9- Convoy.
Everything was normal in the Autobot base, when someone called in.
"Prime? Prime!" A voice called through the com-link.
"Ranger Solana. To what do we owe…?" Optimus started.
"What else? Decepticons."
The pokémon ranger was with Plusle in an open area of Hoenn, next the wreckage of some kind of air transport.
"I chased them off with some hard ordinance, but not before they blew us out of the sky."
"And why did they attack you?" Ash asked.
"They tried to grab the artifact I was transporting."
"What kind of artifact?" Arcee asked.
"It's a prototype of a new experimental power source, made from harvesting energy from psychic type moves from pokémon. It's part of a project in searching of new alternative power sources originating from pokémon moves from different types. I'm transporting it to LaRousse City for testing." Solana explained as she showed a picture of the artifact, something glowing inside a metal box.
"Pht, that's absurd. Why would Darkscream bother with such primitive technology?" Ratchet asked.
"I'm guessing to make a big bad primitive weapon of mass destruction. If this artifact were to meltdown, it would damage this entire region and some part of the closest one."
"Uh…Did Ranger Solana say in which region she was currently in?" Bonnie suddenly asked nervously.
"I'm stuck here, Prime. I need you to use your bridge and send it to LaRousse City before the Cons come back for it."
"I'm afraid that sending such a powerful device through a ground bridge is out of the question. If there were to be an accident during its transmission, the unleashed energy of which you speak could propagate through the ground bridge's vortex and harm two entire regions and beyond."
"You got any better ideas?"
Moments later, the Autobots were on Solana's location, all in vehicle form. Optimus had a trailer hooked which contained the artifact. Solana and Plusle were inside Optimus, and she was excited to try to drive such advance vehicle.
"Ah ah ah, no need, Ranger Solana. I will handle the driving." Optimus stopped.
"It's gonna be a long trip." Solana grumbled while Plusle looked confused.
Optimus and the others started their engines.
"Autobots, roll out." Optimus proclaimed.
And the Autobots started to drive through the land. Meanwhile, Ratchet and the gang watched everything from inside the base.
"We are locked on your coordinates, Optimus. Barring any complications, you should reach the drop-off point by sundown." Ratchet communicated.
During their travel, the group encountered an old rusty car that was driving slowly, forcing them to reduce their speed. Then, Plusle came up an idea and started to jump on the button of Optimus's horn several times.
"Nice idea, Plusle." Solana thanked.
Finally, the old car stepped aside, allowing the team to continue their way.
"Plusle, is that really necessary?" Optimus asked.
"Hey, he was only trying to help." Solana defended.
What they didn't noticed is that they were being followed: right above them and at the distance, a green strange flying vehicle, some kind of gunship, with a strange symbol was tracking the artifact's energy signature.
"They're transporting in an unarmed civilian truck, alongside civilian vehicles, with only a tank as escort." The gunship's pilot reported.
"Send in the ground units." Another voice said from inside the vehicle.
"You know, Jack told me that you saved him, Prime." Solana remembered.
"I am proud to be of service."
"Of course, nothing of this would be necessary if you and the Decepticons decided to continue your fight in other part of the universe."
"Are you suggesting that no evil existed on your world before we arrived?"
"Giving by what Ash and his friends has told us, that's hard to be true." Elita added.
"Well, a kind of evil we know how to handle. So, how about some radio?" Solana suggested.
Plusle was looking the outside through the window, and suddenly spotted the gunship. He called his partner and showed it to her.
"Nice eyes, Plusle. That's the one, the Con who shut us down." Solana recognized. "Do you know who it is? Wingnut? Dingbat? Skyguy?"
"Watch your rear views." Sideswipe warned through com-link.
Just behind them four green cars were approaching them. Even they surrounded Warpath.
"Feeling a little constricted without the use of my cannon here, boss."
"Remain in vehicular mode unless absolutely necessary." Optimus instructed.
One of the cars put in front of Warpath.
"It's a whole team of Cons." Solana saw.
"What? I'm not picking up anything." Ratchet saw on his terminal. "They must be utilizing a cloaking technology."
"Or maybe they are not Decepticons." Clemont suggested.
