going to allow such prankster as you to manipulate such precise instruments."
"Yes." Sideswipe celebrated, but then he changed his face to one annoyed. "Wait, what did you just say about me?"
At the end, Ratchet had to choose between the last two candidates, but he already had his election. "Wheeljack."
That caught both Autobots by surprise.
"Why Ratchet? I am willing do anything for anyone of our team. You can count on me."
"Sorry Hot Rod, but this particular procedure requires professional experience, and the right Bot. I choose Wheeljack because he knows how to manipulate delicate tools, and for his experience as the scientist of the Wreckers."
"Are you sure I'm the right one for this, Doc? Optimus has steadier hands." Wheeljack pointed out.
"Steady, and much too large to be rooting around beneath my hood." Ratchet clarified, making him sigh in defeat.
"Sorry pal, I guess is bad luck for both of us." Hot Rod lamented.
"I wish I could be you right now, kid."
"Come on, Jackie, you can do this. You are steely as they come." Dawn said, trying to cheer him up.
"Pi piplup." Piplup supported.
"That's on a battlefield, not in an operating theatre. Besides, my specialty is focused on explosives and machinery, not medicine." Wheeljack retorted.
"You're gonna be okay, we all will be here to ensure you do it right." Dawn reassured.
"Besides, Clemont will be there helping you. As long as he knows something you don't, nothing can go wrong." May added, but Wheeljack sighed again.
"Does this mean Bumblebee's gonna transform into an ambulance from now on or be all cranky? Cause that would be weird." Bonnie remarked.
Moments later, both patients were lying down on medical berths as Wheeljack began the procedure, while Clemont supervised the terminals.
"We are ready, Wheeljack." Clemont announced.
"Inducing stasis." He announced typing on the terminal, starting Ratchet's power down.
"(Thank you, Ratchet. This means a lot for me.)"
"Dat dat dat, you can…thank me when…it's over." Ratchet said before falling into stasis.
"Doc's gone to the dream land. Okay Bee, your turn now." Wheelack informed.
But suddenly, the alarm sounded from the computer.
"What's happening?!" Ritchie asked alarmed.
"Ratchet's flat lining!" Max shouted.
"Calm down Max, he isn't." Clemont reassured.
Warpath went to the terminal to check it out. "It's an Iacon homing beacon."
"If we're picking up the signal, it means the Decepticons just unearthed another relic." Elita deduced.
"Autobots, prepare to roll out!" Optimus proclaimed.
"Yes." Wheeljack celebrated quietly.
"(Okay, let's get that relic.)" Bee said getting up from the medical berth.
"Except for our patients." Optimus said, stopping Bee.
"(Alright.)" Bee said sitting down again.
"It would be best to interrupt stasis." Optimus said to Clemont, who did it. Of course, Ratchet was completely asleep.
The ground bridge transported the Autobots to the Lapidarian Highlands, in Kalos. The scanner signaled that the relic was on the highest mountain. Seconds later, someone called to base.
"Prime, breaking news." Ranger Jack called from the main screen.
"(Ranger Jack. What is it?)"
"Heh? Where's Prime?"
"(He and the team are busy looking for a relic.)"
"Look, because I don't know what you're saying, tell him this: I just received access to satellite imagery, which I believe pinpoints the actual center of operations of Team Alien."
Bumblebee widened his eyes in shock. "(Just send the coordinates, I will handle it.)"
"Oh, in the name of Arceus! Is there someone else which knows beeps language?!"
I can help." Max volunteered.
"What?! Do I hear a Fuzor in need of voice box repair?!" Ratchet shouted, but he was dreaming something, and the way he was acting was funny.
"What's a Fuzor?! Hey kids, what's going on over there?" Ranger Jack asked confused.
"I am able! Just ask Bantor, he was all Mankey before I…put an Electabuzz in his tank!" Ratchet ranted like if he was waking up, until he went out again.
At the end, the children couldn't contain the laugher, while the pokémon ranger looked at them confused.
