58- Plus One.

Inside the Autobot base…

"Incoming ground bridge request. From Hoenn." Clemont communicated.

Ratchet immediately opened a ground bridge, but only Wheeljack came through it in vehicle form.

"Wheeljack? Why did you come alone?" Warpath asked.

"What happened?" Arcee followed.

"Where are the others?" Hot Rod added as the Wrecker changed to robot form.

"Having a swell time taking the long way home on Ultra Magnus's boat, I'm sure. Misty and Dawn included." Wheeljack simply answered, walking away.

"I wondered what was taking so long with those snacks." May said knowing about their disappearance.

"Did you secure the Predacon bone?" Ratchet asked.

"The…huh, beast hunt kinda imploded, doc." Wheeljack answered.

"Well, I just got wind of another Con Hot Spot: right inside the Sevault Canyon, on the Sevii Islands." Ranger Lunick reported.

"Optimus and the others haven't returned yet from Johto." Hot Rod reminded.

"Clemont, set a bridge for Lunick's coordinates." Arcee asked.

"So I guess it's up to us. Let's go." Warpath proclaimed.

"Not for me today. Alright?"

"What?" Hot Rod said in disbelief turning at Wheeljack. "Jackie, seriously?"

"It's okay, Hot." Arcee said smiling. "If you're alright sending us out there alone."

"Alone is how I prefer to roll." Wheeljack answered.

"What's wrong with Wheeljack?" Bonnie asked confused.

"No clue, something may have caused his neural net to have some memory loss, since he seems to act like when he first joined us." Warpath opined.

"Wheeljack, I don't know what's wrong with you today but you do not wanna make me abandon a complex equation to venture outside my comfort zone." Ratchet explained.

That made Wheeljack groan. "Fine."

The ground bridge appeared and the four Autobots passed through.

"But in case you hadn't figured it out, I don't play well with others."

"Come on Wheeljack, you have done this many times before…" Hot Rod said while they crossed the portal. "…what could have affected you to act…like…this?"

After the ground bridge closed, the Autobots saw that they were surrounded by lots of flying Vehicons.

"Scrap." Hot Rod cursed as the Cons aimed their guns at them.

"Know what I love most about Decepticon troopers?" Wheeljack whispered.

"They're easily distracted." Arcee replied. "Warpath?"

"Incoming some fireworks." The Autobot tank answered aiming his cannon to the sky.

Warpath fired some shots at the sky, making the Vehicons to focus at them. Taking advantage of the distraction, Wheeljack lowered his hand allowing Arcee to place her foot on it. Next, he threw her high in the air. Some of the shots Warpath fired impacted on the ground, some ones hitting some of the Cons and creating some dust clouds, allowing Wheeljack and Hot Rod to start firing at them. Soon they turned their attention back to them, but they already took down four behind. As Arcee landed she blasted three Decepticons behind her, before other three ran at her, which she engaged with kicks and punches. Hot Rod pulled out his cybertronian bow and took down three Vehicons one by one, with a headshot each one.

"Bulls-eye." He showed off.

Wheeljack smashed another Con with both hands before charging at the remaining three Vehicons. Despite of being more than him, the Wrecker managed to eliminate all of them with a good combination of martial arts and combat training. Some survivors were getting up, but Warpath finished them with his gatling gun.

"See? In the end you like having someone close to watch your back." Hot Rod reassured him.

"I still wondering: you sure you aren't Wreckers?" Wheeljack asked.

"Who knows. Maybe we have learned a few things from you teaming up." Warpath answered.

"Let's get for that bone. Warpath, you better stay here and guard the entrance in case more Cons came to check what's going on." Arcee suggested.

"It doesn't matter for me, as long as I get a chance to kaboom any Con out of the sky." Warpath nodded changing to vehicle form.

Meanwhile in the base, Ranger Lunick was working with some files when he heard the doors of the base's main doors opening. He saw through the window and saw that it was Ranger Solana entering the base, so seeing that Minun was sleeping he decided to freshen up. At the same time, Max was playing a video game on the rest area's console (New Pokemon Snap) while Bonnie and Iris watched and his big sister observed Clemont working on his new laptop.

"I never thought that taking pictures about pokémon would be such an adventure." Solana observed.

"Oh, hi Solana." Max greeted.

"And you too, Plusle." Bonnie said giving the little pokémon a hug. "Hey, how about you play a little with Dedenne and Axew?"

"Well, he was been training a lot lately. I think he deserves a playtime." Solana said winking her eye to her partner.

And the three pokémon went to play together.

"Solana, what brings you here? I thought you and Plusle were visiting Professor Hastings's lab." Lunick reminded.

