Chapter 8
It was the weekend where Scarlet and Ash's mother Delia would come to the Kalos Region. Scarlet was busy preparing for her arrival. Ash and Serena were having a date that afternoon, but Calem, Serena's ex-boyfriend, was a spy for Team Nova and followed them around without them knowing. Soon he saw them head to Serena's house and alerted Team Nova of their location. Calem hated Ash being with Serena and he wanted to get back together with Serena again.
Later Delia arrived and Scarlet hugged her mother. Delia said, "Scarlet it's so good to see you!" Scarlet replied, "You too mom. Are you ready for the surprise I have for you?" Delia responded, "Of course I am!" Scarlet nodded then pulled out her Eevee. She had Eevee launch a shadow ball. Then Ash and the others came out from the bushes. Delia's eyes widened when she saw the boy leading them. She gasped and tears filled her eyes as she recognized him. Ash ran forward and Delia called out, "Ash!" The two embraced for several minutes. Delia said, "Ash I thought I'd never see you again." Ash replied, "I felt the same mom." Delia continued, "I missed you so much. I'm so glad you're safe." Ash responded, "I missed you too mom. And I'm okay now thanks to Scarlet." After the reunion, Scarlet introduced her mother to her new friends. Then Scarlet began picking up something that disturbed her. She felt like they were being watched. Ash looked at his sister and he approached her. Ash said, "Hey you okay?" Scarlet looked at her brother and replied, "Ash do you ever get the feeling that we're being watched?" Ash then said, "Now that you mention it yeah." Ash looked around and he began getting uneasy.
Serena noticed that Ash and Scarlet were looking around. They seemed to be very tense. She walked over to them to see if they were okay. Serena said, "Hey are you guys okay?" Scarlet replied, "Not really I keep getting the feeling that we're being watched." Serena then got uneasy and she responded, "By what?" Ash answered, "We're not exactly sure, but it can't be good." Then Scarlet's eyes glowed and she saw Team Nova hiding in the trees. Their pokemon were ready to fire at any moment. While she was seeing this, she reached for the ultra ball. She pressed the button and the ultra ball expanded. Her Eevee came running up to her. Her eyes stopped glowing and she whispered, "Eevee go over to my mother and the others and use reflect." Eevee nodded and went over to the other side of the rest of the group and used reflect. She let Mewtwo out of the ultra ball. Mewtwo and Scarlet communicated telepathically between each other. Mewtwo said, "What do you need me to do Scarlet?" Scarlet replied, "Team Nova is behind us. I need you to use safeguard." Mewtwo nodded and responded, "consider it done." Scarlet's eyes glowed again and she watched the attacks being launched. Mewtwo used safeguard and it protected them and Eevee's reflect sent the other attacks flying back towards them.
Team Nova jumped out from the trees. A female admin said, "No matter what we do it always seems like you're one step ahead of us." No one spoke, but the admin continued, "You really are a worthy adversary Scarlet. How is it possible that you knew we were here?" Scarlet replied, "To be honest, I don't really know, but thanks for the complement I guess." The admin responded, "While we may be enemies, that doesn't mean I can't be nice for once." Scarlet just blinked. She was confused on why the Team Nova admin was actually being nice despite the fact that they were enemies. Ash questioned, "Why are you being so nice anyway?" The admin answered, "I suppose you have a right to know." The whole group exchanged confused looks with each other. Then the admin explained, "You see unlike the other admins you see here, I choose to treat my adversaries with a little more respect. Most of Team Nova likes to use violence for unnecessary reasons, but I only use violence when it's necessary. And my method has proven to be very effective so far." Another admin said, "No need to brag about it Macy." Macy just ignored the other admin. Then Scarlet suddenly inquired, "Is this you're way of trying to bribe us in to trusting you because it's not working." Macy looked at her shocked and answered, "Wow you figured that out fast." Another admin said, "And everything you said was true as well." Delia yelled, "I will not allow you to take my son away a second time!" Then an admin said, "I'm afraid we're after more than just your son." Delia exclaimed, "What?!" Macy explained, "You see we now have some obstacles that need to be removed." Gary shouted, "What do you mean removed?!" The admins just smiled and then one of them gave a signal and two pokemon tunneled under them. Then Scarlet began to feel like she was sinking. Scarlet then said, "Um is it just me or is the ground caving in under my feet?" Ash and Serena looked at her and saw the ground was caving in under her. But before they could say anything the ground gave way and Scarlet almost fell in. Scralet grabbed the edge of the hole, but she couldn't hold on forever. Ash was about to help her, but then Serena fell into another hole. Ash stared shocked he was confused on who to rescue first. Then Macy said, "Well now this is getting interesting." Scarlet struggled and exclaimed, "You're making him choose between his sister and his girlfriend?!" Another admin replied, "Yes, yes we are." Scarlet looked down and saw the hole wasn't very deep so she had a chance of surviving the fall. She then said, "Well then he won't have to." The admins and Ash looked at her confused. Then Scarlet let go of the edge of the hole and fell all the way down the hole. Ash gasped in shock and so did the admins. None of them were expecting her to just let go. Scarlet hit the ground hard, but she was fine. Ash managed to save Serena, but they had no clue on how they were going to save Scarlet. Scarlet saw why the ground collapsed underneath her and Serena.
Ash called down, "Scarlet are you okay?!" Scarlet replied, "Yeah I'm fine. The hole is only about ten feet deep." Ash sighed in relief, but Scarlet continued, "Ash I know why the ground collapsed underneath me and Serena. There are tunnels down here." Ash questioned, "Tunnels?" Scarlet confirmed, "Yeah Team Nova must've had pokemon who could use the move dig create tunnels underneath us." An admin whispered, "That kid is smarter than she looks especially for a ten-year-old" Scarlet heard a crumbling sound and she saw the tunnel was collapsing underneath them. She warned, "Ash, Serena the tunnel is collapsing underneath you get out of there quickly!" But it was too late the tunnel collapsed and Ash and Serena fell in. Delia, Gary, Eevee, and all of their friends ran over to check on Scarlet, Ash, and Serena. Gary called, "Hey! Are you guys alright?" Ash replied, "We're fine!" Scarlet called, "Eevee come here!" Eevee jumped down and landed in her trainer's arms. She returned Eevee to her pokeball. Then she returned Mewtwo to the ultra ball. She threw the ultra ball up to Gary and said to him, "Gary, hold onto that for me." Gary nodded.
Though they were down in the hole, they didn't know why they were down there. And they need to find out soon otherwise the lives of Ash, Scarlet, and Serena would be lost. And Scarlet will have to reveal her true power.