Another car put in front of Bumblebee. He tried to pass it but it blocked him every time he tried. Solana saw that other was approaching Optimus from the side, right next to her. Then the car's sunroof opened, and a human wearing some kind of futurist military uniform appeared alongside an Eelektross holding a gun.
"Pull over!" The soldier ordered.
"In the name of Arceus…" Solana expressed in disbelief.
"Our assailants are not Decepticons, they are human." Optimus communicated.
"Human?" Everyone asked.
"Do you think it could be Team Rocket?" Misty suggested.
"If that's the case, they will be blasting off in no time." Max reassured.
"Yeah, taking on the Autobots? They have to be crazy to do that." May added.
"More than we know they are." Dawn added.
Inside the gunship there was young woman of red long hair wearing some kind of dress with a cap. She had a double necklace with a poke ball inserted. But she also had a scar on her forehead. By the look of things, she was the one in charge.
"Soldiers, stop their engines." She ordered.
"Eelektross, use Thunder Wave!" The soldier commanded.
Luckily, Elita pushed the car away before the soldier and the pokémon could attack.
"Who are these guys?" Solana asked to herself.
"Autobots, maintain your cover. And apply minimal force, disarmament only." Optimus instructed.
"I don't know about you, but I have the feeling we have encountered these guys before." Hot Rod confessed.
Other car speeded at the other side as another soldier, with a Tangrowth, holding some kind of grenade launcher was about to fire at Optimus.
"Tangrowth, use Grass Knot!" He commanded.
But Bumblebee slammed the car from ahead. The second hit caused it to lose control and a rock made it flip upside down. Another car ended in a similar way after Warpath fired close to its side with his cannon.
"Those are not civilian drivers." The leader observed from the gunship.
The Autobots started to drive through a curvy road. But that didn't stop their chasers from approaching. In fact, one car approached enough that a female soldier and her Bisharp managed to jump to Optimus's trailer connectors. She carried a laser drill and started to use it to cut the connectors.
"Help me here, Bisharp. Use Metal Claw." She instructed.
And the pokémon joined her in trying to slice the connectors. Fortunately, Plusle saw it and showed it to Solana.
"Prime, bail right!" Solana advised.
Optimus did it, making the soldier and Bisharp to almost lose their balance, but they still remained on the connectors. The move hit their car, which fell down the hill. Once the soldier and her pokémon gained back their balance, they continued cutting the connections. Fortunately, Solana and Plusle were already moving on top of Optimus and approached them from above.
"Plusle, neutralize Bisharp. Use Double Team." Solana instructed.
Plusle created lots of replicas, which started to gather around Bisharp, distracting him enough until the real Plusle tackled him, sending him off the trailer's connectors.
"Bisharp!" The female soldier yelled, right before she was grabbed and held out by Solana from her neck.
"You better tell me everything I want to know, or being spelled off the truck will be the less of your problems."
"Ha, you'll get nothing from me, pokémon ranger." The female soldier declared, right before she activated some kind of jet-pack and left flying.
Of course, Solana tried to hold her off, but the jet-pack's power was too much that she was being carried to the air. At the end, she had no choice but to release the soldier and left her go. Fortunately, Hot Rod opened his ceiling and allowed her to land safely on his seat.
"Well, that was some crazy move. I'll take you back with Optimus." The young Autobot said.
Plusle was already waiting back inside Optimus when Hot Rod took Solana there.
"I do hope you take better care of the power source than you do your captives." A mysterious voice called through the pokémon ranger's com-link.
Immediately, Solana realized that voice could only belong to the one who was commanding those soldiers, the one who was on the gunship. "This is pokémon ranger Solana, identify yourself."
"I am Misbelwy."
"What?! It cannot be." Hot Rod expressed in disbelief.
"Who's that?" Solana asked.
"She's the leader of the group who hunted down our kind before you even knew about us: Team Alien."
"The ones obsessed with technology?"
"Fair warning. We will be helping ourselves to your device, even if it means inflicting casualties, human or pokémon."
"Is that so? Tell me, Misbelwy, what's the prize you're gonna put for the artifact on the market?"
"What makes you think we intend to sell it, Ranger Solana? There is a war brewing: between the actual world and the new improved which will rule the future. The victor will be the side armed with the biggest amount of knowledge about the pokémon world, the strongest pokémon, technological advances and most advanced weaponry."
