17- Crisscross.
Deep inside the Eterna Forest, in middle of the night, Misbelwy, a squad of Team Alien commandos and a pair of Chandelure were advancing cautiously with special guns at hand, Misbelwy included. It seems they were looking for something.
"Suppression fire only. We take this one alive." Misbelwy instructed.
While the group advanced, something huge and fast crawled around them. They turned to see what was and Misbelwy fired at what seemed to be stalking them. The commandos fired more shoots and the pokémon responded with Night Shade, which failed to hit it. Immediately, they started chasing it. Right in front of them they spotted a canyon, with webs all around the walls.
"Tight formation."
They jumped into and advanced through the canyon, following the signal of whatever they were looking. Suddenly, the signal disappeared, and without warning multiple webs came from above and took the soldiers and Chandelure. When Misbelwy looked above she saw them trapped in some kind of spider web. There was no doubt, it was Airachnid's doing.
"What happened?"
"My lady, above you." One of the soldiers warned.
Immediately, she pulled out her poke ball and called Tyrantrum, which surprised Airachnid and gave her not time before being tackled by the prehistoric pokémon all the way into the canyon. After being pushed against the wall, Tyrantrum tried to bite her with the jaws, but Airachnid managed to hold him enough before she blocked the pokémon's mouth with more webs, preventing her to suffer great damage. When Misbelwy managed to catch up with her pokémon, she saw him completely wrapped by webs, before noticing a few rocks falling from above. She immediately fired at the Decepticon, but Airachnid grabbed her by the gun, which she crushed before throwing her in the air and web her to the wall.
"Don't tell me Team Alien never considered that an open channel distress signal from an injured Decepticon might be a trap." Airachnid revealed approaching her new prisoner.
"I'll bear that in mind, next time." Misbelwy promised.
Airachnid laughed. "Next time? Decepticon radio chatters all a buzz about the work over you gave poor Breakdown. As an ex-Con myself, I really should have eviscerated you for that. But an old acquaintance and her nasty little human destroyed my ship and skinned my knee. I mean to pay them back in kind, both of them. You see, I make it in and out of places most Decepticons can't, but I'm still learning to navigate this planet."
"What's in it for Team Alien?"
"I'll let you live. And since you came to collect a Transformer, was it? I'll throw in whatever's left of Arcee, after I've broken her."
Meanwhile, at Pallet Town, Hot Rod arrived to Ash's home.
"Here we are. Nice to be home after a long day of enjoyable moments." The young Autobot announced.
"Thanks for the ride, friend." Ash said getting out the Autobot with Pikachu already sleeping on his hands.
"Sorry for not being able to reach here sooner, but the team requires my assistance, especially now with this new energon mine incursion of tomorrow and that all."
"Fear nothing. I'm sure mom will not be worried about this little delay." Ash said as he was about to open the house door.
"Define delay exactly." A familiar voice said suddenly as the door opened from the inside and Ash saw his mother coming out, and by her face she wasn't happy. "It's already twelve o'clock, and you never are at home at that hour."
"Mom!" Ash yelled in surprise, despite that didn't wake up Pikachu.
"Not to mention that sometimes when I try to call you don't answer my calls, but instead I hear the answering phone."
"That's because…Clemont's creating a new invention, but because of the lab's currently power boost, the cellphone's link is off sometimes." Ash invented.
"Please Ash, tell me that you're not using that car for those things that some bands use to or racing, or to impress girls. Tell me they haven't influenced you."
"What?! Of course not, mom. You already know that there's no better crowd than my friends."
"I see things on TV that makes me worry what could happen to you, the reason why I'm taking class for health support. I let you keep that car because I trusted you would handle this correctly, but I think you may need a gentle reminder."
"Alright mom, message received. Loud and clear. At least now everything is settled."
"I'm saying that you'll not make use of that car for a time to see if you are making this right."
