19- Rock Bottom.

It was a nice day while Ash and Ritchie were taking a break on Terminus Cave's entrance, alongside their Pikachu as they saw Dawn practicing a choreography for a pokémon contest with Piplup and Buneary, which used Bubble Beam and Ice Beam to create some beautiful ice balls that reflected the sun's light.

"And that's our new performance for the next pokémon contest." Dawn showed as she and her pokémon ended with a reverence, making both kids to applaud her.

"Nice show, Dawn. With that you will surely pass the exhibition round." Ritchie congratulated.

"I told you Dawn has much experience." Ash reminded.

"Pika pika." Pikachu congratulated them too, making Buneary turn red.

In that moment, they heard footsteps and a beeping sound coming from the cave before Hot Rod, Sideswipe and Wheeljack exited.

"By all appearances, the mine's been stripped." Wheeljack said.

"But we're getting a signal. It's faint, but it's definitely energon." Sideswipe reported checking the scanner.

Ash, Ritchie and Dawn heard it as she retrieved Buneary back into her poke ball.

"Guys, is something wrong?" Ritchie asked.

"Nothing important. Just checking if the energon mine of this cave is completely empty or not." Sideswipe answered.

"It doesn't make sense. This operation's been abandoned for a while, and Decepticons never leave energon behind." Hot Rod said.

"Piplup!" Dawn yelled heading for the entrance.

"What?" Wheeljack asked confused.

"That." Ash said as he and Ritchie pointed to the entrance, just where Dawn was seeing to going after Piplup, who went into the cave.

"He went in? Unbelievable." Sideswipe said.

"Piplup is a very brave pokémon. Maybe darkness isn't enough to scare him." Ash reassured.

"Dawn, Piplup, get back here." Wheeljack called as he went after them.

"Wait Wheeljack. You may require help." Ritchie suggested following him with Sparky.

"Wait for me, buddies." Sideswipe said joining.

"I beat they would end lost inside the cave." Hot Rod deduced.

"Then why don't we help them?" Ash proposed. "In case if it were…"

"Safe? I'm not sure. A stripped mine can be structurally unstable, Ash. And it's not easy to navigate inside a cave without possibly getting lost."

"Fortunately, Pikachu and I visited this cave before, when we traveled around the Kalos region with Serena, Clemont and Bonnie."

"Pika pi." Ash's partner nodded.

"Just don't tell your mom."

Both partners entered the cave. But in a few moments later, two objects came flying from the sky: they were Galvatron and Darkscream in vehicle mode, who changed to robot form and landed in front of the entrance.

"Ah, lord Galvatron, far be it from me to question your intentions, but I do not understand why we've come here, alone." Darkscream asked, but Galvatron simply went inside the cave, so he followed him. "Every last trace of energon was extracted from this mine, there's nothing left."

Galvatron turned at him. "Indulge me, Darkscream, won't you?"

Darkscream had no other choice but to follow his master inside, but he seemed nervous. Deep inside the cave, Wheeljack managed to catch up with Dawn, who was quarreling Piplup.

"There you are. Why Piplup wanted to get in here?" The Wrecker asked.

"Sorry for that, Wheeljack. Piplup heard that something was wrong with the mine's checking, so he decided to enter in order to find what was weird. But I had already told him what he did was reckless." Dawn explained.

"Piplup." The water pokémon said lowering his head.

"Whoa, look." Dawn said pointing to a pool of green shining water in front of them. "This place is beautiful. I wonder if Brock would use this to create a new kind of rock type pokemon gym."

Suddenly, the scanner started beeping again.

"Guys, I found something." Wheeljack said through the com-link.

"Wheeljack? Jackie, do you read?" Sideswipe called, now him, Ritchie and Sparky with Ash, Pikachu and Hot Rod, but only received static.

"Scrap. The mineral composition down here is causing interference." Hot Rod cursed.

Back with Dawn, Piplup and Wheeljack…

"So, I guess we can't contact the others." Dawn suspected.