Once Misbelwy finished her speak, Solana saw on the rearview that other Team Alien's soldier came from one of the cars' sunroof alongside a Reuniclus. The pokémon used Psychic to levitate three metallic objects, some kind of mines, put them on the back of the trailer and immediately the soldier pressed a button that detonate the mines, opening the trailer's door. The soldier and the pokémon approached the trailer, with intention to reach the artifact.
"So Misbelwy, you think Team Alien has the most radical tech?" Solana smirked.
But before they could jump to the trailer, Arcee and Moonracer came out from it in vehicle form and landed on the car. That cause both soldier and pokémon to lost balance and fell off the car right before this lost control and crashed against another car.
"Definitely not civilian drivers." The pilot confirmed.
"Hum, actually, all those vehicles sound me familiar." Misbelwy suddenly remembered.
"I will let you with your thoughts, mistress." Solana said cutting the com-link.
"Ranger Solana, do not take Misbelwy lightly. She and her organization are not like the other criminal organizations your forces and our friends have encountered. They represented a serious menace for all us cybertronians, both Autobots and Decepticons." Elita reminded.
"Besides, Megatron preached the same ideology before plunging Cybertron into the great war that destroyed our world." Optimus added.
Everyone heard that in base too.
"Who is this Misbelwy?" Misty asked.
"She's the leader of Team Alien." Serena answered.
"Team Alien? Are they some kind of group like Team Rocket?"
"Not even close." Tracey reassured.
"Team Alien are the bad guys we faced when we met the Autobots the first time." Ash started.
"While the other groups were focused on exploiting the power of regular and legendary pokémon, Team Alien focused on the use of advanced technology to reach their goals." Clemont explained.
"And because of that, they used to hunt down the Autobots and Decepticons for a long time in order to use their remains to create their own transforming robots to use as weapons." Ritchie ended.
"They are also the responsible ones of the Decepticons' return." Max pointed.
"And even tried to hurt us because we were helping the Autobots." Bonnie added.
"By Arceus, that's outrageous. They're not criminals, they're monsters." Misty expressed horrified.
"But it was supposed that we defeated them at the end. How have they managed to survive?" May asked.
"They will have done like us: remain in the shadows, being in disguise. Anyway, we will deal with this after we finish escorting the artifact. Optimus, prepare to initiate phase two. Five miles ahead to the south you will reach the rendezvous point." Ratchet reported by com-link.
Unfortunately, inside the Nemesis, Soundblaster intercepted the transmission and replayed it to Darkscream.
"So the Autobots are outside the confines of their base, and sound otherwise engaged. Which means they will never see us coming. Find them and scrap them." Darkscream ordered to a squadron of Decepticons.
"Yes, lord Darkscream." They saluted, making Darkscream chuckle about the signs that he was now really in charge.
The Autobots continued their way trying to make Team Alien to lose their trail, until they spotted a tunnel ahead with train trails going inside.
"There's the destination point." Solana saw.
Almost at the same moment, a train was entering the tunnel.
"Autobots, keep a tight formation." Optimus instructed.
Arcee took the lead and drove down the path, getting inside the train's trails, followed by the other Autobots. Team Alien's forces went after them, but once the Autobots were inside the tunnel, Warpath used his cannon to block the entrance by causing a tunnel collapse. Once it was done, the group drove next to the train, and Bumblebee changed to robot from before jumping on the train and knocking on the door.
"Tactical error. Only one way out." Misbelwy analyzed.
The gunship saw the Autobots and the train getting out the tunnel and taking separated ways. They continued following the convoy, until they saw an entire squadron of F-22 Raptor around them. But these looked different: they were purple, and seemed to not be interested in them. Instead, they went after the Autobots.
"Air support? Ours or theirs?" Solana asked seeing the planes coming.
"Optimus, you have company." Ratchet reported.
Immediately, the planes fired missiles at the convoy.
"They're firing at one of their own?" Misbelwy asked confused.
The Autobots were forced to evade the missiles, but during the process, Optimus's trailer unhooked.
"My lady, the artifact!" The pilot said alarmed.
