14- Legacy of Team Alien.
It was afternoon at New Iacon. The Autobots were debating about some of the most recent events.
"Ash and Ritchie confirmed Team Rocket operated that underwater base when they were traveling through Johto." Hot Rod was saying.
"And the pokémon rangers figured out the Genesect squadron under Starscream's command could only be created by one way: a fossil restoration and modification process, long ago performed by Team Plasma." Ratchet added.
"They also said Misbelwy mentioned that Team Alien knew about the activities of the former criminal gangs they used to face in their territories." Elita pointed.
"With all those evidences it's clear that Team Alien knew what the other organizations were up to, and waited for when they decayed to reclaim all their belongings." Optimus deduced.
"Just like Misbelwy told our friends." Moon added.
"And with them now officially non-operative anymore and because they owe them their return, the Decepticons may have access to all their knowledge and resources." Ultra Magnus pointed.
"That's how they knew that base was there." Seaspray realized.
"I guess sometimes scavenge between the leftovers of the competence can reward who possess the dignity to do it." Wheeljack admitted.
"We used to do that at the last days before the exodus, and when we first arrived to Earth." Arcee reminded.
"But what's the point of register places already absorbed by others? What do they expect to find?" Smokescreen wondered.
"Maybe it's not what they had from previous teams, but of any possible trace they could left at doing it."
"I agree with you, Bee. Perhaps the Decepticons aren't looking for what Team Alien could recover from the defeated groups, but are trying to find their own secret locations by tracking any activity left behind when they did." Blaster deduced.
"But what they could get from them? Team Alien's goal was to create their own cybertronians. And from what we passed through the last time, I doubt the new non-sentient transforming robots would be such as useful for them without a way to control them. If they created more than just Optimus' copy." Sideswipe said.
"Even if there was anything else, there's no way to figure it out. Misbelwy blew up their base of operations after we saw what they did inside. Surely she made sure also to erase all info of its database in case the headquarters' destruction wasn't as she planned." Warpath suspected.
"Actually, that was her emergency protocol for in case something like that happened." Fixit revealed, making everyone to look at him. "What? Blaster and I spent a lot of time with them."
"Wait a sec. Before ever meeting us, Dawn and Tracey said they succeed at infiltrating another facility they had, where they snatched the seed." Wheeljack remembered.
"And probably that base could still be in one piece." Moon figured out.
"That's where Misbelwy transferred all her resources after their center on Hoenn was busted." Blaster added.
"So if there's any valuable or secret information still existing she left behind it should be there." Bee followed.
"Then we should start there before the Cons figure that out too." Smokescreen decided heading for the ground bridge, but stopped immediately. "Em, where exactly is said place?"
"In Jubilife City. Just where we confronted the Decepticons the first time on this planet." Ratchet answered.
"Contact the pokémon rangers. See if they can go ahead of us meanwhile." Optimus decided.
Meanwhile, Ash and Serena were enjoying an afternoon snack at a restaurant of Lumiose City.
"You had a very nice idea, Ash. This cake is delicious."
"Glad you enjoy it, Serena. We have to remember to tell May about this place as well. She's a food fan."
Their pokémon were also enjoying some pieces of cakes their trainers offered them, specially Riolu, who was getting used to eat accompanied by other pokémon.
"I need to ask the chef if he can give me the recipe. It will be a nice addition to the list I'm making." Serena said.
"A list of recipes?" Ash asked.
"Yeah, one I'm making with meals I'm learning to make with my mom and yours."
"Oh, so that's why sometimes you two spend lot of time in the kitchen."
"So, where do you plan we go now?"
It was obvious it was a date: after their stop for a sweet afternoon snack and a walk through the city, the couple went to the top of the Prism Tower to take a look to the views of the city.
"Ash, this is beautiful." Serena admired.
"Not as much as you when the sunlight makes your eyes shine."
Serena laughed before they joined touched their foreheads together. "This is been a nice date by your part."