"Well, we're here. Doc's gonna want a sample." Wheeljack nodded as he followed the scanner's signal until it pointed to a rock wall.

"Allow us. Piplup, use Drill Peck." Dawn instructed.

Piplup started to use his move to slice the rock. At the same time, in other part of the cave, both Decepticons found a few mining drills.

"How intriguing." Galvatron observed.

Darkscream was nervous, but decided to act like he didn't know anything.

"Incompetent fools. This mining equipment should have been relocated. Why is it still here?"

"The most valid question."

"My apologies, master. I believe Soundblaster was in charge of coordinating transport." Darkscream said, but Galvatron only groaned. "But in fairness, during your interstellar travels we all had to assume additional responsibilities. Clearly mistakes were made."

"Yes. Clearly." Galvatron said before he slammed his fist into a cave wall, and pulled out a large fragment of energon, surprising Darkscream. "Every last trace of energon extracted?"

"Lord Galvatron, I can explain."

"Explain what? That you've been hoarding a supply of energon for your personal use?" Galvatron deduced as he dropped the energon to his feet.

"No. Not exactly. You see, I…" but before Darkscream could finish, Galvatron stomped on the fragment, destroying it.

"Do not take me for a fool, Darkscream!" Galvatron yelled as he advanced toward Darkscream, making him walking back. "I have been wise to your transgressions from the beginning. Not only did you pluck the dark energon from my chest, in a failed attempt to snuff my spark, but you tried to raise your own undead warrior with it. It's no secret that you lost an arm in the process, which you since had replaced."

"You know about that?!"

"Soundblaster is quite competent at surveillance; I can assure you. The fact is, Darkscream, despite your treachery, I've allowed you to carry on this long because I took a certain delight in following your string of failures. But you've finally become tiresome, predictable." Galvatron changed his hand for his fusion cannon and aimed it at him and started charging it. "You've hit rock bottom."

"Master, please! Give me one more chance! I beg of you!" Darkscream begged as he went to his feet.

The Decepticons didn't realize that Sideswipe, Ritchie, Hot Rod, Ash and their pokemon were going to reach the same cavern that they were. Both Pikachu's ears started to move.

"Pi?" Pikachu said.

"Pika?" Sparky followed.

"Guys, what's wrong?" Ash asked concerned.

"You have ceased to be of use to me, Darkscream. So you shall simply cease to be." Galvatron declared.

Darkscream covered himself waiting for the end, until he spotted both Autobots, the humans and their Pikachu. Galvatron also saw them.

"You!" He said, recognizing Ash.

And decided to fire at them. Hot Rod and Sideswipe grabbed them and rolled behind a rock wall.

"What is Buckethead doing here?!" Sideswipe exclaimed.

"Stay down!" Hot Rod told them.

Galvatron continued firing as he started advancing at them. Darkscream took the chance and ran to the exit, but Galvatron saw him.

"Darkscream, you dare abandon me?!"

Galvatron fired at him, but Darkscream dodged luckily and changed to his alt form, flying as fast as he could to get away from the shots. Both Autobots took the chance that Galvatron was distracted to fire at him in the back, making him to turn at them. He tried to fire back, but before he could he received two electric attacks from Pikachu and Sparky.

"Way to go, guys." Ash congratulated.

"Now it's your chance!" Ritchie shouted.

The young Autobots took the chance and launched a storm of shots at him, making him groan in pain because of them and the electricity's effect. Some lasers hit his arm a few times, making it to move and fire and the ceiling. That made a huge rock to fall over him. The impact started to cause a chain reaction that started to crack the floor.

"Scrap." Hot Rod cursed.

"I guess is time to get out of here." Sideswipe suggested nervous.

The entire cave started to crumble down, taking the mining equipment, the Autobots and even the humans and pokémon. But they weren't the only ones who sensed the tremors.

"I don't like the sound of that." Dawn said nervous.

"Piplup!" Her pokémon said pointing at the ceiling.