"What?! But…"
"No buts, Ash Ketchum. Most people think a car is a necessity on their lives, but it's only a whim for themselves. And you have managed to travel all around the world without using one before, so you can use your pokémon for that." Delia gestured, making Ash's eyes widened. "I'm serious, Ash. If I see that car gone…" She finished before kissing Ash on the head. "Now go wash up, eat a little and get some sleep. I love you." And she took Pikachu before entering the house, leaving Ash with Hot Rod.
"I hoped this wouldn't happen." Ash said with his head down.
"I'll miss you while you're grounded." Hot Rod said as he parked himself next to the house.
"Don't worry, buddy. Pikachu and I will come to visit you every day."
"Uh…Ash, remember what we talked about before? I won't be here. Sitting on my back tires for that long is not an option, the team needs me."
"But you already heard my mom. If you are not here when she's at home she will think that I'm disobeying her, and she's always at home. And I already feel bad enough lying to her."
"Let's think this over: your mom said that she's taking class, so she would not be at home as she usually does. I'll ask Tracey to inform me about it so I may know her timetable, so that I may be here before she gets home, but no promises."
Ash sighed in defeat. "Alright."
And he entered home. The next day, Ash decided to check a look to all his pokémon at Professor Oak's lab. He passed the day playing with them and seeing how strong they became.
"You surely have trained well by yourself, Squirtle."
"Pika pika."
"Squirtle squirtle." The little turtle pokémon answered, wearing his cool glasses.
In that moment his phone rang.
"Hey mom."
"Ash, today's class ended sooner than I expect. So I thought about making you a special dinner for that surprise you wanna told me about." Delia told him as she was already on route with her bike from Viridian City.
"Okay, I'll be there. Bye." Ash said as he hung up, but immediately he got nervous. "Pikachu, we need to hurry!" He started to run and tried to call his friend. "Come on, pick up. Hot Rod, are you at home?"
"Not exactly, Ash." He answered as he dodged laser shots, probably from Decepticons. "Remember what I told you about an energon mine? Well, I'm currently busy with it."
"You gotta get home. If my mom doesn't see you here, I will be grounded for life and she will get rid of you! And Serena's supposed to come home tonight so she can introduce herself properly to mom."
"Guys, can you handle it?" Hot Rod asked his companions.
"These guys are useless." Wheeljack reassured slicing another Vehicon.
"(We'll be fine.)"
"Go where you're needed." Arcee nodded.
"Ratchet, I need an urgent bridge." Hot Rod called.
While Hot Rod went through a portal as the other Autobots continued fighting the Cons, back with Ash…
"Bayleef, I need your help." Ash called.
Ash's Bayleef answered immediately to his call, allowed Ash and Pikachu to ride her and started to make her way to Ash's house. Delia was already at Pallet Town too, and heading to her home.
"There it is, Bayleef, just a little more." Ash encouraged as he spotted his house.
But right when they were to reach it…
"ASH!" Delia's voice sounded from outside.
"Oh no." Ash lamented. "You can return already, Bayleef. You did great, but it seems mom beat us. We'll take it from here."
Bayleef stroked his head wishing him to be fine, before departing back to the lab. Both Ash and Pikachu met with Delia at the house entrance.
"Ash, I can't believe you disobeyed me. Where is the car?"
Fortunately, Ash saw the green light of the ground bridge behind his mother. "What do you mean? It's right there, where I let it. Do you see it, Pikachu?"
"Pikachu." The little pokémon nodded.
Delia looked behind her and got surprised to see Hot Rod parked there like if he wasn't been moved.
"I'm sure I haven't hallucinated, Ash. Did you ask Mr. Mime to sneak it there? Or did you just walk it up again?" She immediately asked.
Ash sighed, knowing that it was enough hiding it. "Ok mom, you want to know the truth, right? Well, this is it: this car is not a car, is a sentient robotic organism from outer space, one who I met alongside my friends before I returned from my journey on Kalos. He's part of a team stationed on Earth fighting to protect our world. Me and my friends spend most of our time with them."
"Ash." Delia began, obviously not believing what her son was saying.
