Calem arrived back at the cell. Ash and Serena were still asleep to his surprise. He unlocked the cell door and opened it. He walked in and close the door behind him. Calem sat down trying to process what had just happened. Then Ash woke up. He saw Calem who was deep in thought. He said, "Calem? Are you okay?" Calem looked at Ash and he replied, "No I'm not." Ash continued, "Have you been up all night?" Calem responded, "No just most of the night." Then Ash looked over to where Scarlet was sleeping and saw that she wasn't there. Ash questioned, "Wait where's Scarlet?" Serena had just woke up and saw Scarlet was missing, but before Calem could answer a grunt unlocked the cell door and said, "You'll see your sister soon enough. Now get up. We're leaving soon." Serena asked, "Wait where are we going?" The grunt didn't answer Serena. She released Ash from his restraints and guided them all out.
Meanwhile at the temple, Macy and the grunts were getting ready to place Scarlet in the planned position. One of the grunts complained, "How are we supposed to put Scarlet in there when we can pass through the seal?" Macy sighed and she replied, "Watch and learn." She drew out a Meowstic and said, "Use psychic." The Meowstic used psychic and levitated Scarlet, whom was still under hypnosis, and she passed through the barrier and Meowstic tied the final rope around her. She was hanging over a fire pit. Then a shadowy cat-like creature was watching all of the actions of Team Nova. It thought to itself, They're endangering the scarlet pheonix? How cruel can humans get? The cat-like creature listened to the conversation. The grunt that complained questioned, "How is it possible that she can go through the barrier?" Macy answered, "Because she's the scarlet pheonix. Only she can pass through without the need of her brother." The cat-like creature's eyes went wide and it vowed to stop them, but it waited for the right time to take action.
Gary let out Mewtwo. Mewtwo came out and saw that Scarlet wasn't among them. Mewtwo asked, "Where's Scarlet? Gary replied, "She was captured by Team Nova along with Ash and Serena. She left you with me." Mewtwo responded, "Then we need to rescue her." Grace walked up and explained, "We will, but we need your help Mewtwo. Can you teleport us to the temple?" Mewtwo nodded and used teleport. They were at the temple, but they were on top of the mountain. Gary gasped in shock to see that Scarlet hanging down from a ledge over a fire pit. Gary was about to run into the temple, but Grace stopped him. She said, "Don't we need to wait until Ash gets here." Gary replied, "But if Scarlet's here that means Ash is too. We have to help her." Grace continued, "Ash isn't here. Look over there. See those members of Team Nova? Ash isn't among them. And that vehicle is smaller than the one that should be here soon." Gary questioned, "Why is Scarlet here then?" Grace answered, "They must've brought her here before hand and placed her there." Dawn inquired, "But they can't get through the seal without how did they manage to get her to that spot inside the temple?" Grace explained, "Actually Scarlet is the only person who can get through the seal without Ash and the reason is because she's the scarlet pheonix." Paul exclaimed, "Of course, the scarlet pheonix wields the power of red fire and red fire is the only force strong enough to destroy the defense mechanism." Grace confirmed, "Exactly Paul." Grace watched and waited for the right moment to take action.
Ash, Calem, and Serena arrived at the temple a few minutes after Scarlet's hypnosis wore off. Ash was now furious. He said, "Where is my sister?!" Calem's father replied, "You'll find your sister in there, but first you have you unlock the seal." Ash growled, but he did as he was told. He walked up to the archway and placed his hand on a symbol. The cat-like creature watched the boy and recognized him as a descendant of Sir Aaron. He watched as Ash managed to unlock the seal around the temple. They lead him in and he looked around the temple. He first saw the defense mechanism. He gasped in shock as he recognized it. Ash turned to Calem's father and asked, "You're gonna make me activate the defense mechanism?!" Calem's father smirked, "You catch on quickly. I'll give you that and yes I am." Ash continued, "No I won't do it. It'll destroy us. It'll destroy all people and pokemon. It'll destroy the world! There's no way I'll activate the defense mechanism!" The cat-like creature stared at Ash shocked by his words. The cat-like creature saw Sir Aaron's spirit in Ash and it had a flashback. "No way will I activate my creation for your selfish desires!", said a man holding a staff. "But Sir Aaron if you don't take this opportunity, you won't be able to find out how far your wonderful creation's abilities can go. Also how will we know if this creation you've made can stand up to any challenge that faces us. We must find out what the defense mechanism can really do!", Another man spoke to the aura guardian. Sir Aaron replied with anger, "It will destroy us that's what it will do! If you're unwilling to use the defense mechanism properly then I forbid anyone to use it except for my descendants! I'm sealing this temple from the public! No one shall enter except for the scarlet pheonix and the pokemon who shall guard the temple for eternity!" Sir Aaron saw the cat-like creature and approached it. He continued, "Zeraora, will you guard this temple for me? I would really appreciate it." Zeraora replied, "It would be an honor Sir Aaron. I see that you care about the people and pokemon that live in our beautiful world. You have pure intentions, your heart is true, and your will is strong. I will guard the temple and only allow your descendants in." Sir Aaron nodded and finished, "Thank you Zeraora. You'll be able to recognize one of my descendants by their heart, intentions, spirit, and most importantly by their aura." Zeraora watched as Sir Aaron sealed off the temple and it guarded the temple from then on.