They saw how their surrounding started to fall, specially above them. Wheeljack immediately covered Dawn and Piplup from the rubble which fell above and around them. The collapse also caught Darkscream when he was almost at the exit. A few rocks hit him, making him loss control of the flight and returning to robot form.

"What? NOOOOOOO!"

The entrance was blocked too as a cloud of dust covered the entire area. Once the cave-in was over, Ash managed to get out of a few rocks and clean himself of dust coughing.

"Hold on, buddy. I'll get you out immediately." He said returning to the rocks and started to push them aside to take Pikachu out.

"Pi pi pika, chu." He said coughing dust.

"Ritchie?! Sparky?! Sideswipe! Hot Rod!" He called, but only heard the echo.

"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu followed, but got the same result before seeing a path through the cave. "Pikachu."

"I guess we can only look for them by our own, buddy." Ash said before they started to look for the others.

Meanwhile, Dawn coughed a little because of the dust holding Piplup on her arms, but thanks that Wheeljack covered them, nothing else happened.

"Did I do that?" Wheeljack asked.

I don't think so." Dawn deduced.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, thanks to you."

"Piplup." The penguin pokémon nodded in confirmation.

"What about you?"

When Dawn and Piplup saw Wheeljack, they saw he was standing, with his hands holding the ceiling over him.

"Peachy."

"Whoa."

"Piplup." Piplup said in disbelief.

"Don't worry, guys. I got it under control."

"What do you think caused the cave-in?" Dawn asked.

"Beats me. I just hope everyone else is safe, because we can definitely use an assist."

"Just keep holding that ceiling, Jackie. Piplup and I will get us out of here."

"Piplup." He nodded.

"Make us a way out with Drill Peck."

Piplup started to smash rocks with his attack while Dawn started to move rocks. Meanwhile, in the cave's exit, some rocks moved before Darkscream busted out of the crumble. He coughed a little before turning at the collapsed entrance, and laughed sinisterly.

"Predictable, master? Is that what you called me? Well, now who has hit rock bottom? What's that? I'm sorry, I can't hear you beneath all that ruble!" He exclaimed before laughing maniacally. "Farewell, lord Galvatron. May you rust in peace." He was about to leave, but stopped. "But you have survived far worse. If you manage to free yourself you would blame me for your set back. And there is no way that I can possibly escape from your wrath. Or worse yet: your mindless followers would come looking for you, and take credit for your rescue. Credit that can rightfully be mine! Ragh! GALVATRON!"

Meanwhile, Ash and Pikachu continue looking for their friends in the caves.

"Hot Rod?! Sideswipe?! Dawn! Ritchie!"

"Pika pika!"

Suddenly, they heard a low sound, but it sounded just like Pikachu's voice, but it wasn't his echo.

"That must be Sparky, nice work buddy. Sparky, Ritchie, where are you?!"

"Ash! Is that you?!" Suddenly Ritchie's voice was heard at the same volume as Sparky's. It was coming behind a rock wall.

"Guys, are you in there?!"

"Yeah, but we can't get out! We have tried moving these rocks, but they are too much heavy!"

"Maybe if we try at the same time, we could move them!"

"Great idea, Ash! You pull and we push!" Ritchie instructed.

"Ready when you are!"

"One, two, three!"

Both kids and their pokémon did their thing at each side of the wall, but even with their combined effort the rocks didn't move.

"It's not working."

"Don't give up, Ritchie. They gotta move." Ash encouraged continuing pulling.

"Okay, I had enough with this. Ash, you and Pikachu step aside! Sparky is going to take the whole wall down with one of his moves! Sparky, use Volt Tackle."

"Pika."

But before Sparky could do it, the rocks started to move like something huge was dragging them from outside. Once the smoke cleared, they saw not only Ash and Pikachu standing before them, but next to them the one who pushed the rocks aside.

"It is the lack of fresh air here or I'm seeing a bunch of walking rocks standing before me?"

"There are no rocks, Ritchie. It's a Regirock, the legendary pokémon." Ash clarified, surprising them.

"Pika." Sparky said in disbelief.