"I was, but things are going surprisingly fine since the fall of New Kaon, so I thought about checking how things are going here. Aside from those medical supplies you so graciously offered to donate for all those wounded pokémon and men. In the name of all the nurses Joy, thank you, Lunick."

"Please, you know it's our duty." He said a little red, something that Iris, Bonnie and Max noticed, but the last two didn't understand.

"Guys come, Clemont has found a Predacon talon, in a museum." May called.

"Scientists were totally stumped when they excavated it around 20 years ago. So it's been in storage." Clemont explained as he showed them the image.

"But we're fresh out of beast hunters." Iris pointed.

Ratchet groaned. "I didn't choose emergency as my vehicle form for laughs."

"Are you sure we need a Bot?" Lunick started.

"Maybe we should all just wait for Optimus to return." Max suggested.

"Have you forgotten, kid, that we pokémon rangers perform the most dangerous missions related with the pokémon world? We have been keeping the world safe time before we even know the name Optimus Prime."

Solana thought of that, but not for much. "You got a point there, Lunick. Compared with our usual duties, this will be simply a walk in the park."

"But what if something happens? What if suddenly the Cons intervene and there are no Autobots to assist you?" Max asked worried.

"We will be able to handle it. We'll be back in no time." Lunick reassured him.

"And if anything happens, we can always call you to send your pokémon and Plusle for assist." Solana added before she followed Lunick to the ground bridge.

Max looked to his friends, who only shrugged.

"Come on Max, they'll be fine. They're pokémon rangers." May reassured.

At the same time, on the Nemesis deck…

"Ah, you have performed well, my pet." Galvatron congratulated stroking the Predacon's head, with the optic's bone in his other hand. "This will be a splendid contribution to the spawning of your Predacon brethren."

In that moment, Knock Out arrived.

"My liege, we've located another of Shockblast's Predacon energy signatures. Weak, but steady."

"Excellent. Knock Out, do not return empty-handed."

"Moi? Don't even know the meaning of the word."

"Isn't empty-handed two words?" Starscream asked, returning with the Genesect squadron from their previous mission.

"You would know. Or did your missing armor turn up?"

"Why you wheel-bound…"

"Starscream!" Galvatron intervened. "You have failed me enough for one day. Assume the task of monitoring for Predacon energy signatures. At once!"

"Yes, my liege." Starscream nodded as he shove Knock Out out of the way.

"I'm sure you'll find the gig as invigorating as I did, Screamer." Knock Out joked, making Starscream growl.

"Shockblast has initiated the cloning process with the specimens gathered thus far. The Predacon currently among us will be but the first of a new way of beast machine super soldiers." Galvatron proclaimed while he and Knock Out went back inside the ship, not aware that the Predacon heard everything with close attention, even intrigued.

"What are you lurking about for? Get back to your kennel!" Starscream complained kicking its tail.

As response, the Predacon swung its tail at them, but they managed to evade it in time. But the tail hit the communications array.

"You mindless brute! Look what at you've done!" Starscream yelled.

The Predacon glared at him standing. Meanwhile, Arcee, Hot Rod and Wheeljack continued their quest inside a cave.

"You're awfully quiet today, Wheeljack." Hot Rod noticed.

"I've never been one for chit-chat." He replied.

"Why do you pretend? If you really wanted to roll alone, you would have hit the open road today, but you didn't. You called for a bridge back to base." Arcee summarized.

"Hey! Don't assume you know me!"

"I'm not assuming." She said, stepping in front of him.

"We had time to know you, and how you changed during our stay on Earth. Something is bothering you, isn't it?" Hot Rod asked.

"So, care to chit-chat about what happened out there?"

Meanwhile, both pokémon rangers already had the Predacon fossil walking out of the Oreburgh Mining Museum of Oreburgh City at night.

"What did I tell you? Piece of cake." Lunick reassured carrying the talon in a wood box.

"With only a little sign of resistance." Solana supported.

"The curator? Acted like he was guarding some precious artwork instead of some prehistoric talon that's been gathering dust since Professor Hastings was in practice."

"I have to say, Lunick, you handle him well. I was quite impressed."

"Whoa, it's been a while since you told me that."

Solana chuckled. "I'm sure you heard that from ladies all the time."

"Yeah, but only because they cannot help but faint because of my natural talent. You, on the other hand, are sincere and always right with your observations."

"So, you still haven't tried to date with anyone?"

"Right. Because I think that girl should be as wonderful as I am. Someone similar to you."

Solana got a little red. "Oh Lunick, that's very sweet."

Then a pair of lights signaled them a car approaching them.