"(I have to get my T-Cog back.)"
"But Bee, you heard what Optimus said about leaving the base." Max reminded.
"(Max, I have to do this.)"
"Looks to me that he's not going to change his mind." May observed.
"But Bee's not at the top of his game. He can't do this alone." Serena reminded.
"What if he is not going alone?" Ash suggested.
"Pika pi?"
"That's right, buddy. Maybe if some of our pokémon assist him, he will have more chances to success. That way he will not be alone and defenseless."
"And because Team Alien would be focused on him, they will have the advantage of surprise." Misty added.
"Sounds like a good idea for me." Dawn supported.
"In that case, those will need to be small enough to not draw attention, and also of our strongest." Tracey reasoned.
"What do you think, Bee? Are you alright with that?" Max asked.
"(Yes. I will appreciate any help you can provide me.)"
"Send the coordinates, Jack. We will make sure Optimus gets them." Ash said.
Meanwhile, Team Prime was climbing up the mountain side. When they reached the top, they spotted Knock Out and Breakdown. The last one was smashing a rock, crushing it to break free something incrusted on it: some kind of giant golden hammer.
"I don't get it. All this chipping away with my hammer just to bring Galvatron another hammer?" Breakdown asked confused.
"That hammer is a sacred relic of the 13 original Primes." Elita corrected.
"Really?" Moonracer asked surprised.
"Isn't that the opposite of Decepticon doomsday device?" Sideswipe asked.
"It would stand to reason that in addition to confiscated Decepticon artillery, any artifacts of great significance stored in the vaults of Iacon would also have been shipped off world. And none would be greater than this: the Forge of Solus Prime. For it possesses the power to mystically infuse raw material with working mechanisms." Optimus explained.
"As in, if we had it, we could pound any weapon we can dream up into existence?" Wheeljack suggested.
"Or possibly construct a new T-Cog for Bumblebee." Hot Rod suggested.
The coordinates revealed a facility in middle of the Ilex Forest, where Team Alien working on finishing the new prototype, by adding the last component.
"Initiate transfusion." Misbelwy ordered.
The operators typed some buttons on the computer, making a tank, full with liquid energon, to flow through a cable inside the new artificial cybertronian. Immediately, it started to move its hand by its own.
"It's working, at last. And all thanks to you, Darkscream. If it wasn't for your intervention, we may have never rediscovered the process to make our own mighty robots." Misbelwy appreciated.
"Energon, it will do wonders for our future army." Darkscream pronounced.
"Since you have proven your value to our cause, I think you deserve a proper reward: would you like to become the commander of our new secret army?"
"Ah, the chance to lead my own personal squadron, undoubtedly loyal to my will? I like the way you act, Misbelwy. And now, we are mere moments from beholding the miracle of transformation."
Then both of them felt a crumbling shake and heard a banging noise coming from the entrance. They saw the gate opened by brutal force, and Bumblebee coming out from the smoke. Immediately, all the Team Alien soldiers and their pokémon, including Misbelwy and her Tyrantrum, prepared to engage him. Bee took a look to the prototype robot, deducing that's where his T-Cog might be, and Darkscream.
"No T-Cog. He's unarmed." Darkscream reminded as fired him a missile.
"Then better for us. Everyone, attack!" Misbelwy commanded.
Bee managed to dodge the missile. Even that he was swarmed by the soldiers' shots, they didn't cause him any damage, so the bigger problem was Darkscream and Misbelwy's Tyrantrum, who fired at him both laser shots and a Hyper Beam. So, he grabbed a silo and threw it, taking them down. Bee used another to shield himself from the blasts, but then he started to float in the air, receiving most of the shots. It was the undoing of two Mega-Medicham using Confusion. Back to Kalos, Breakdown ended the smashing, freeing the forge from the rock.
"Time to get a grip." Knock Out declared.