"Have you moved those rocks in order to help us?" Ritchie asked.

"Regirock." The golem pokémon nodded as all the eyes of the H of his head glowed.

"Thanks." Ash thanked.

"Hey, maybe he could help us find the others if they are still inside the cave. After all, some extra force would be most welcome." Ritchie suggested.

"Regirock." The rock pokémon said pointing at something with his hand.

Ash and Ritchie looked at what Regirock wanted to show them: there was a Decepticon mining drill in front.

"Or we could use that too." Ritchie preferred.

"Thanks anyway, Regirock." Ash saluted before they went for the drill.

Meanwhile, Dawn and Piplup were still trying to make a way out, but she felt back to the floor, signal that she was starting to feel tired. And was Piplup, who after smashing another rock, he fell on another exhausted.

"Dawn!"

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not."

"I'm just need to…rest for a second. That's all." She said, trying to get on her feet, but she couldn't.

"Piplup!" The water pokémon said running back to her side.

"Dawn, listen to me. You and Piplup need to stop now, there is no fresh air down here. If you used up the oxygen too fast…"

"We could suffocate!"

"Pi piplup?" Piplup said in question pointing at Wheeljack.

"Nah, don't worry about me. Autobots don't need to breath, remember?"

"Right, you managed to travel to space, I'm jealous of that. Okay Piplup, how about if we try to go slowly, breath less, so we can keep a little better, huh?"

"Piplup." That was his answer before he and his trainer tried to move the rocks with their hands together.

"No, you need to stop, now."

"We can't, Wheeljack. We have to get you out of here."

At the end, she ended giving up and Piplup fell like her.

"Dawn, please, don't worry about me." Wheeljack said as he strained to keep the ceiling from giving in. "I'm fine."

At the same time, Ash, Ritchie and their pokémon climbed to the drill's control panel.

"You know how to handle this thing? Because I don't have a clue. Clemont…perhaps." Ritchie said.

"We'll have to figure it out." Ash reassured.

"Hum, it looks out of power. Maybe we could give it a jump."

"Good idea, Ritchie. Guys, give us energy."

"Pika." Both Pikachu nodded before zapping the drill's controls.

Immediately, the drill powered up.

"It worked." Ritchie observed.

"Now, like Optimus would say, let's roll out." Ash proclaimed.

Commanding the drill wasn't as hard as they thought first. It started to move, making a way through the cave as the Regirock saw them leaving. The drill's sounds reached even where Wheeljack, Dawn and Piplup were.

"Did you hear that?" Wheeljack asked.

"Sounds like…"

"Drilling. Gotta be the others."

"We're in…here!" Dawn shouted weakly.

"Pi…pi piplup!" Piplup said before collapsing again.

"Piplup, use your Drill Peck against my foot. Dawn, grab something and bang it on it too. Can you do that?"

Dawn grabbed a rock and she and her pokémon went near to Wheeljack's foot.

"We don't wanna hurt you."

"Piplup."

"I know is hard to believe, but I'm tougher than I look. Now give it all you got."

Piplup started to hit Wheeljack's foot with Drill Peck, only hard enough to make a lousy noise, the same as Dawn, who started hitting his foot with the rock. Meanwhile, the boys continued their way with the drill.

"It seems like you know where to go. How is that?" Ritchie asked curious.

"Me and my friends were in this cave once before, and we discovered it was the lair of Zygarde: the legendary pokémon of Kalos's natural balance." Ash revealed.

"Whoa, that's amazing."

"Pika!"

"What is it, buddy?" Ash asked.

"Pika pi, pikachu." Pikachu said pointing at the hole they recently made with the drill, and he seemed very nervous.

When they took a look inside, they saw why Pikachu was like that: they stared in shock once they discovered Galvatron buried inside.

"How can he still be alive after the cave-in?" Ritchie asked in disbelief.

"I think I don't want to figure it out." Ash answered.

