Ash, Serena and Tracey were sitting together as friends talking about their travels. Serena learned that Tracey and Ash had met in the Orange Islands when they helped an infant Lapras that was being beaten up by three bullies. After that Tracey had learned that Ash knew Professor Oak, one of Tracey's idols and had asked to join Ash on his journey. Tracey meanwhile learned of some of the adventures Ash had had in Kalos. Ash hadn't called back home that often during his travels in Kalos due to the time difference. "Pika!" Pikachu cried and Ash immediately looked up. Pikachu sounded worried and Ash knew there was something wrong. And he was right. Standing in front of his pokemon was a massive robot shaped like a Meowth. Then another two appeared surrounding Ash, Serena, Tracey and all their pokemon. "What's going on!?" Ash demanded already starting to suspect who were controlling the robots surrounding them. "What's going on? Well prepare for trouble," a woman's voice snarled from the robot to his left. "You know what? Make that double," A male voice continued from the robot to his right. "To protect the world from devastation!" "To unite all peoples within our nation!" "To denounce the evils of truth and love!" "To extend our reach to the stars above!" "Jessie!" "James!" "Team rocket, blast off at the speed of light!" "Surrender now, or prepare to fight!" they recited from their respective robots. All the while Ash was frantically thinking about what he was going to do. "Meowth, that's right!" Meowth called from the robot in front of Pikachu.
"What do you want Team Rocket?" Ash demanded, stalling for time as he still couldn't think of a plan. "What we always want Twerp! Pokemon," James called from his robot. "Namely that powerhouse Pikachu and that rare Celebi," Meowth added. "So hand them over!" Jessie demanded and tried to grab Celebi by force. However Ash wasn't going to let that happen. "Charizard intercept it! Pikachu thunderbolt and Greninja use water shuriken," Ash shouted. His pokemon understood and Pikachu sent a powerful thunderbolt at Meowth's robot, Greninja sent a number of water shuriken attacks at James's robot and Charizard flew in between Jessie's robot hand and Celebi and pushed it back. Ash turned to Serena. "Serena get Celebi out of here," Ash told her. He knew that if the pokemon got too afraid it might time travel and he wasn't sure it was strong enough to do that just yet. Serena nodded with a determined expression. She recalled her pokemon and grabbed Celebi, and holding it close, began to run away.
Ash ordered Gible to use Draco Meteor and Gible obeyed. The attack hit Jessie's robot and caused it to explode, awarding Jessie a blast off. Meowth noticed Serena trying to escape with Celebi. "James, the twerpette is getting away," Meowth yelled. "What do you want me to do about it?" James inquired trying to counter the water shuriken attacks. "Go after her dimwit," Meowth ordered James and flicked a switch firing a missile at Greninja blowing the Pokémon off its feet. "Greninja!" Ash called out worriedly. James took his chance while Ash recovered and ordered his Talonflame and Starraptor to use brave bird on Meowth. Once again there was an explosion and Meowth blasted off in the same direction as Jessie. Ash ran over to Greninja and made sure it was unharmed and then sent his Sceptile and Infernape after James.
Serena ran as fast as she could towards the lab but James was catching up to her. She tripped and fell. James reached a mechanical hand out to take Celebi. Celebi cried out in fear and instinctively called on its time travelling abilities. The call of the forest sounded across the research lab and a bright ethereal blue light pulsed across the land. Professor Oak and Kurt, who had been discussing Professor Oak's research oblivious to Team Rocket's arrival, heard the unmistakable sound and knew there was trouble and ran to the back door. Ash heard the sound also and recognised it from his journey through Johto and Sinnoh where he met Celebi. He left Greninja's side and ran after Serena. He had to get to her and help. Sceptile and Infernape reached James's robot and attacked it causing yet another explosion and blast off but it was too late. Before everyone's eyes Serena and the Celebi were swallowed into a swirling light green vortex and transported through time. Ash reached the spot Serena had been moments too late. Serena was gone and they didn't know how to get her back.
So, that's that…
Well… until the next chapter.