Breakdown grabbed the forge to pull it completely out of the ground, just when they heard engine noises. It was the Autobots, who approached them in vehicle form before changing to robot form, except Warpath and Wheeljack. The rest fired at Knock Out, who used the force field generator to deflect the shots. Warpath and Wheeljack passed him, jumped and changed to robot form, ready to engage Breakdown again. Warpath managed to hit him with his hammer, sending him flying a few meters before Wheeljack started punching him. The others were about to hit Knock Out, but the shield became an energy wall which pushed them backwards.
"Autobots, check out my new finish protector." Knock Out smirked.
Back with Bumblebee, he was still floating in the air, until the Mega-Medicham were zapped by electric attacks. Misbelwy took a look to the upper corridors and saw a few pokémon that were attacking her forces: Pikachu, Sparky, Piplup, Ash's Snivy, Espy, Misty's Staryu, May's Glaceon and Clemont's Heliolisk. They all were Bumblebee's reinforcements. Free again, Bee started to break through Team Alien's forces punching or sending them aside. The prototype robot's operational eye saw the battle, until the weapon of one of the soldiers flew right at it, cracking it. Meanwhile, the pokémon were now battling a huge group of Magnemite, Magneton and a few Magnezone which tried to zap them with Thunder Shock, Thunder Wave and Zap Cannon. But they were battling pretty well: Both Pikachu and Sparky countered the electric attacks with Thunderbolt and Thunder Shock as Heliolisk weakened them with Parabolic Charge and hit some with Dragon Tail; Piplup and Glaceon used Ice Beam and Ice Shard to freeze all they could and Staryu took them down with Rapid Spin, the same as Snivy with Leaf Storm and Espy with Psybeam. It only took them a few minutes to dispose of the entire group.
"Pika pi!"
Sparky called everyone to check how Bumblebee was doing: now he was facing a Mega-Tyranitar and a Mega-Camerupt, attacking him with Stone Edge and Flame Burst, all of this while Misbelwy's Tyrantrum was preparing to charge at him with Giga Impact. Bee was forced to grab another silo to cover himself against the attacks, but fortunately, Snivy used Attract against them, and luckily worked on Mega-Tyranitar because it was a male, so Snivy asked him nicely to attack Mega-Camerupt, allowing Bee to see Tyrantrum coming and throwing the silo against it, blocking the attack and confusing the prehistoric pokémon enough so he could grab him by the tail, spun him around and send him flying out of the base.
"Tyrantrum!" Misbelwy called.
As she got worried for her pokémon, she saw Bumblebee opening up the prototype and pulling out his T-Cog. But a shot from Darkscream sent him against the control panels, causing the electricity to zap him.
"So close and yet." Darkscream smirked.
"Our location and prototype have been compromised. I'm going to check how Tyrantrum is. Destroy the intruders and meet me at the rendezvous point, with my T-Cog." Misbelwy ordered as she and the remaining soldiers and pokémon evacuated the facility.
Darkscream sighed. "Somethings never change."
In that moment, Bumblebee regained conscious. "(Oh, my head. What?)
Darkscream took the T-Cog and aimed at it his other hand's gun. "One step and your precious biomech is scrap."
Meanwhile, at base, Ratchet finally awakened.
"Ratchet, how are you feeling?" Clemont asked.
"Fine. In fact, I feel as though nothing's changed." He said checking himself.
Then, someone contacted again.
"Prime."
"What is it, Ranger Jack?" Ratchet asked.
"As Prime reached the coordinates?"
"Coordinates?"
"Possible Team Alien's location. I sent them a half hour ago."
"Don't worry, Jack. It's taken care of." Ash answered.
"Optimus has to go lock fenders with some Cons." May added.
"So, Bumblebee went instead." Serena revealed, putting the others nervous.
"What?! Bumblebee can't do that! He's recovering from surgery!" Ratchet yelled frustrated.
"Actually Ratchet…there has been no surgery at the end." Clemont revealed.
"And there's no need to worry. We sent some of our best pokémon with him." Misty added.
"Hum." Ratchet simply said.
In that moment, in the facility…
"(Give me back my T-Cog, Darkscream.)"