"I have a bone to pick with both of you." The car said, revealing it to be Knock Out as he pulled out one of the guns of his vehicle mode.

"Run!" Luncik told to Solana.

Solana tried to run but the cannon flashed a blinding light. A minute later, both of them woke up on Knock Out's trunk.

"Kick back, relax and enjoy the scenery." The Decepticon simply said before he slammed the door and drove off, leaving only behind a crashed com-device.

Knock Out was now driving along the road.

"Knock Out to lord Galvatron, I have secured one vintage Predacon talon. Plus, two of the Autobots' pets for you to employ as hostages, lab experiments…well, any way you see fit. So go on, big G, tell me you love me more than Starscream." He said, but he only received static. "My liege? Hello? To familiar?"

Back to the Nemesis, the Predacon was observing how Starscream's Genesect were attempting to repair the antenna.

"The primitive mutt demolishes our entire communications network. And lord Galvatron intends to breed more of it?!" Starscream complained. "Would you hurry, boys?! I want this fixed before our master…is…bothered…by such distracting menusher."

Techbug stepped aside and pointed to the antenna, signal that they ended. Starscream went to the control panel from behind the array and typed some buttons.

"Entering access override code and rebooting now."

Everything seemed fixed, until an energy surge caused the array to burst.

"No, no, no, no. Ragh!" Starscream groaned as he started kicking the array in rage, while the Predacon watched. "I will have to ask Soundblaster to teach you how to handle cybertronian tech."

Meanwhile, at the Autobot base, now it was Bonnie's turn to play.

"Max, can you please stop walking from one side to another? You are starting to make me dizzy." May complained seeing how her brother was acting.

"It's really taking them a while." Max said, ignoring what his sister told him.

"The Autobots?" Bonnie asked.

"Rangers Solana and Lunick. Maybe they stopped for dinner."

"Isn't that what adults do when they're dating?" Iris wondered.

"Not at all, mostly when they're hungry. I know because our parents use to date sometimes, and not always went to someplace for dinner." May explained.

"Don't worry Max. Solana said they will call in case anything happens." Clemont reminded.

Then May's phone sounded, which made Max worried.

"See? I knew it."

"Easy little brother, I'll answer it." May said before handing her phone. "Solana?"

"Try again, pokémon coordinator." A voice answered, Misty's.

Misty was talking while she and the others were on their way back to base aboard Ultra Magnus's ship.

"And I hope you are not still hungry, because I'm bringing back something way better than snacks." Misty said looking the Apex Armor.

"Really? What?"

"It doesn't matter, Clemont. Sorry Misty, but we need this line free." Max replied.

"Wait! Don't hang up." Misty asked. "Did Wheeljack show? I think both Dawn and Seaspray are really worried about him, especially Dawn."

"Wheeljack is fine, he's on a mission with Arcee, Hot Rod and Warpath."

Misty sighed in relief. "Well, at least we know where to find him when we arrive."

At the same time, Knock Out continued his way with Lunick and Solana stuck inside him.

"It seems Max was right when we told us we should have waited for Optimus." Solana admitted.

"Well, it doesn't matter now. The Con was at the museum. If we had waited, he would have snagged the talon before Prime got there."

Solana sighed. "And given our current situation, what difference would that have made?!"

"Hello! How long have you two been dating? Because you bicker like an old married couple." Knock Out involved.

"What?" Lunick expressed.

"We're not dating!" Solana defended.

"Frankly I find it repulsive: the whole idea of you fleshies…interfacing…" Knock Out said before shuddering. He tried to contact the Nemesis again. "Knock Out to base, requesting pickup, again." But he only heard static again. "Alright, is anyone up there receiving me?!"

"Solana." Lunick whispered. "If this Con get us to Galvatron's warship, the chances of the Bots ever finding us decrease a thousand-fold."

"Never let a Decepticon take you to a second location." She nodded. "A shame I let Plusle at base, he could help us at this moment. What about Minun?"

"He was sleeping peacefully in my room, so I decided to not bother him. The Con took out all our gadgets back at the museum. Do you have anything we could use as a weapon?"

Solana struggled until she pulled out a canister. "Pepper spray?"

"On a Con?"

"Hey, a girl needs to be ready."

Meanwhile, the three Autobots were using mining drills to make a path to the bone.

"Guys like Magnus, I don't let them peel my paint, I peel theirs." Wheeljack was telling.

"So if it isn't the new commander who's grinding your gears…its Seaspray." Hot Rod deduced. "He's not a tough as you?"

Wheeljack sighed. "It's just burns me up when a Wrecker goes soft and supports someone like him."