"And the best thing is that this is not his true form: he's a giant robot which can transform into a vehicle."
"Ash, please."
"I'm serious. Come on, Hot Rod, show her." Ash asked, but Hot Rod did nothing. "He's a little shy. Come on, Hot Rod, no more hiding, no more lies. Just reveal yourself." But nothing happened. "Come on, buddy, roll out! Don't make me ask Pikachu to use a Thunderbolt to ginger you up."
"So, you've been hanging out with a science fiction club?" She asked, but Ash didn't respond. "I need to get some things back from Viridian City, and I need you to come and help me."
Once Delia entered the house, Ash looked at Hot Rod annoyed. "Thanks for the support, partner."
"Don't take it personal, Ash. I have to follow the rules."
"But friends are supposed to support each other and help in their hours of need. Now mom thinks I'm crazy."
"I'm sure you'll find a solution for this mess. You always do."
"I think only Optimus could be the one to have it."
"Pikachu." Pikachu lamented seeing Ash entering the house before turning at Hot Rod.
"Take care of him, buddy. I wish I could have reached here first so he shouldn't pass through this."
Meanwhile, on an unknown location, most likely a Team Alien hideout…
"Your ship's black box sustained serious damage in the explosion. But our software was able to reconstruct a few frames of the security feed." Misbelwy said as she was seeing some images on the screen until it paused on a very certain image.
"That's her, my Serena." Airachnid recognized, also present there.
"Hum, I don't know why, but she sounds me familiar." Misbelwy said mentally. "Our facial recognition algorithm will send Serena's image across the web. Another kind of web." She clarified before they got it. "Ah, the motherload."
"Government database?"
"Social networking page. This seems very recently, but the few things worth knowing about that Serena is right here. From Kalos, Vaniville Town, Pokemon Showcase finalist. Currently learning about pokémon contests." Misbelwy rode, until she stopped at seeing a picture in which she and Ash were together. "Ash Ketchum, boyfriend?"
"Boyfriend? That seems to sound like sparkmate to me, the most precious person for someone."
"I can't believe it. Now I know why she sounded me familiar: she's one of the ones who side with the Autobots. But it seems she was also interested in him. Big mistake." She thought as she pressed her fists in anger. "No other girl is going to have him. If there is one supposed to be his couple, that will be me."
"Something wrong?" Airachnid asked, getting her out of her thoughts.
"Oh, nothing. But I think there is one way to secure your prices. I think if we take this boy, she will come for him, alongside her Autobot partner."
"And if there is something better than one human trophy, is two or more."
"Not so fast. You can do whatever you want with her and the Autobot before getting our hands on her carcass, but the boy is mine. And I want him unharmed, that's my deal."
"What interest have you for him?"
"That's not your concern."
Meanwhile, on Viridian City, Ash was helping her mom to get the last things to take home.
"Maybe I'm being too hard on Ash. But he lied, and the only way he's going to learn is if I…" Delia said to herself, until she noticed a green van that stopped next to her. Its door opened and two Team Alien grunts and a Beheeyem appeared, making her gasp in shock.
Fortunately, Pikachu hear it and spotted it.
"Pika, pikachu."
"Hey you, what are you doing with my mom?!"
"Fear nothing, you will come as well." Another Team Alien soldier said from behind him, accompanied by a Metagross. "Confusion."
The psychic pokémon used the attack, immobilizing Ash, Pikachu and his mother before he passed out. Moments later, Serena and Arcee finally arrived to Ash's house.
"So much for welcoming." Arcee expressed.
"This is weird. Ash told me that he would be waiting for us outside." Serena noticed as she walked to the door and knocked it a few times.
The door opened, but it was Mr. Mime who answered.
"Oh, you must be the pokémon of Ash's mother. Do you know where they are?" Serena asked.
"Mime mime." Mr. Mime answered, denying with his head.
In that moment, Hot Rod arrived.
"It was about time for you to arrive." Arcee said.
"Gals, have any of you seen Ash?" Hot Rod asked.
"No. We just arrived."