"I suppose helping those less fortunate would be completely out of the question." Galvatron remarked when he saw them, making them back away as Pikachu and Sparky stood in front of them defensively. "If that is the case, you might as well use your drill to finish me. I guarantee you will never have a better opportunity than right now."

"What do you think, Ash? Do we do it?"

But Ash wasn't convinced at all.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Think of the glory, seize the day. Optimus would." Galvatron teased.

"No, I know he wouldn't. Not like this." Ash answered before and the others returned to the drill's controls and continued their way.

"I will be sure to share the details of our little conversation with Optimus, the day I rip out his spark!" Galvatron yelled as they left him.

Once he was alone, Galvatron started to try to get free by himself. At the same time, Dawn and Piplup were continuing with Wheeljack's idea.

"Atta guys."

Suddenly, they heard a strange sound.

"What was that?" Dawn asked.

"Nothing. Go on, keep bagging." Wheeljack cheered, but the sound echoed again as he looked like he was hurt.

"Jackie, what's happening? Tell me."

"My arms. They're starting to give."

Dawn widened her eyes in horror and fear as Piplup looked at him worried. "Does it hurt?"

"A little."

The ceiling started to shake as more rocks fell down.

"Wheeljack!"

"Piplup!"

"Help's coming. We've just got to guide them here. Hit me again."

But Dawn was worried and scared.

"Guys, do it!"

They tried to do it, but they were too weak that they only hit it two times each one.

"Are they any closer?" Wheeljack asked.

"I can't tell. The sound is all…freaky in here." Dawn answered.

Then, they heard sounds coming from the other side of the rocks.

"Ahahaha, yes." Wheeljack celebrated.

"They found us." Dawn added.

"Pi piplup."

But once a hole was made in the rocks, they heard a sinister laugh that wasn't exactly from any of their friends.

"Put any doubt of my allegiance to rest." The responsible one who made the hole looked at the inside, revealing to be Darkscream.

"What's he doing down here?" Dawn asked getting up.

"Dawn, Piplup, behind me. Now!" Wheeljack advised.

Darkscream took down the rest of the rock blockade and entered the chamber. "Well, well, if it isn't the Wrecker Wheeljack and his pet vermin. My, you do have your hands full, don't you, Autobot?"

"Do whatever you want to me, Scream, but let them go!"

"No. We're not leaving you." Dawn said behind Wheeljack's foot.

"It appears that the human wishes to remain." Darkscream saw as he tried to grab her and Piplup, but they hid behind the other foot.

"Scream, don't push me!" Wheeljack warned.

"You like playing with the big robots, don't you, little girl?" Darkscream asked as he circle around Wheeljack, looking for Dawn and Piplup.

He found them, but when he tried to grab Dawn, Piplup stood between them.

Darkscream chuckled. "My my my, so this little creature wants to prove its courage. Alright then, show me what you got."

Piplup fired Bubble Beam at Darkscream's torso, but the attack didn't affect him, only made him laugh.

"Thanks for the wash, little being." The Decepticon mocked.

"You should not underestimate a pokémon just for its size, Darkscream. Show him, Piplup. Ice Beam!" Dawn commanded.

Piplup attacked again, this time he aimed to Darkscream's arm, and froze it completely, leaving him surprised.

"Alright little ones, you want to play the Decepticon way? Well, let me show you…" Darkscream said, but when he was about to approach them Wheeljack kicked him, but the effort made the ceiling to fall a little. "That's it. I will…!"

"What? You'll what? Make me bring down the ceiling on top of all of us? Run Dawn, run Piplup!" Wheeljack shouted, but Dawn shook her head and put herself between he and Darkscream.

"Yes, run Dawn, run Piplup! I would love to see you try! Really, I would!" Darkscream taunted.

Even that he was exhausted, Piplup got ready to fight. But that wasn't necessary, because immediately the drill came and pushed Darkscream aside. Ash, Ritchie and both Pikachu showed and saw them.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu said waving his hand.

"Guys, we finally found you!" Ash saluted.

"Ash, Ritchie, get Dawn and Piplup and get out of here! Now!" Wheeljack instructed.