"Or you'll what? Shoot? How sad to be incapable of achieving vehicle mode. Experiencing the sensation of speed." Darkscream said as he played with the T-Cog. "How very pathetic to be a failure as an Autobot."
But suddenly, Darkscream found himself paralyzed, unable to move any part of his body.
"What?! What is happening?!"
Espy was holding him with Psychic before Heliolisk climbed to his face and used Flash, blinding him. At the same time, Sparky, Staryu, Glaceon and Piplup used Volt Tackle, Water Gun, Shadow Ball and Bubble Beam against different parts of Darkscream: Sparky hit him in the chest, Piplup and Staryu aimed to his face and Glaceon attacked the hand holding Bumblebee's T-Cog. That made him drop it, allowing Snivy to grab it with Vine Whip, although it seemed to be too heavy for her.
"Pika!"
"(I know Pikachu.)"
Bumblebee took his piece from Snivy as all the pokémon climbed on his shoulders, happy to have accomplished their mission.
"Rarg! Cursed pokémon! I will crush you all!"
"(Are you sure you want to try it, Scream?)"
Bee's warning and seeing Pikachu charging some sparks forced Darkscream to change his mind.
"Time to jet, because I can!" Darkscream shouted before he changed to vehicle form and exited the facility, leaving the place.
Inside the forest, Misbelwy was checking her Tyrantrum next to a tree. In that moment, Darkscream arrived and changed to robot form.
"Where's my T-Cog?" She demanded.
"Those cursed pokémon caught me off guard, and allowed the Autobot to recover it." Darkscream answered, earning a glare from Misbelwy.
"I thought you were designed to be better than a few little pokémon." She said, making him nervous.
"Uh, temporary setback. Other Autobots, other T-Cogs. We shall find a replacement soon enough."
"Not soon enough. Now." Misbelwy corrected as a huge group of Joltik appeared from behind the trees and surrounded Darkscream.
"What?" He asked in disbelief, right before Tyrantrum pushed him and pushed him against the ground with one of his feet.
"I'm sorry Darkscream, but the cause is more important than anything else, and sometimes sacrifices are needed. But I appreciate your contribution to Team Alien, really. Please forgive me. I hope that one day, in the future, I can make it up to you." Misbelwy simply said as all the Joltik crawled all over Darkscream and prepared to use an attack.
The next thing heard was Darkscream's screams with some electric sounds in echo, waking up all the sleeping pokémon. Back with the Autobots, they were still being pushed back toward the edge of the platform by Knock Out's force field generator.
"I hope anyone has an idea, because we are running out of space!" Moonracer yelled.
"For the most creative use of a shield generator in a supporting role, the winner is: Knock Out." He said to himself.
Warpath and Wheeljack continued their fight with Breakdown. Wheeljack kicked him three times, but before Warpath could strike, Breakdown hit him first, sending him backwards, close to the forge., leaving Wheeljack alone with him, who started to push him back with his hands. Optimus and the others were almost at the edge. Seeing the forge next to him, Warpath grabbed it, pulling it out of the ground, as Breakdown already threw Wheeljack aside and looked at him, ready for another round.
"Mine's bigger." Warpath challenged.
Breakdown looked at his own first, but he snapped out any doubts and charged at his rival again. Warpath hit him with the forge first this time, with so much force that sent him flying right to Knock Out, making him lose grip of the force field generator, freeing the Autobots from their tight situation.
"Optimus, quick. Throw me." Sideswipe called.
Optimus did it: he grabbed Sideswipe with both hands and threw him at Knock Out, who ran to recover the force field generator, but Sideswipe managed to reach first and kicked him hard on the face with both feet. As Knock Out was getting up, Sideswipe grabbed the artifact and used it to push both Decepticons against the ground. At the end, they ended like buried a little. Suddenly, a ground bridge appeared behind Warpath and Wheeljack, before a shot which impacted between them sent them back to the ground.
"Warpath!" Arcee shouted.
"Wheeljack!" Hot Rod added.