The missiles impacted on the trailer, making it to explode. Misbelwy's reaction was like she had failed, until…
"My lady, I'm not registering any energy leaks. The power source didn't meltdown." The pilot reported.
"No, it did not." She nodded.
With the Autobots cornered to a cliff, the planes transformed, revealing to be some kind Decepticon air heavy soldiers. They landed in front of the group, waiting for their rivals' move.
"Ranger Solana, I'm afraid that if you and we are to survive, it has become absolutely necessary to drop our cover." Optimus warned.
Solana didn't like the sound of that. Optimus changed back to robot form, with Solana sitting on his hand with a little dizzy face, same as Plusle.
"A little warning next time would be nice." She asked.
All the Autobots changed to robot form, something that Misbelwy contemplated.
"I knew it: they're still here. And it seems they're continuing their war, right here under our noses. We'd been forced to get rid of their secrets in order to avoid detection, but it's time to take it back. Circle around, I want to observe them."
Misbelwy's gunship flew to a safe distance from the Decepticons and Autobots.
"Remain here." Optimus said, putting Solana on a rock.
"Will do." She nodded.
"After a long road trip if feels good to get out of the trailer, stretch my legs…" Moonracer started.
"And kick some tailpipe!" Wheeljack ended, slamming his fists together.
The Autobots charged against the Decepticons, and so they did. Optimus punched one hard to the ground, while Elita kicked another on the face. Warpath smashed other one with his hammer, Wheeljack kicked one with his feet before getting up fast with his swords at hand, Hot Rod focused on hitting the legs of another while Sideswipe climbed on his back and started punching him on the face, both Arcee and Moonracer dodged other's attacks and kicked him back while Bumblebee simply used boxing moves with his rival. Optimus smashed the back of one while other was about to strike him, but Elita covered him by grabbing the Con's head with her feet and throw him at the one the girls were facing. Misbelwy was seeing the battling scene when the pilot realized something.
"My lady, if the power source wasn't in the truck…"
"Yes, that." Misbelwy remembered as she opened a com-link. "Ranger Solana, you lead a charmed life walking among titans."
She received the transmission. "Then come here. I'll introduce you."
"Oh, I already know them. But at the moment, I'm too busy wondering how the device might have vanished into thin air without a trace."
A flashback showed that during their stay inside the tunnel with the train, once Bumblebee knocked the door it opened, revealing an old person inside, probably a scientist, with a Gallade alongside him. At the same time, Optimus's trailer opened completely, allowing Hot Rod to grab the artifact and pass it to Bumblebee, who placed it inside the train, helped by the pokémon which used Psychic, right before they exited the tunnel.
"Now, if you excuse me, I have a train to catch." Misbelwy announced.
Solana gasped in horror now that Misbelwy discovered their fake trail and saw how her gunship went after the train.
"Prime, Misbelwy has discovered phase two!" She reported to Optimus, who was battling many Cons at the time.
"I understand."
But then one Decepticon managed to hit him on the head with a tree trunk. He fell down the cliff hitting the rocks and landed at the base of the cliff, unconscious. The rest of the Autobots could not go to assist their leader because they still have to deal with the Decepticons.
"Prime, do you read me? Prime!" Solana yelled.
Everyone noticed too inside the base.
"Optimus is down!" Misty observed.
"And Team Alien is going to grab the artifact." May added.
"We need to think of something quick." Ash said.
"You mean like a phase three?" Ritchie asked.
"You're smart, big brother. What should we do?"
"Don't push me, Bonnie. Okay. Come on, think." Clemont said to himself. "All right, if Team Alien wants the artifact, they have to get on that train."
"What if we get on board first? You know, and do some pokémon battling?" Dawn suggested.
"Absolutely not." Ratchet objected immediately.
"Yeah, that would be stupid." Tracey supported.
"Come on, we're talking about Team Alien. You all know what they are able to in order to get what they want."
"Ash's right. Taking or destroying the power source, all regions will be in danger in both situations." Serena supported.
"But there are other lives at stake, yours!" Ratchet pointed. "You want me to not only bridge you into a confined space, but one traveling at 90 miles per hour? I can't even count the number of ways that can go wrong: mass displacement trauma, twisted limbs, metal burn."
Everyone looked at Ratchet confused, even the pokémon.
"Well, maybe not the last one. Regardless, it is nearly impossible to fix ground bridge coordinates on something moving at that speed." Ratchet finished.
"Would it help if we had access to the train's coordinates?" Clemont suggested as he typed on the computer, showing the train's position on the screen.
"Well…"
Inside the train, the scientist and the Gallade were guarding the power source, not aware that Misbelwy's gunship was above the train.
"Immobilize them." Misbelwy commanded.
The gunship started to charge one of its weapons and fired an electrified beam at the train. The impact caused the train to shake, but then an electric current traveled through all the train, and stunned the scientist and the Gallade. Moments later, a ground bridge opened inside the train and Ash, Serena, Ritchie, Dawn and Misty came out.
"We're in."
"We read you, Misty. The cell phone com-link patch works." Tracey confirmed from the other side.
Immediately, Pikachu, Piplup and Sparky went to check Gallade and his human partner. The man didn't respond, but the pokémon woke up. Immediately, he went into defense position, until Pikachu explained him why they were there. Hearing the sound of an approaching vehicle, Ash, May and Ritchie saw through the window to see that Misbelwy's gunship was approaching the train.
"Clemont, Team Alien's landing on top of the train." Dawn reported.
"In about 20 seconds you're gonna come to a fork. Brace yourselves."
Clemont typed on the computer, changing the train's route at the precise moments, ruining the landing moment for the gunship, which was forced to take flight almost landing.
"What happened?" Misbelwy demanded.
"Hacker." The pilot reported, before pressing a button. "Former hacker."
Then on the base main screen, an image of a Voltorb appeared.
"What?" Clemont asked.
Then the Voltord exploded like using Selfdestruct causing a lot of sparks came from Clemont's laptop followed by a small explosion, getting it fried and leaving Clemont with a funny afro hair.
"And what have I been saying all along about Earth technology."
"Not the right moment, Ratchet, think about how Clemont is feeling right now." May defended.
"Not again." He lamented.
This time, the gunship landed properly on the train's top, deploying a couple of soldiers and a Rhyperior that started to make an entrance.
"So what that buy us? Ten seconds?" Serena said.
"Clemont is losing his touch." Ritchie added.
The Autobots were still busy fighting the Decepticons. After blasting one, Elita noticed that Plusle was taping her leg.
"What are you doing here?" She asked.
Plusle guided her to the cliff and pointed down, just where Optimus fell.
"Optimus!" Elita yelled before she allowed Plusle to climb up to her shoulder and went down with him. "Dear, are you okay? Please, answer me."
Plusle thought on an idea and touch Optimus while he used Discharge, reactivating Optimus.
"Thank Primus." Elita appreciated as she helped Optimus back to his feet. "Ranger Solana, you are fortunate to have an electric type pokémon as your partner."
Optimus looked at the train, seeing the gunship already on top of it.
"Ranger Solana, Team Alien's at the top of the train." Optimus reported.
"What?!" She exclaimed before seeing by herself with her binoculars. "Oh no. Prime, we can't let Team Alien to enter that train. Professor Hastings, our main scientist, is the only person who is with the power source, and with only a Gallade as protection. If they succeed, Team Alien may not only steal the power source, but also will try to kidnap him in order to steal pokémon rangers' secrets."
Back to the train's inside, the group saw that the entrance was almost done.
"It seems there is no other choice. We will have to face them."
"You are right in there, Ash." Misty supported pulling out one of her poke balls.
"Then let's not let them get it so easy." Ritchie added.
"Pikachu." Both Pikachu nodded.
"Gallade." The psychic pokémon added, getting into fight position.
Misty summoned Staryu while Serena called out her Pancham. The entrance was completed and the two soldiers and their pokémon saw them from above.
"If you want this artifact, you will have to pass over us first." Ash declared.
"Pika."
"Yeah, what Ash has said." Serena supported.
"And don't think it's going to be an easy fight for you." Dawn added.
"Pi piplup." The penguin pokémon said, ready to fight.
"Rhyperior, take care of them." One of the soldiers ordered.
The big pokémon jumped down the hole, roared and charged at them with Megahorn. But that was a mistake, because immediately all the team's pokémon jumped out of his way and moved to both his sides. Pikachu, Piplup and Pancham moved to the left and used Iron Tail, Bubble Beam and Arm Thrust, while Sparky, Staryu and Gallade moved to the right and attacked with Brick Break, Rapid Spin and Psycho Cut. The combination of attacks, added to hit on a not high protected area and that some of the moves were effective against rock type, ended sending the Rhyperior back with the soldiers, and out of the fight. As they checked their pokémon, inside the gunship…
"My lady." The pilot called.
Misbelwy looked through the window and saw Optimus Prime and Elita One running toward them before changing to vehicle form.
"Retreat." She ordered.
The soldiers retrieved Rhyperior and returned to the gunship, something the group saw.
"Wow, we've beat them so easily." Dawn said.
"I don't think so. They seemed to be retreating." Misty deduced.
"First rule of combat: never leave the enemy with the spoils." Misbelwy said as she took the poke ball of her necklace and summoned her personal pokémon: a Tyrantrum, which stood on top of the gunship. "Use Hyper Beam."
The T-Rex pokémon charged the attack and fired at one of the tracks, making a hole big enough for the train to fall and be destroyed, something Ash and his friends saw too.
"Me and my big mouth." Dawn cursed.
After that, Misbelwy retrieved Tyrantrum and the gunship took flight.
"Ratchet, Team Alien blew the train tracks. You need to bridge us out of here, the scientist too." Ash called through the phone.
"We've lost access to the train data. I can't bridge you back without your coordinates." He answered.
The answer scared them.
"Optimus, Ash, Serena, Ritchie, Misty and Dawn are on that train and Team Alien have blown the tracks." Ratchet communicated.
"We're on our way. Maximum overdrive." He said, speeding up.
Meanwhile, in the train…
"Maybe we should jump?" Dawn suggested.
"At 90 miles an hour?" Ritchie exclaimed in disbelief.
"Is the impact or the meltdown, take your pick."
"I don't like either." Misty answered.
"What were we thinking volunteering for this?" Serena moaned.
"Next time, we better come with an escape plan in case something like this happens." Misty defended.
"Next time." Ash said sadly.
"We can buy ourselves another few seconds if we are in the back of the train, right?" Dawn suggested.
"At least we're in this together." Ash shrugged.
"Ash, I'm sorry for not being able to pass more time with you. I missed you so much when we went separated ways, and I regret that this could be our last moment together."
"Me too, Serena. Don't worry, I'll try to protect you for the worst." He said hugging her as she dropped tears.
"I only have to say…it's been good to see you all once again." Ritchie admitted.
Dawn looked down for a moment before she snatched Misty' phone from her and picked up Piplup. "Clemont, this is important! Make sure Wheeljack takes care of my mother and other pokémon!"
"Piplup." The little pokémon said hugging her.
"Pika pi." Pikachu called pointing at something.
Suddenly they saw Optimus and Elita driving at the front of the train.
"Don't read the will just yet." Misty said cheered.
Meanwhile, the Autobots finished with the last Decepticons.
"Where are Optimus and Elita?" Hot Rod asked.
"They had a train to catch." Solana answered checking the views with her binoculars.
Once they were close enough, Optimus and Elita returned to robot form as they approached the front of the train and grabbed it, trying to slow it down. Meanwhile, Ash and his friends grabbed on to what they could. At the end, the Autobot leaders managed to stop the train completely, only a few meters from the hole. Next, they went to check their friends, who waved hello. But immediately the pokémon stood in guard at the same thing that caught Optimus's attention: Misbelwy's gunship, which was looking at him.
"Well played, Autobot. But Team Alien still has some field advantage and we will find a way to level it by recovering what gave us the upper hand against your kind. Even if we have to open you up to remember what makes you tick." Misbelwy promised.
And with all said, Misbelwy left the area.
"You have managed to turn the tides against Team Alien. You have operated admirably." Elita congratulated.
"Well, we did it the best we know." Ritchie said.
"Optimus, are you and everyone…intact?"
"Intact, Ratchet. Crisis adverted." Optimus confirmed as he saw the gang celebrating it: Misty, Dawn and Ritchie cheering happy with their pokémon and Ash hugging Serena happy. "But the menace we thought gone forever is far to be eradicated. The Decepticons of this world, in human and pokémon skin."