"Look, Wheeljack. You'll always have the Wreckers as you knew them. In here." Arcee said placing a hand over her chest as Wheeljack continued digging. "Times change, players come and go, and if you can't adapt, you'll rust, like the bones we're digging for. Don't push Seaspray away. If something happens to him you would never forgive yourself." That made Wheeljack stopped drilling.

"Trust us, we know. Her more because living it on person. Besides, have you thought about how could this affect to Dawn? The feeling of her friend not being there when she most needs him?" Hot Rod added.

That surprised Wheeljack. "I…I…didn't think of that."

"We have met several interesting guys, but not as special as our Earth's friends. Do not delay in recognizing what it's what you have. You could lose it when you least expect it."

That made Wheeljack think that maybe he made a huge mistake leaving Dawn that way.

"That has been very wise, Hot. Like how Optimus would have said it." Arcee congratulated him.

"Well, it has come out of my spark."

Back with Knock Out, he continued driving until he arrived to a bunk of railroad tracks.

"Knock Out to base. Requesting a ground bridge for the umpteenth time. Come in, base." He asked, but only received more static, which made him groan. "I can't drive around all night…"

Suddenly Lunick came through the backseats and grabbed the steering, trying to made the Decepticon lose control.

"Watch the rims!" Knock Out yelled as he made a sharp turn for the tracks.

Next Lunick slammed the brakes.

"Now!" Lunick signaled.

Solana ran out of Knock Out with the talon box, while Lunick went took off the other direction.

"Well, isn't that just grand?!" Knock Out expressed before he transformed and grabbed Lunick. Next, he faced him. "Did I say grand? I meant…totally rude."

Suddenly, Lunick pulled out the pepper spray and sprayed it directly into the Decepticon's eyes.

That made Knock Out scream. "My optics!"

The feeling caused him to release him, who managed to escape. It took Knock Out a while to readjust his optics and see again, noticing a lot of parked box train cars.

"Oh, are we playing a human game now?" Knock Out asked as he started advancing between the trains. "Because I would be happy to teach you the Decepticon version: hide-and-go-shriek." He laughed maliciously.

While Knock Out was looking for them, Lunick and Solana continued evading him as they tried to find each other.

"Solana! Solana! Where are you?" Lunick called.

"Aha!" Knock Out shouted before he grabbed him through the other side of the box because it was opened from both sides. "Alright, little lady, show yourself! Or I turn the snappy commando here into a sloppy stain on the tarmac!"

Solana heard everything from her hiding place, knowing that her partner was captured. Meanwhile, Max was still trying to contact them.

"You've reach pokémon ranger Lunick. I'm not available at the moment, so leave a message and I'll contact you when I'm available." His voicemail said.

"Straight to voicemail, both of them." Max observed.

"Maybe they went to a movie." Clemont suggested as he and the girls were with the laptop.

May sighed. "Max, if you're that worried, let's go check them. For you to see there's nothing wrong."

At the same time, the two Autobots were moving through the cave.

"Ok, running from Seaspray and Dawn, shutting down like that, pretty spineless on me." Wheeljack confessed.

"On the bright side, you have plenty of backbone now." Hot Rod said looking back, pulling of the Predacon spine.

"About time. I was getting bored of no seeing any Decepticon coming to investigate." Warpath said meeting with them.

"Warpath, we need your help." May called.

Both May and Max travelled to the museum where the Predacon talon was supposed to be.

"It's seems Max was right. Rangers Solana and Lunick may be in serious trouble." She said worried picking the smashed com device.

Speaking about them, Knock Out continued wandering around looking for Solana with Lunick at hand.

"Last chance, she human! If you are not out here with my prize in 2.3 seconds your boyfriend here…!" Knock Out menaced until a train departing got his attention.

He turned around and as the train left it revealed Solana, with the box in her arms.

"Okay, first: not my boyfriend. 'I think so.'" She started, but thought the last part, causing Lunick to blush while Knock Out looked him suspiciously. "And second: you are not laying a metal digit on him." She said smashing the box to the ground, revealing that it was empty. "Not if you ever want to see your precious talon again."

Knock Out grabbed her immediately. "Where is it?"

"Leave her alone!" Lunick demanded.

Solana struggled. "I hid it on a train car. Let us go and I'll tell you which one."

Knock Out sneered before looking around the area. He growled in frustration, but then he realized that the talon was on the train that just departed.

"Try as you might…you can't con a Con." Knock Out smirked.

It was true: the talon was inside the train, so Knock Out was following it, with Lunick and Solana sat again on the back seats.

"Fasten your seat belts; it's going to be a bumpy ride." Knock Out advised as they tried to unbuckle the belts. "Oh wait, you can't unfasten your belts. My bad."