It was Galvatron, who walked out of the portal, the one who fired at the two Autobots. The rest of them aimed their weapons at him, but he saw the forge at his feet and grabbed it.
"Nah ah ah." Galvatron said, menacing to fire at Wheeljack or Warpath again, who were in the ground a few meters from him. That allowed Breakdown and Knock Out to return with their master. "A relic of the Primes, here on Earth? The Decepticon cause is once again indebted to the contributions of Orion Pax."
Galvatron walked to the ground bridge with the forge at hand, followed by Knock Out and Breakdown, who changed to vehicle form to dodge the Autobots' shots. Immediately, Elita One and Hot Rod were with Warpath and Wheeljack to see how they were.
"I'm fine." Warpath said.
"I've been worse." Jackie reassured.
"Well, at least we manage to recover one relic." Sideswipe said showing the force field generator.
"Optimus, we have reason to believe we have located Team Alien's center of operations. Bumblebee is already there." Ratchet announced.
As for Darkscream, he started to wake up in the same place. When he did, he saw a few Hoothoot perched on his head.
"Ah, what? Get off of me, you flying pests!" He said shaking them off.
There was no sign of Misbelwy. He took a look to the facility and saw in that moment appear a ground bridge, and the Autobots.
"Autobots."
He decided to change to vehicle form and leave as well. But when he tried, nothing happened. Then he realized what Team Alien did to him.
"My T-Cog."
Darkscream had no choice but to leave the area running in silence. Meanwhile, the Autobots saw a figure walking to the hole of the entrance: it was Bumblebee, with his T-Cog at hand and the gang's pokémon alongside him.
"Ratchet, reopen the ground bridge, and prepare for surgery." Elita communicated.
"We may not need it for this now, but thanks to me Galvatron has the forge." Warpath lamented feeling a little guilty.
"Imagine what incredible things we could have made with it." Sideswipe said.
"While we would have put the Forge of Solus Prime to valuable use, I do not believe we have reason to fear Galvatron's possession of it." Optimus reassured.
Back inside the Nemesis, Galvatron was smashing an energon container with the hammer, probably to create something. But no matter how many hits it received; the container did not change, only became smaller.
"Hmm, it doesn't look like a Fortress Maximus great nucleon shock cannon." Knock Out observed.
"It is as I suspected. Without the power of a Prime to activate it, the forge is merely another addition to our tool chest, one we must nonetheless keep as far as possible from the reach of a Prime." Galvatron proclaimed.
Later, back at the base, Ratchet managed to perform the surgery to put Bumblebee's T-Cog back on its place.
"I did what I could. Now we only need to wait." Ratchet reported to everyone.
"Our scout could not have been in better hands, old friend." Optimus reassured putting a hand on Ratchet's shoulder.
"(Well, how was everything?)"
"Bumblebee, please." Ratchet warned.
"(Hey, I do feel better.)" Bee said checking himself.
"Please, recovery takes time."
Bumblebee tried to transform, but had the same result. "(What? But I have my piece back.)"
"I already told you. Your biomechanism needs time to reconnect all its connections with your body."
"(I won't give up.)"
Bee tried again, but this time it worked, he changed to vehicle form. Everyone smiled and the kids cheered. Bee was so happy that he made a victory doughnut, before he opened his door.
"(Max, where do you want to go?)"
"Anywhere!" He answered in happiness as he ran into Bumblebee and buckled his seatbelt. "Just drive!"
Bumblebee drove out of the base as fast as he could.
"Max, don't go that wild!" May advised.
"Yeah! Hahaha, adhere to standard breaking procedure!" Ratchet shouted happy.
"Whoa. I didn't believe that thing could work that well so fast." Serena said surprised.
"I knew Ratchet could fix it." Ash supported.
"Hard to believe the doc repaired it." Hot Rod said.
"That is not all that Ratchet repaired today." Elita said with a smile.
"Indeed, dear." Optimus added.
Optimus was right, because in his inside, Ratchet was happy that everything ended well.