In that moment both their Pokétchs started to sound, which Pikachu noticed.
"Yours too?" Ash asked.
"Someone must be calling us." Serena supposed before her boyfriend answered.
"Hi guys." Clemont saluted in the screen.
"Hope we didn't interrupt a very special moment." Bonnie hoped.
"No, not at all." Ash reassured them.
But Bonnie put an annoyed face as she faced her own Pokétch. "See Ratchet, I told you they were busy. You just ruined their date!"
"Bonnie, don't exaggerate! He didn't know." Clemont tranquilized.
Then, next to the screen which showed them, another appears of Optimus Prime. "Are we...interrupting something?"
"No Optimus. Actually, we already finished, seriously." Serena promised.
"Sorry for this. We swear to consider your needs of this kind in the future."
"Thanks Elita, but really, we're fine. You don't need to apologize."
"Everything alright there?" Ash asked.
"Here's the situation: the pokémon rangers had secured Team Alien's former base." Optimus started.
"Huh? Didn't their base exploded after we revealed them to the world?"
"That Bonnie, was their center of operations." Ratchet clarified.
"So you are referring to the second emplacement they had on Sinnoh?"
"Precisely Clemont. After the departure of Sentinel Prime and Lockdown's fall, champion Cynthia managed to expose Team Alien openly, which marked their base as first place to search for evidences of their activities."
"But if that happened next after that, why are you bringing the subject out again?" Serena asked.
"We believe the Decepticons' intentions is to dig into the secrets of Team Alien in order to reclaim whatever was left behind and which they can use in their benefit." Optimus explained.
"You mean how they did to create human-made cybertronians?" Bonnie recalled.
"Or perhaps other project which they left halfway." Clemont deduced.
"Whatever it is, should it have been already discovered?" Ash said.
"According to what the pokémon rangers told us, after registering it completely the authorities locked down the building to prevent any members of Team Alien to return and recover anything of value." Elita narrated.
"But in their report they mentioned they couldn't find any access to their network. However, if the base was like the other, it should have some secret room: places where no all personal had access which may content classified intel, or top secret projects." Ultra Magnus detailed.
"Despite the damage inflicted when the Cons busted out there are no signs that they may registered it yet." Blaster added.
"So if there was anything worthy, it may still be in the base somewhere." Clemont deduced.
"Because the place is very tight for us Autobots, we will need you to inspect the inaccessible places of the complex. Fixit is the only one who will accompany you." Optimus announced.
"Already loaded and ready to roll." The Minibot expressed enthusiastic.
Bonnie laughed. "Good for you to join us."
"But what about police? If that place is locked down the guards will not let us in."
"Fear nothing Serena, the pokémon rangers will handle that." Elita reassured.
"Well, looks like we are heading to Jubilife City again." Ash said.
Moments later, at outside Jubilife City, it was midnight while Team Alien's former base was being guarded by the stationed police agents. A van was heading for the entry point, when it stopped the guard went to check it. The window lowered, showing a man with glasses in the driver seat.
"Here are our orders, we are here for a delivery." He said handing him some papers.
The guard saw there was someone else at the co-driver seat, but he was Fixit disguised as a human. Surprisingly the guard believed it, because he didn't doubt and opened the barrier. The van continued until reaching the base's main entrance. The driver and Fixit get out the vehicle and opened trunk, showing Ash, Serena, Bonnie and Clemont were hidden there.
"I can't believe it worked." Clemont expressed.
"Thanks for the help, Ranger Lunick." Ash thanked.
"No problem, son." The driver said, revealing to be one of the pokémon rangers they knew. "So, have you considered Jack's offer?"
"I can't believe that guard didn't notice the difference, Fixit. You acted amazing, just like in a spy movie." Bonnie congratulated.
"Yeah, right? I already supposed you enjoyed with all that pokémon battling and travel stuff, but field work is really fun. Let's find more humans we can fool."
"Shush, keep it down. Remember we are not supposed to be here." Serena silenced.
"Okay, that's the main entrance. Once you are in, you are alone. Contact the team if you discover anything." Lunick instructed.
They opened the door silently and went inside one after one. After that, Lunick got into the van and drove out, but no one realized someone witnessed them hidden. Inside the building, the group advanced through the halls.
"If police really registered this place from top to bottom, they could at least let it a little cleaner." Bonnie notices, shaking off some dust from her bag.
"I guess this is what happens when such a big place is locked down." Ash deduced.
"So, where do you think it could be hidden a secret room?" Serena asked to Clemont.
"That's hard to tell. I guess the best place to start searching is the main computer. Which should be in the main office."
"According to Cynthia it probably was in the highest floor, right where she took the seed." Ash recalled.
"I'm not sure if we should use the elevator. This place looks like out of energy, and besides with so much time without maintenance it may not even work well." Serena pointed.
"But that's the fastest way to the top. How could we reach by other way?" Fixit asked.
"Well, when elevators are not an option, stairs are always reliable." Bonnie answered.
"Good idea. We will take the stairs." Ash supported.
"But there's a huge ascent to the top floor. It could be lot's of stairs."
"Come one, big brother, a little exercise can't be so bad." Bonnie reassured him.
"This way." Serena said opening the door which led to the stairs.
"Just for you to know, I have very limited mobility when it comes to stairs." Fixit warned as he tried to go up the stairs with his wheels, which took him great effort.
The group started to head to the top floor by the stairs, but Clemont did have a point: the distance to walk with the stairs was so long at after some minutes almost everyone was already feeling tired.
"Why...there are so many...stairs?" Bonnie complained tired.
"At least...it's safer than the elevator." Serena defended.
"What I...don't understand is...how you are not feeling...as tired as us...Ash." Clemont expressed hardly.
"Well, I guess it's because we already made a stairs' climb much harder than this."
"Pikachu." Pikachu nodded, now carrying Dedenne on his back.
Because they ended tired and only could go up slowly, Fixit ended catching up with them.
"Oh, what do you know? Looks like I did fine going slowly but steady." The Minibot said heading up.
"Not funny, Fixit." Bonnie groaned.
"Yeah, at least you don't sweat." Serena added.
"And it seems you will not more either, because we are finally here." Fixit said opening the door.
It took them directly to the main office, where they spotted what seemed to be Misbelwy's personal laptop.
"Let's see if it still works." Clemont said turning it on.
The computer was still operational, so he started to work on it. Meanwhile, Bonnie and Serena passed the time seeing the rest of the office. Bonnie took a look to a picture of Misbelwy with a boy with the same color of hair than her and who looked of the same age. They looked happy hugging each other.
"I guess that must be her brother. But they look very similar." Bonnie observed.
"Maybe the reason for that is because they were twins. Normally is common when it comes to boys and girls only, but a boy and girl twins is much rare." Serena said.
"It was obvious if they acted as such, but being twins?"
"Any luck, Clemont?" Ash asked.
"If I needed to storage some schematics for a secret room, I would put it on the same place as the rest regarding the base."
"That's it, thanks Fixit." Clemont said typing on the computer. "Here it is: building's distribution. Let's see, assembly garage, laboratory, loading deck, security department...hold on."
"Have you found it, big brother?"
"This looks suspicious: chamber for emergencies."
Clemont tried to access it, but a window of access denied appeared immediately.
"Oh great, it seems it requires a password to enter." Clemont realized.
"What kind of password would Misbelwy choose?" Serena wondered.
"We don't have to figure it out." Clemont smirked as he connected the Aipom arm to the laptop.
"Wow. What are you doing?" Bonnie asked.
"Just a trick Blaster taught me in case I would find complications such as this. But of course it's for hacking cybertronian files, so humans should be much easier."
And he was right, because in no time the window changed to access confirmed.
"Wow, science is already amazing, but it gets better when the Autobots improve it." Ash complemented.
"Now let's see what this is keeping. Oh, so they were right."
"What is that?"
"It's a restricted area of the base located right below it. With just one direct access, even not linked to the elevator."
Clemont showed in the schematics a room located below the entire base.
"Our best way to reach it should be passing through the assembly line. There we should find the secret entrance which leads to it." Clemont saw.
"Then we better get going." Ash encouraged heading for the door.
But when he was about to go out, he hit something. Or better said someone, because he heard someone groaning when he fell.
"Ouch, I didn't see that coming."
"Wait, that voice…" Ash recognized before he saw who it was. "Goh?"
"Oh, hi Ash. Long time no see you."
"What are you doing here?"
"I came to research here in the Sinnoh region."
"Ash, are you okay?" Serena asked.
"What happened?" Clemont added.
"Easy guys, it was an accident. This is Goh." Ash introduced.
"You mean the boy you met in professor Oak's lab the day of the party before we arrived?" Bonnie remembered.
"Exactly. Goh, these are some of my friends: Bonnie, her older brother Clemont and my girlfriend Serena."
"Wow, I'm surprised you even have a girlfriend. Nice to meet you all." Goh saluted.
"Same here. But what are you doing here?" Serena asked.
"Well, I was telling Ash…"
"Not that, we mean here on this place." Clemont clarified.
"I was taking a night walk after playing with my friend Chloe, who is in a hotel in the city, when I saw a curious building at the distance out of the city. I saw it was very guarded, so I decided to take a look. And then I saw you guys getting inside, so I thought it was okay."
"Huh? And what were you looking for in here?" Serena asked.
"This looks like some kind of research facility, so I hoped to find some clue about Mew."
"Mew?" Bonnie asked interested.
"Why are you searching information about him here?" Ash asked.
"You see Ash, I'm what you can call a chaser: some kind of pokémon researcher which goal is to catch Mew." Goh explained.
"Then sorry to tell you this, but you came to the wrong place, because this is not a pokémon research facility."
"This is the base of a former criminal group." Serena clarified.
"Huh? If that's true, what are you guys doing here as well?" Goh asked surprised.
"You see, we are in a top secret mission."
Clemont got troubled and grabbed his little sister with his Aipom arm. "Bonnie, you should not say that kind of things!"
"We were asked by the pokémon rangers directly, so we are making a very important duty. So, could you please not tell anyone about this?" Ash begged.
"Well, I guess no one would believe me anyway. Besides, I already entered without knowing really what was going on, and sincerely I don't remember where the exit was. So, would you mind if I go with you?" Goh decided.
"Are you kidding? Of course not. It may be great to do things together for the first time."
"Besides, five minds think better than four." Bonnie added.
Fixit was about to came out, but Serena waved him to not, so he retreated back inside. But unfortunately…
"Is someone else in there with you?" Goh noticed seeing Fixit's arm.
He opened the door and saw Fixit, still backward and without moving.
"Wow." Goh expressed. "Is that a robot?"
"Yeah, but not just any robot. Allow me to introduce you to Clembot. A robot made by my big brother." Bonnie invented as he showed him Fixit.
"You made this robot?"
"Clemont is very good with technology." Ash said.
"He may not look like one, but he's a scientist and an inventor." Serena followed.
"And the gym leader of the Lumiose gym in Kalos."
"What can I say? You got me." Clemont said embarrassed.
"Wow, it looks very well made." Goh said admiring Fixit.
The Minibot didn't know what was going on. He only saw Pikachu winking him an eye, so he assumed they were saying that to mask his identity.
"He even can answer to us, watch this. Hi Clembot, salute." Bonnie cheered.
Fixit understood the game and acted like an ordinary robot. "Beep, order acknowledged. Hi master Bonnie, it's a nice night, beep."
Serena, Ash and Pikachu couldn't help but chuck a little at Fixit's acting, but at least Goh bought it.
"I'm still have to retouch some aspects of his programming but he's doing fine. Come on, Clembot, go ahead." Clemont asked.
"Understood." Fixit said pretending.
"He brought it as...technical support." Ash invented.
"Then let's go look whatever you came for." Goh said cheered.
While the gang went by where they came from, they weren't aware that they were being watched: one of the security cameras was still working and it was looking at them. The images were seen at other place of the base, where two giant silhouettes were watching it.
"Well well, looks like we got company." A female voice said.
"I recognize those individuals: it's those kids who sided with our rivals and forced us to disappear." Another voice, a male one, added.
The female chuckled in a sinister way. "Then it's time for rematch."
Suddenly, the group started to heard some metallic like sounds.
"You guys hear that?" Ash asked.
"Right there." Bonnie pointed.
At the end of the hall, the mysterious sounds got louder and louder. Then, some kind of two legged non-cybertronian robot showed up. It seemed to be checking the place, until it stopped at them.
"Alert, non-authorized personal detected. You have 10 seconds to surrender or will be eliminated." The robot said.
"Eliminated?" Goh asked shocked.
"What is that?" Serena asked.
"It must be some security robot which Team Alien created to protect the base." Clemont deduced.
"And it's not alone." Ash noticed, seeing more coming.
"5." The first robot counted.
"What do we do?" Goh requested.
"4."
"The exit is too far." Bonnie pointed.
"3."
"Quick, look for cover." Ash instructed.
"2. 1. 0. Now we are authorized to employ force."
The group found some shelter just in time, because all the robots started to fire some cannons they had at both sides of their bodies. The gang noticed what kind of weapons the robots possessed.
"Are they firing lasers?" Serena saw hiding with Ash.
"They must be equipped with energon weapons." Ash realized.
"But why they are attacking us?" Bonnie asked.
"They must be in sentry mode, so they will attack anything at sigh until the authorized person turn them off." Clemont suspected.
"Can you disable them?!" Ash called.
"It seems these robots are autonomic, and designed with a powerful interface against virtual menaces. It doesn't allow me to hack them at distance."
"Then we will have to fight them." Goh said pulling out a poké ball, from which came out a pokémon very similar to Scorbunny, but a little bigger and with a different appearance. "Raboot, I know we are not actually at good terms, but I need your help here. Think you can take down those robots?"
The little pokémon took a look to their attackers, looked at his trainer and nodded before jumping at them. He dodged the shots pretty easily, as he got closer jumping on one of them. That made the other robots to aim at him, and he waited for the last moment to dodge the shots, making them hit the robot instead and destroy it. Next, he confronted them directly, launching little fire balls at some of them.
"Who's that pokémon?" Bonnie saw.
"He's attacking the robots personally?" Serena asked surprised.
"It doesn't seem he's making much effect since he's using Ember." Clemont analyzed. "Tell him to try a more effective move."
Goh nodded. "Raboot, that doesn't affect them. Try with another move."
Raboot heard that and spotted launching fire continuing dodging shots. He decided to approach them by using Quick Attack, although the hits only inflicted them some scratches, but just to get lose enough to strike them with Blaze Kick.
"Wow, that pokémon of yours is cool." Bonnie admired.
"But he still can't take care of all those machines by his own. We need to help him."
"Good point, Serena." Ash supported before looking at his buddy. "Pikachu, ready to go?"
"Pika." Pikachu nodded.
Ash pulled out one of his poké balls. "Go help him too, Riolu."
"Assist him too, Chespin." Clemont called.
"Let's go, Pancham." Serena followed.
"Go with them, Dedenne." Bonnie added.
The summoned pokémon got ready for battle.
"Guys, you need to take down those robots. Pikachu, stopped them with Electroweb. Riolu, strike them with Force Palm." Ash instructed.
"Pancham, use Arm Thrust and Ice Punch." Serena told.
"Dedenne, stun them with Thunder Shock." Bonnie commanded.
"Chespin, start with Pin Missile." Clemont said, leaving Serena and Ash with stunned looks.
The pokémon engaged the robots joining Raboot, except Chespin who simply fired Pin Missile, stunning the ones he hit.
"Now its time to see the efforts of your training. Go, use Rollout." Clemont instructed.
"Chespin." Chespin nodded.
Chespin surprised everyone performing that new move, running over the robots on his way, taking down almost all of them.
"Now Iron Head!" Clemont said.
Chespin finished the robots he ran over with another new move, very effective against them. Seeing he had help, Raboot seemed to be giving instructions to other pokémon, which surprisingly not even Riolu questioned. But there was still many robots advancing to the group. Fortunately in that moment Fixit returned, wondering why was taking them so long. Seeing what was happening, Fixit changed to his alt form and while he charged at the robots he opened his front part and showed some drills, which he used to destroy all robots in one run. Because everyone covered their eyes from when the remains of the robots exploded, Fixit returned back to robot mode.
"What happened?" Goh asked.
"It appears my brother's robot saved us. Thanks Clembot." Bonnie said hugging Fixit, and winking him an eye.
"My pleasure, little master." Fixit responded, doing the same.
"Goh, is this pokémon Scorbunny?"
"Hehe, not anymore Ash. After a while battling he managed to evolve, now he's Raboot." He introduced.
"Wow, he seems very strong. And cute." Serena admired patting him, which although he didn't want to show it he blushed.
"I also noticed he even managed to guide the others in middle of battle." Clemont added.
"Well it seems it comes natural for him. Looks like he used to be the leader of a group of pokémon before he joined me." Goh revealed.
"And what about Chespin? He was awesome." Ash changed.
"I didn't know he learned new incredible moves." Serena added.
"That's because Clemont decided to improve his training so he could improve his battle skills, we decided to show it to you as a surprise." Bonnie confessed. "Let's hope the rest of the path is not so full of robots."
"Just in case we better keep alert until we reach our destiny. Guys, you go ahead, and ready for anything." Ash instructed.
The pokémon went ahead of the group as Ash instructed while they keep registering the base. The group reached a long room full of heavy machinery and a long ramp.
"Wow, what is this place?" Goh saw.
"This looks like the assembly garage." Clemont recognized.
"Is this where they created 'you know what'?" Bonnie asked in code.
"You're meaning those robots, right?" Goh assumed.
"Yeah, this is the place." Clemont nodded to both of them.
"And the secret room?" Serena reminded.
"The entrance should be at the other side, right at the bottom of the room."
"Well, at least it doesn't seem to be any robot here, completed or in pieces. So let's go." Ash encouraged.
That was seen in the other room.
"Scrap, they are tougher than I remember." The male voice cursed.
"Did you listen what the girl just said? Our hunch was right, there is a secret place here. And not discovered yet from what it seems." The female voice discussed.
"Then we better find it before they do. Who knows what our creators could hide."
"And we will, but first we need to take care of them. If they continue like that they might reach it before us."
"Fear nothing. Didn't you see where they are now? This should keep them busy."
Back to the garage…
"Looks like your way of training has served you well. You can be proud, Raboot." Goh congratulated, but his pokémon didn't even looked at him and continued walking with the others.
Ash noticed this. "Is something wrong with Raboot?"
"Nothing serious. It seems he's going through a rebel phase."
"You mean like teenagers with their parents?"
"Huh? What makes you think that, Serena?" Ash asked.
"I have seem some TV series and movies which shows that kind of behavior when they reach a certain age."
"Thank goodness that's not our case."
"Hey big brother, how about this?" Bonnie called going up the assembly line. "We can sit while this take us to the other side. It will be like with automatic stairs."
"I'm not sure, Bonnie. I can't quarantine it still works and besides, I don't want to activate anything else we don't expect."
"Oh come on, I'm sure it'll be fine."
In the other room…
The male voice laughed. "You wanna have fun, little girl? Your wish is my command."