When Zeraora snapped out of its flashback, it listened to the rest of the conversation. Calem's father responded, "That's a shame. Things were going so well up to this point." Ash was confused and questioned, "W-what are you talking about?!" Calem's father continued, "You see Ash I had hoped you would've chosen to just activate the defense mechanism without hesitation, but it seems you are too resistant so I'll have to go to my alternative plan." He sent a signal to Macy and she pulled away a curtain that her Meowstic had hung up. Ash let out a shocked gasp at what he saw. Scarlet was hanging off a ledge by a rope and she was bound by multiple ropes. Scarlet looked at her brother and called, "Ash don't do it!" A Houndoom lit the fire pit underneath her and Scarlet looked at it with fear, but she shook the fear away. Ash's eyes went wide when he realized they were going to kill his sister. He watched as the ledge she was on was cracking. Ash still remained shocked and just stood there. Serena and Calem saw this as well and they stood still. Calem's father spoke to Ash, "I had a feeling you would resist now that you know that we want you to activate the defense mechanism, so I sent your sister here ahead of time to prepare one last little trick that would rid you of any last resistance that you have. So it's either activate the defense mechanism or say goodbye to your sister Ash." Ash turned to him in shock. Scarlet said, "Ash please don't listen to him. I promise I'll be okay." Ash looked at her less shocked looked at his sister. Ash soon realized that Scarlet was accepting her fate and he replied, "No Scarlet! I'm not going to let them hurt you..." But before he could finish his statement, the ledge broke and Scarlet began falling. Ash yelled out while running forward, "NOOOOOOOOOOOooo!" Scarlet screamed as she fell towards the fiery pit below her.
Then suddenly, there was a flash of lightning and Scarlet had disappeared. Ash looked around and saw a cat-like creature holding Scarlet in its arms. Ash ran over to see if his sister was okay. The creature set Scarlet down on the ground and Scarlet looked at. Scarlet stared directly into Zeraora's eyes and said, "Your Zeraora! The guardian of the temple!" Zeraora replied, "Yes I am!" Ash ask, "Scarlet are you okay?" Scarlet confirmed, "Yeah thanks to Zeraora." Ash turned to Zeraora and was about to thank it, but then Zeraora jumped over him and used its signature move, Plasma Fist, on Calem's father to keep him away from Ash and Scarlet. Calem's father was knocked back and was furious. He shouted, "So Zeraora you did come to interfere after all!" But Zeraora said, "No I came to protect the descendant of Sir Aaron and the scarlet pheonix. Or in other words, Ash and Scarlet. I'm not going to let you threaten them anymore. Honestly, how cruel can you humans get? You treat them like they're your slaves. So what if they have powers? That doesn't make them any less human. Cruel humans like you make me furious. I will not tolerate such disrespect anymore. I will fight alongside the good humans who put an end to evil plans like yours." Calem's father fell into a rage and he had all of his admins and grunts team up to fight Zeraora, Ash, and Scarlet.
Grace lead the group down the mountain. Bonnie rode in on Zygarde and Mewtwo wasn't far behind them. Bonnie was determined to help Scarlet. Scarlet helped her now she had to help Scarlet and Bonnie knew that she wouldn't fail in protecting Ash and Scarlet.