Meanwhile, on the Nemesis, Galvatron finally discovered the incident with the communications' array.

"Communications have been down for how long?!" He asked mad.

"Soundblaster practically has the dish repaired, master." Starscream pointed, trying to calm down his leader.

"Which is all well and good for Soundblaster. But for you…!"

"Knock Out to lord Galvatron, please come in!"

"See? Ha, all fixed." Starscream reassured.

"Knock Out, do you have the Predacon bone?" Galvatron asked while Knock Out continued driving.

"In my sights, my liege. As are some Autobots riding my rear." He answered seeing Wheeljack, Warpath, Hot Rod and Arcee on his rear-view mirror.

"Understood. Just make sure you secure the specimen."

Arcee and Hot Rod were getting close to Knock Out, while Warpath fired his cannon at him to try slow him down.

"Oh great, just what I needed!" Knock Out complained.

Suddenly, the Decepticon ground bridge appeared above them and four Insecticons flew out. Two Insecticons started to fire at the duo while the others concentrated on Wheeljack and Warpath. But the Wrecker transformed and wiped both bugs out with a spiral swing of his swords before returning to vehicle form, while Warpath destroyed the remains with his cannon. The remaining two continued blasting at Arcee and Hot Rod, so he transformed really fast, spun around and jumped onto one of the Insecticons, making it crash against a rock before disposing of it with his guns. After that, he returned back to vehicle form. Knock Out got close to the train.

"Now in which train car would a little deceptive human choose to bury a bone?" He asked examining the cars, until he located the one which contained the bone. "My money is on the convertible."

Knock Out speeded up, so Arcee was going to follow, but the last Insecticon swooped in and rammed her. She transformed before she crashed and wrecked, and saw Wheeljack coming behind her.

"Get Lunick and Solana!" She yelled.

"Arcee, look out!" Hot Rod warned.

Arcee saw the Insecticon circling around and returning at her, so she pulled out her laser handgun and fired. The shot spliced the bug in two before exploding. Meanwhile, Wheeljack was getting close to Knock Out.

"Here's where you get out." He said before drove up on the hillside.

Knock Out transformed and released the pokémon rangers in the process as he landed on the train. The couple screamed in terror as they fell, but Wheeljack transformed, grabbed them and returned to vehicle form while Arcee, Hot Rod and Warpath resumed the chase. But Knock Out already grabbed the talon and returned to vehicle form back to the road.

"Lord Galvatron, if the ground bridge doesn't open tout suite your specimen will belong to the Autobots." Knock Out called alarmed through com-link dodging Warpath's shots.

The Decepticon ground bridge opened and Knock Out drove in and disappeared really fast before any of the Autobots could reach it, so they returned to robot form as the train continued its way.

"Scrap." Arcee cursed before noticing Wheeljack stopping next to her. "Where are they?"

"In back." He said opening it, revealing them two still affected but safe.

The ground bridge opened and everyone returned back to base.

"Are you okay?" Max asked.

"The walk in the park turned a little sour, but Lunick and I are just fine." Solana reassured.

"Eh Solana, I have to go on patrol in ten minutes. So, I was wondering..." Lunick started, but Solana silenced him putting a finger on his lips.

"I will be happy to patrol with you." She simply answered.

Lunick knew what she was meaning, so they left together.

"It is me or those two are also starting to connect?" Iris asked confused.

"I don't know, but Wheeljack looks more cheered than I expected." Misty said as she arrived pointing at Wheeljack, who was talking with Hot Rod, Warpath and Arcee.

Next they saw Wheeljack going to the warehouse's exit, just where Ultra Magnus's ship landed. Dawn and Seaspray were there, and when they saw Wheeljack approaching them with a smile, Dawn ran toward her partner the fastest she could. Wheeljack offered her his hand, which she hug, glad to see him again. Next, he offered Seaspray his hand, and both saluted each other with a hand grab, Wrecker style.

"Glad to see the relationship wounds are healed." Clemont witnessed.

"And that new ones are flourishing. I wonder what would come next." May said putting her arm on his shoulder.

Back in the Nemesis, Knock Out was having a good day too as he showed the talon to Megatron.

"You have served me well today, Knock Out. Which is more than I can say for some!" Galvatron said looking at Starscream.

"It was the beast that disrupted communications, my liege." Starscream defended. "I beg you to reconsider Project Predacon. The creature is incorrigible, and void of all but the most rudimentary intelligence."

But no one was aware that on the flight deck, the Predacon was hacking its way through the communication array. Digging up all the information about Project Predacon.