And a huge finger pressed a button on the terminal. That made all lights of the room to turn on.
"I have a bad feeling about this." Clemont simply said.
Suddenly, the assembly line started to move, and Bonnie, Dedenne and Chespin started to get carried away.
"Wow, this is moving." Bonnie noticed.
"We all are seeing it, Bonnie. Get off that thing!"
"Fear nothing, big brother. It's just a harmless ride, what could happen?"
For Bonnie's surprise, a metallic hammer almost crushed her. The group saw all tools of the line were operational and acting like usual.
"I don't like the looks of this." Serena said.
"I'm starting to see what you were referring to, Clemont. Help!"
"Hang in there, Bonnie. I'm coming!" Ash said jumping on the line.
"Ash, no!"
"Don't worry about me, Serena! You and Clemont figure out how to stop this. We will safe Bonnie."
"Ok. Be careful."
"Come you too, Clembot." Clemont said referring to Fixit.
"Beep, yes master."
"Raboot, wait." Goh told his pokémon, seeing he was going to join Ash and the other pokémon in the rescue.
"You wanna help too? Great, the more the better." Ash appreciated.
"Ash, look." Goh pointed after jumping in.
The path ahead divided in two, and Bonnie just went in one, but they didn't know which.
"Which way should we go?" Goh wondered.
"We should split up." Ash suggested.
"What?"
"That way we will cover more area, and in case one in is a wrong one the other can reach her."
"I'm not sure about that."
They hadn't much time to decide, so when they reached the path split they jumped at different directions, Ash went with Pikachu, Riolu and Pancham while Goh and Raboot were at the other. The paths differed but they still saw where the other was.
"Now what?" Goh demanded.
"We search ahead for Bonnie. If you find her on your road, shout it so we can know it." Ash said before the paths separated more.
Clemont, Serena and Fixit went by another path to the garage's control room.
"We will have to stop the whole assembly line. Serena, Fixit, try to find the control panel." Clemont instructed.
"Oh, so I don't need to still pretending to be your robot?"
"Not now, Fixit! Bonnie is in great danger!"
"Clemont, easy. Ash and Goh are also risking themselves for her, so we better make our part instead of argue." Serena calmed down.
"Yeah, sorry." He apologized before looking at the panel. "What? There's nothing on here?"
"What do you mean?" Fixit asked.
"Nothing of this panel has been manipulated, so the line couldn't been activated from here."
"Then how can we stop it?" Serena asked alarmed.
"Hum, our best option would it be to find the power circuit and cut it off. It should pass through here, so we just need to find it."
The trio started registering the room. Fixit found a curious circuit box with a sign of electric hazard on it.
"Heh, Clemont, this looks like the one you spoke of?" Fixit pointed.
"Yes, that must be it!" Clemont said before trying to open it, but no matter how strong he pulled it didn't open. "Scrap, it must be stuck."
"I can handle it." Fixit reassured pulling out a cybertronian version of a screwdriver on one of his hands.
"Nice idea." Serena remarked.
"While you open it, let's see if we can earn time for the others from here." Clemont said typing the panel for showing them the images of the line.
Meanwhile, Bonnie, Dedenne and Chespin saw incoming more items which forged machines, metallic pen-like things with an electrified stick. Because they couldn't jump out of the line because it was now at some height from the floor, they had no other choice to jump or get down in order to dodge them.
"If those things weren't harmful, this will look like a video game." Bonnie commented.
Now more giant hammers approached them, and these ones were too much big to dodge them. Instead, Chespin decided to use Iron Head, destroying one completely.
"Nice idea Chespin. Dedenne, try to shortcut those machines with your electric attacks." Bonnie suggested.
"Dedenne." The little pokémon nodded.
Both pokémon used their moves to deactivate the machines on their way.
Bonnie decided to share this with her friends so she pressed a button of her Pokétch. "Guys be aware, there are some active machines in the ramp's way and they are dangerous. