"It feels like forever since we were here." Ash joked, as he and Flannery searched the hillside of the volcano.
"To think, this all started because Surskit fell into Numel." Flannery said with a laugh.
"You know, it would be crazy, but I wonder." Ash said, rushing downhill.
"Ash, what are you thinking?" Flannery asked.
"When I fell, I noticed something weird." Ash said. "I didn't think anything of it back then, but now." Ash said, feeling around where they had met. "Ah ha!" Ash said, grabbing a rock and pulling a secret door open with the help of an aura tendril.
"Guys, we found the entrance!" Flannery called out.
"Flannery." Ash said, hearing a strange sound.
"Ash!" Flannery screamed, as a mechanical arm, dragged Ash into the mountainside.
"Pika!" Pikachu cried out after his trainer.
"We're coming Ash!" Flannery exclaimed, picking up Pikachu.
"No wait for the rest of us!" Lance exclaimed, running towards the entrance. "Steven isn't going to like this."
"So, we're going in after them, right?" Phoebe asked.
"Yeah, we have too." Lance groaned. "Stick together and keep a Pokemon at the ready."
The trio didn't have to make it far into the hideout before seeing a panicked Flannery.
"Oh good, I thought we lost you." Lance said.
"I don't know where Ash went." Flannery said. "This place is huge."
"From now on, don't run off." Riley said. "You may have the knowledge on these teams, but we have the experience in battles."
"Right, right." Flannery said. "They like to use ground and fire types, if you have something good against them be ready."
"Now that's helpful." Riley said, spinning a Lure Ball in his hand.
"Enough chatting, Ash is in here somewhere." Lance said.
Deep in the caverns
"Very good Diane, he came just as you said, he came running right for us." Maxie said, walking into the dimly lit room. Two grunts wheeled in a strange machine behind him.
"Sir, with all due respect, I still have to argue your point, we recreated my body for this project." Diane argued. "Allow me to prove myself worthy and defeat the boy."
"It's not about worthiness, the orb does not accept you." Maxie said. "And I can no longer hold that power. But if it will make you happy." Maxie sighed, weakly walking forward. "Child you will now have a chance to defend yourself in battle, understand that you are still our prisoner."
"Too hot, I can't use my powers." Ash groaned, trying his best to create a tendril.
"Don't bother, we've been researching your powers since you first encountered us." Maxie coughed. "It's not the heat stopping you."
"Fine, I'll fight my way out of here." Ash said. "Lunatone come on out!"
"Pitiful." Diane said, walking into the light, her body more modified than ever. "Salamence, sick 'em."
A Salamence blasted into the room heading straight for Ash and Lunatone.
"Lunatone use Ice Beam!" Ash called out.
Back with the others
"Crawdaunt use Bubblebeam!" Riley called out, as they encountered another group of grunts.
"Dragonite use Dragon Claw!" Lance commanded.
"Dusclops use Shadow Ball!" Phoebe said.
"Combusken use Double Kick!" Flannery ordered.
They were making quick progress through the base, but they still had yet to see any sign of Ash anywhere.
"Come on where is he?!" Flannery said angrily, holding up one of the grunts.
"Being tested." The grunt said with a wicked grin before being dropped.
"A test?" Flannery said in confusion.
"I doubt they're seeing if Ash can spell." Riley said. "I'd hate to see what he's going through right now."
Back with Ash
"Lunatone use Rock Throw!" Ash called out, as Lunatone rocketed into Salamence, sending the dragon crashing to the ground.
"Disappointing." Maxie said calmly. "I expected better of you Diane."
"Master, just give me a chance." Diane blurted out, before a sound was heard and her body went limp.
"You've had more than enough chances." Maxie said angrily. "Now it's time for me to stop this child." Maxie said, tapping his cane on the ground as a Camerupt came out.
"Milotic come out and use Water Pulse!" Ash said, his eyes glowing for but a moment.
The water serpent popped out of her Pokeball with a shimmer, releasing a burst of water right at Camerupt.
"Camerupt use Flamethrower."
With the intense heat, Ash and Milotic barely felt a difference until the flames were almost right on them.
"Milotic, are you okay?" Ash asked.
"Mi." Milotic said, getting back up.
"Okay, let's keep them from attacking, use Attract!" Ash called out.
Hearts spun around Camerupt, before locking it in a daze.
"Alright, now use Dragon Breath!" Ash called out.
The flames blasted on Camerupt's face, but the camel Pokemon seemed to be unfazed by the attack.
"Use Water Pulse!" Ash shouted, knowing that even in this heat it would have to do more.
Back with the others
"Come on we're almost there!" Flannery shouted, rounding a corner with Pikachu hot on her heels.
"What did we say about sticking together?" Riley asked, huffing a bit.
"Ash." Flannery said, seeing his silhouette. "What's up, did you find Maxie and Diane?"
"Oh he found us alright." Diane said. "But he also found a new friend."
A metal door opened revealing a pool of lava, lighting up the room, showing Ash now ina Team Magma cloak, his eyes glowing red, and faint markings on his body.
"I realized that I was too weak to control Groudon, and I thought if we slowly introduced more power to Diane, she could control the beast, but it rejected even her. But the boy, Groudon was drawn to the lad's aura, he is now one with the red orb, ready to bring about a new age for Hoenn!" Maxie monologued.
"Ash, come on talk to me." Flannery begged.
"Pika pi." Pikachu plead.
"With Groudon's power we can create enough land to survive for generations to come." Ash said.
"No need for war or even fighting, we could live in peace." Ash said coldly.
"That's enough Ash." Lance warned.
"Try all you want, I have a sacred duty, and I will fulfill it." Ash said, leaping at the lava pool, safely landed on Groudon. "When I return, the oceans will be dried up."
"It's over, we've won." Maxie coughed.
"We need to find out where Ash and Groudon are heading." Phoebe said.
"Yeah, but I don't think those two are talking much." Riley said, looking at the two Team Magma members Flannery was beating up.
"No need, I put a tracer on him." Lance said.
"Oh, you're good. When'd you do that?" Riley asked, looking at the tracker to see 7 blips.
"Around the same time as the rest of you, now come on, if we go on Dragonite we can beat them.
"Flannery come on, beating them won't solve anything, I'll stay until the authorities arrive." Phoebe said. "Right now Ash and the others need you."
"Okay, come on guys." Flannery said, picking up Pikachu with Lunatone and Milotic behind her.