Ritchie climbed down to the drill's track-wheels to grab Dawn's hand while Pikachu and Sparky helped Piplup.

"Come on, Dawn!" Ritchie called.

"Run, Dawn!" Wheeljack repeated.

Dawn' eyes watered and a tear came down her cheek. But at the end, she allowed Ritchie to grab her hand and get her aboard the drill.

"We can't leave Wheeljack!" She cried.

Before Darkscream could react, Ash moved the drill to reverse and exited where they came.

"And then, there were six." Darkscream said, looking at the Wrecker.

Once in the tunnel where he came from, Dawn and Piplup looked at the entrance.

"Hot Rod and Sideswipe will save him, won't they?" Dawn asked.

"I hope so, but we better find a way out of here before Galvatron digs himself free." Ash said.

"Galvatron's here too?" Dawn asked worried.

"Pi piplup?!"

The drill started to make its way down the tunnel, until a cybertronian foot stood in its way, surprising them all. Back with Wheeljack, Darkscream chuckled.

"If you think I'm gonna beg for mercy, Darkscream, forget it."

"Er…yes, begging for mercy would be quite pathetic, wouldn't' it? Well, you're more valuable to me alive. Imagine Galvatron's appreciation when I not only rescue him, but deliver an Autobot. I believe that would restore my stature quite nicely." Darkscream told to him getting face-to-face.

Then, he heard the sound of a cybertronian weapon charging. Darkscream turned around and saw Hot Rod aiming his weapon at him and Sideswipe aiming him his swords. The humans were also seeing it from the entrance.

"Don't move, Darkscream." Hot Rod warned, leaving him paralyzed by the surprise.

"Hey Jackie." Sideswipe saluted.

"Hey guys."

Dawn sighed. "Thank Arceus you guys did it."

"But how did you managed to make your way here?" Ash asked.

"Thank the walking rock." Hot Rod answered pointing at the other side of the entrance, revealing someone they knew.

"Is that…a Regirock?" Dawn asked surprised.

"It must be the same who helped us before." Ritchie deduced.

"Pika pi."

"Pi piplup."

"Regirock."

"He pulled us out of the rubble and showed us the way to follow inside the tunnels, the way which leaded us to you." Sideswipe explained.

"So, what do we do with him?" Hot Rod asked, referring to Darkscream.

"I think I have an idea." Dawn came with. "Regirock, can you please hold the ceiling Wheeljack is holding?"

"Regirock." He nodded.

At the moment, Regirock summoned some pillars from the ground that touched the ceiling, stabilizing it, allowing Wheeljack to finally rest.

He sighed in relief. "About time. My articulators were starting to rust."

"Now Darkscream, your turn." Dawn said.

"My turn? For what?" He asked confused, until the Autobots pushed him to the place Wheeljack was before, so he groaned in defeat once he understood what they were referring to.

Moments later, the Autobots exited the cave in vehicle form and allowed the children and their pokémon to get out before changing to robot form, looking at the entrance.

"We could finish them. Here and now." Sideswipe suggested.

"Shame I didn't bring any grenades." Wheeljack grumbled as he crushed his fists.

"Would Optimus… finish them?" Ash asked.

"No, he probably wouldn't. Not like this." Hot Rod answered.

"But Optimus wouldn't rescue them either, right?" Dawn asked.

"Let's go home." Hot Rod finally said before they started their way back.

Meanwhile, inside the cave, Darkscream was force to hold the ceiling in Wheeljack's place, after Regirock destroyed the pillars which hold it before and left him. And he wasn't holding it well, because it was going down more and more. He believed his end was close, until he saw Galvatron outside the chamber, looking him.

"Master, you're alive. Thank the Allspark!"

But Galvatron simply stared at him.

"I…I did not abandon you master. I return, to save you!"

"Save me?"

The ceiling above Darkscream was failing more and more.

"Look into my spark, lord Galvatron. My intentions were true. Please! Have mercy!"

Galvatron said nothing, only smiled sinisterly.