"That's weird. He should be here right now. He went with his mother to pick some things for tonight. I came in order to beat them first, but it has been a while. And he didn't answer my calls yet."
"Arcee, look. Mr. Mime has given me this package. But the weird thing is that it's for me." Serena showed.
"A package for you but sent to Ash's house? The mail service must be really messy for a mistake like that." Arcee opined.
"Unless… it is not a mistake." Hot Rod suggested.
When Serena opened the package, a communication device came out, and it seemed to be active.
"Hello, Serena." A voice greeted from the device.
"Misbelwy." Arcee growled after she transformed.
"What is it? What's going on?" Serena asked nervously.
"Team Alien." Arcee sneered as Hot Rod drove backwards before changing form and hiding, close enough to listen.
"They know where Ash lives?"
"We know things about your boyfriend's family that even you don't know. For example: do you know where your beloved Ash and his mother are?" Misbelwy asked.
Serena gasped in horror. "What did you…"
"Understand, Serena. I have no intention of hurting them. In fact, I'd like to reunite the three of you as soon as possible. I just need you and Arcee to follow the GPS coordinates programmed into this communicator. It'll lead you to the temporary facility I've set up."
Arcee tried to call the base with her com-link quietly. "Ratchet…"
But when she tried, she clutched her head in pain and screamed.
"Arcee?!" Serena called as she ran to her side.
"Did I not mention our communicator scrambles the signal and your brains? Any break in communication and attempt to reach the other Autobots and the Ketchum family…well, I wouldn't want to feel responsible for the outcome." Misbelwy warned.
Fortunately, Hot Rod listened the whole thing, and once the conversation was over, he came out and met with them.
"Hey, we still have an advantage: Misbelwy suspects that only you two are the ones who know about this, but she's not aware that I know it too. They will never see me coming."
"Maybe, but let's not let them know about you, not until we know all what they have. Act only when things get really bad." Arcee instructed, earning a nod from her partner.
Moments later, Arcee and Serena were driving on route, following the GPS coordinates.
"If anything happens to Ash or his mother because of my connection to all of this,"
"Serena, Team Alien is only interested in me. Once they get what they want, they'll let Ash and his mom go." Arcee said, trying to comfort her.
They were not aware that Misbelwy was listening their conversation.
"That's not exactly reassuring. You're family too." Serena reminded.
The communicator guided them to a power plant at the limits of Gringey City. The city looked now completely cleaned from all pollution from the past, except the power plant, which was perfect for someone to hide. Once they passed the main entrance, several Team Alien's grunts aimed their weapons at them, the same as a pair of Feraligatr and Krookodile.
"So, what's the plan?" Serena asked.
"The usual." Arcee simply answered.
They moved slowly at the entrance as Misbelwy waited for them. And suddenly, Arcee speeded up, passing between them, who fired their weapons as the Feraligatr used Hydro Pump and the Krookodile attacked with Dragon Pulse, but Arcee managed to dodge them all. They entered the warehouse, but there was no one waiting for them.
"Ash?!" Serena called as she got off Arcee.
"Looking for Ash and Delia? They're hanging around here somewhere."
They saw on the ceiling the same Decepticon who they encountered previously.
Arcee changed to robot form immediately. "Airachnid."
But she had no time to act: Airachnid trapped her with webs.
"What's she doing here?" Serena asked scared.
While Airachnid came down to the floor, Misbelwy and her soldiers surrounded them.
Arcee looked at Misbelwy. "Help them, please. They're human like you. You can't let Airachnid…"
"A human life is a small price to pay for a miracle of science like yourself." Misbelwy answered. "Tyrantrum, Hyper Voice."
The T-Rex pokémon started to roar intensely at Arcee, focusing the powerful sound waves at her head, until she finally went out.
"Arcee." Serena said sadly putting next to her.
"You and I will have a private session later. Promise." Airachnid smirked.
"Units." Misbelwy called.
Immediately, two Team Alien soldiers went to frisk Serena: they took the communicator, her digital map and her poke balls.
"I'm still learning about humankind, but one thing is clear to me, Serena. You people care deeply about family, including people that are not blood-related. Therefore, the sweetest revenge I could possibly devise would be to make you watch as I take your family apart." Airachnid said approaching Serena.
"If you hurt Ash or his mother…" Serena confronted her.
"You remember how much I enjoy sport, don't you Serena? So, I'll give you the opportunity to save your precious love. I've stashed them close by. If you can rescue them before the stroke of 12:00, I will let you go unharmed. Deal?" Airachnid explained as Serena looked at countdown in a screen.
"And if I can't?"
"What do you think?"
Serena ran at Misbelwy. "Please, don't let her do this. You can let us go; we won't tell anyone."
But she pushed her to the floor. "Enough."
"Yes, Serena. Time to grow up already. Six minutes." Airachnid reminded looking the clock.
Serena had no choice but to play Airachnid's game, so she ran out of the building and started looking the surrounding.
"Ash! Ash!"
Misbelwy was seeing it inside the warehouse with some surveillance cameras.
"Now, I know we promised the spider Bot that she would have first crack at you, but something tells me she plans to turn our mutual crisscross into a double-cross." Misbelwy deduced, referring to an unconscious Arcee.
"My lady, we don't have the means of transporting it right now." An officer reported.
"We'll have to cut and run. Open her up." She ordered as her pokémon approached her. She started to caress him as his ears came closer to her face. "I will not let that creepy Con to get her way. I'll make sure he and his mother came out in one piece, but the girl is expendable. Hunt her down, and after she's gone get the spider Bot."
And with all said, the prehistoric pokémon left the warehouse to go hunting. He followed Serena's smell, but when he entered a dark alley of the power plant, he suddenly felt something grabbing him by the neck and pressing him against the ground: it was Hot Rod, who managed to sneak inside the plant without being detected. He prevented the pokémon to roar and call for help as he managed to knock him out harmless.
"Time for bed, flesh Grimlock." He whispered once the pokémon felt asleep.
Serena breathed heavily as she looked around for Ash and his mother. He looked over to see Airachnid standing on a box. Serena backed away for a moment, but Airachnid simply gestured to Ash, Delia and even Pikachu, who were hanging from a platform covered in webs.
"Ash! Ash!" Serena shouted running at them.
That caused Delia to awaken. "Huh?"
And so Ash and Pikachu. "Serena?"
"Pi, pika?"
Serena started to climb up a ladder. Airachnid jumped closer as she was getting closer. Serena finally reached them.
"Serena, what are we all doing here?" Ash asked.
"Who are these people? And how did we get in this…stuff?" Delia followed.
"Don't worry, Ash. I'm gonna get you out." Serena reassured.
But Airachnid ruined the moment climbing up next to them.
"Ash, the robots are real?" Delia asked in disbelief.
"I have never lied to you."
"I beat your deadline!"
"I'm afraid not, Serena. The task wasn't for you to find your boyfriend and his mother by midnight, you had to rescue them. And time's up." Airachnid corrected as the clock marked the 12:00. "Now." She started launching a web at Serena's hand, which pinned her to the floor. "Take a seat, sit back and enjoy the horror show. But since I'm impressed how a girl like you managed to reach this far, I will allow you to choose. Which one you want to save: your love or his mother?"
Misbelwy was seeing the scene.
"This is not what we arranged. Where are you, Tyrantrum?"
"My lady, we're ready to proceed." A grunt reported.
"Make haste. And don't worry about making a mess."
Serena was still trying to break free her hand from the webs.
"You know, Serena? They are mother and son. Why should I have all the fun? So, while you decide who you want to save you get to choose: agonizing or excruciating?" Airachnid proposed as she spat out acid from her mouth, making a little drop fell close to Serena.
"Please, don't hurt my son. He and Pikachu had an entire life ahead, let them go." Delia begged.
"No, we're not going to let you get away with this. You can't play with our lives like that!" Ash defended.
"Pika pika!"
"Oh, so strong courage for being so young. Now I see why she likes you." Airachnid said, pretending to be admired.
"Ash, what is she talking about?" Delia asked confused.
"Don't listen to her, mom. She's clearly one of the bad ones."
Serena saw that Airachnid's acid melted a steel railing, so she quickly grabbed the railing pole and used the acidic tip to burn the webs off. In the warehouse, a Mega-Scizor was using his chainsaw-like claws to cut the webs which wrapped Arcee, but they were not aware that she was already back online. She simply watched with one eye Airachnid's doing.
"Serena, Ash and his mother want to know. Don't leave them dangling." Airachnid repeated.
"You monster." Delia cursed.
"Stop this!" Ash demanded.
Noticing that her webs were already cut and soldiers pulled the webs out of her, Arcee decided to wait for the right time.
"We only have time to take one part. Go straight for the heart." Misbelwy instructed.
One grunt approached an active drill to Arcee's chest, but before it could touch her, she pushed it aside and punched the closest grunt next to her. She also managed to kick back the Mega-Scizor. The remaining Team Alien soldiers fired at her, so she simply changed to vehicle form and drove out of the warehouse. Misbelwy signaled them to stop.
"Let her go. No matter the outcome, the spoils will be ours. After she's done with the spider, we will intervene."
In that moment, she heard giant footsteps approaching, and saw her Tyrantrum enter the building, with a tired look.
"Tyrantrum! My poor thing, what have they done to you?" She tranquilized stroking his head.
Serena was still trying to get free when Airachnid approached her.
"Well Serena, if you won't decide, I guess it's their' choice." Airachnid finally said going near Ash and Delia.
"Not this time. Pikachu, use Thunderbolt. Don't worry about us feel it, just do it to get us out." Ash decided.
"Pika!"
Pikachu launched an electric attack, despite that Ash and Delia felt it, forcing Airachnid to jump backwards. But Pikachu stopped at hearing Airachnid laugh.
"What a nice surprise. You decided to let your friends feel another kind of torment before mine? Very well, it still can entertain me. I would like seeing an improved show. One way or another, you will be the ones to feel pain."
"She's right, Ash. If Pikachu tries to set us free with his attacks, we'll end weak. Too much to escape even if we manage to get out of this."
"Mom, don't give up so easy."
"I'm sorry, Ash." Serena lamented as she dropped tears.
"That's right, there is no way out. Accept the inevitable and give up already." Airachnid said, trying to bring their spirit down.
"That's what you want. But we'll never give up trying." A new voice called her attention.
Surprisingly, she saw Hot Rod coming in vehicle form driving up a ramp before jumping, changing form and kicking her hard with both feet.
"I will not let you harm them and crush their unruly spirit, not while I remain functional."
"Hot Rod!" Serena called relieved.
"You are here, pal!" Ash called happy.
"Pikachu."
"Ash, is that…your car?" Delia asked in disbelief.
"Told you."
Of course, Airachnid jumped on top of the plant, not happy for her moment to be ruined.
"I will not let an Autobot to step in my way, not that I now have the perfect revenge on my sight." Airachnid said annoyed.
"Then you can start with me." A familiar voice called.
It was Arcee, who also jumped in vehicle form at her, transformed in the air, and kicked her back.
"I will deal with her, you help Ash and his mother." Arcee said before continued facing her rival.
Hot Rod grabbed the cocoons and changed one of his hands for a sword, which used to cut the webs with caution, just when Serena managed to break free by her own. Misbelwy also saw it.
"There's another one here? How did they manage to get reinforcements?" She asked before her pokémon roared at the screen. "Is that the one who hurt you, buddy? I see now why you didn't succeed in your mission."
Back with them…
"Okay, hold still." Hot Rod asked as he started to cut the webs.
It didn't take him so long before Pikachu was free, and with him Ash's half body was now free. Not enough for him to feel completely fine, but enough to hug his girlfriend.
"Ash. I'm so glad you're okay. Sorry you and your mother had to get yourselves involved in all this mess."
"Don't be, Serena. You came to save us; I would have done the same for you. Besides, that Con would have hurt us anyway, even if you weren't here."
"Fear nothing, Arcee knows how to deal with Airachnid." Hot Rod reassured.
"But she also knows how to provoke her and take advantage. It seems to be someone who hurt her a long time ago." Serena revealed.
"Then she would need help. Pikachu, go and help Arcee. Make sure that creepy Con don't have any chance to beat her." Ash instructed.
"Pika pika." The little pokémon said before heading to assist Arcee, leaving Hot Rod to continue releasing them.
Speaking about Arcee, she did a couple of back flips on a chute as Airachnid stood in front of her.
"Team Alien lost Breakdown. What were the odds they could hold onto you?" Airachnid told.
Airachnid jumped and tried to hit Arcee with her spider legs, but she dodged. But Airachnid grabbed her with her spider legs and put her back on the chute. But suddenly, Airachnid felt a hard impact on her back, making her look for the responsible one: it was Pikachu, who managed to surprise her with a Quick Attack.
"You want to perish first, little pest?" Airachnid asked mad.
But that allowed Arcee to recover before charging against her rival and punched her three times, sending her to another pillar. She tried to follow her, but Airachnid pushed her off, back to the ground. Airachnid jumped down and went after her, who started to climb up the tower. She also tried to shot at her, but his shots only hit the platform where Ash and Delia supposed to be hanging up. Noticing that she may look for them, Pikachu decided to jump on Airachnid's back and unleashed a powerful Thunderbolt that caused her great pain and disorientation, making her to fall to the ground. That also made activate a system that allowed concrete to fall into a cement trailer, thing that spotted both Serena and Arcee, which gave them an idea. They saw an open container which seemed to be the perfect place for a trap. Arcee jumped down to confront Airachnid, blocking her spider legs, until she kicked her down. Fortunately, Arcee managed to hang to the structure before kicking Airachnid two times, sending her to the same container.
"Pikachu, we have an idea! Trap Airachnid there with Electroweb!" Serena instructed.
Pikachu listened to her and jumped above the pipe, and used the move which wrapped Airachnid and pinned her against the container as Arcee pushed the pipe above Airachnid. Once it was ready, Serena activated the control panel. What Airachnid saw next was Arcee and Pikachu looking at her while the concrete rained over her, covering her entirely. Airachnid screamed while the concrete solidified, frozen her. Unfortunately, the tower received too much damage from Airachnid's shot and it was about to collapse, with the Ketchum family, Serena and Hot Rod still above.
"Hold on." Hot Rod advised grabbing them with his hands.
The young Autobot managed to jump back to the floor and take Serena, Ash and his mother to a safe spot.
"Nice move, partner." Arcee congratulated.
"Pika pikachu."
But suddenly, Arcee was pulled down by webs and trapped against the floor: Airachnid, still with concrete on her chassis, escaped from her prison. Pikachu launched another Thunderbolt against her, but the concrete acted like an armor now for her, protecting her from the electricity. Airachnid laughed as she was about to fire at her, until a sound coming from the sky caught her attention: it was two Altaria, both ridden by both Rangers Solana and Lunick and a Dragonair ridden by Ranger Jack.
"Let's focus on the creepy-crawly." Jack commanded. "Dragonair, use Flamethrower."
"Altaria, use Dragon Breath." Solana followed.
"We'll use it too. Minun, Plusle, assist us with Discharge." Lunick added.
All the ranger's pokémon launched their attacks at Airachnid, forcing her to cover herself. Misbelwy also saw them.
"How did they find us?" She asked, until she checked the back of her waist and discovered that her communicator, Serena's digital map and poke balls were gone. She realized that when Serena approached her, she grabbed them. That made her groan in anger. "Clever girl."
Ash and Serena saw the rangers battling Airachnid.
"Have you been the one who called them? All by your own?" Ash asked before Serena showed him the communicator she stole from Misbelwy. "Wow, Serena you are awesome."
"Thanks for coming, Jack." Serena thanked through the communicator.
"If I knew a Con was involved, I would've called Prime." Jack remarked.
"That might have been too much for my mom to handle in one night." Ash informed.
Jack nodded as they continued attacking.
"Pikachu, you wanna help them in giving that creepy Con a lesson?" Ash asked.
"Pika, pikachu." Pikachu nodded before he approached Airachnid a little and launched her a Thunderbolt.
The pokémon continued attacking her for a while until they stopped to if Airachnid was still alive. She was indeed, and took the chance to turn her eyes green as she scanned a vehicle nearby: a Team Alien Boeing-Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche stealth helicopter. Misbelwy spotted that too, which interested her. After scanning her new vehicle form, Airachnid changed to her new vehicle form and took flight, leaving the area.
"No!" Arcee cursed.
When she was gone, Misbelwy turned off the screen.
"So that's how it's done. Genius." She said before she turned off the lights with a snap of her fingers. Next, in the shadows, she jumped on her Tyrantrum's back and he left the building running the fastest he could.
Moments later, the rangers' pokémon were on the ground as Ash comforted his mom who wrapped herself in a blanket with Serena next to them. Right then, Ranger Jack reunited with them.
"Ms. Ketchum, I'm pokémon ranger Jack Walker. Its time you knew the truth. For the past several weeks, Ash and Serena have been…cooperating with us in a very special mission."
"Jack, mom's not gonna buy it." Ash remarked.
"He's got that right." Delia agreed.
"Jack." Lunick called. "We have searched the entire area, but there is no trail which can tell us where Team Alien may have gone."
"We also tried to find any data which can tell us what they were doing here." Solana added.
Jack sighed in defeat. "I guess we'll have to catch them next time."
And the rangers walked away.
"You have acted in a very impressive way tonight, Serena. I didn't see you being that brave." Ash admired.
"You know, neither did I." She confessed.
"Oh, don't tell me my little Ash already has a girlfriend?" Delia suddenly asked, in a teasing tone.
"Eh, well mom…the thing is…" Ash started to stutter as he got red, the same as Serena.
That made Pikachu and Delia laugh. "I guess this is the surprise you wanted to show me tonight, does it?"
"Yeah, that's right. Mom, this is Serena." Ash introduced.
"Hey, I know you. Of course, you're that girl with that hat who came with Ash from the forest when he was little in the Pokémon Summer Camp. I knew you two would connect in a very special way, like it was forged by destiny." Delia revealed.
"Oh, so you already have heard about me. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Ketchum." Serena saluted.
"Please, call me Delia. I'm still can't believe my son has grown up so much to now have found a proper girl to be with. And a pretty one."
"So, those that mean you agree with us being together?" Serena asked.
"Of course, I don't think it could exist a better companion for Ash. You two make a perfect couple from my point of view, it also reminds me how I met your dad the first time, Ash."
"Thank you, mom. I glad you like Serena."
"Pikachu. Pika pika." Pikachu said cheered.
"Looks like you managed to get a proper introduction after all." Hot Rod said as he and Arcee walked toward them.
"And they would be your…" Delia trailed off.
"Vehicles, guardians…" Serena started.
"Autobots, friends." Ash finished.
"I'm Hot Rod. It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."
"Call me Arcee."
Delia smiled as she got up. "Thank you both."
And they smiled too.
"Ash, do you think this could be the time to give your mom that ride which she told you about?" Serena reminded.
"Yeah, of course. What do you say, mom?"
At the next day, Hot Rod, with Serena, Ash and his mother, drove in the base and went to the main hall, where the rest of the gang and Autobots got surprised when they saw Ash with his mother.
"Mom, meet our science fiction club." Ash introduced.
"Well, I'm surprised your mom is now part of this too, Ash." Tracey said.
"Nice to see you here too, Miss Ketchum." Misty saluted.
All the Autobots stood before them, so Delia smiled nervously and waved at them.
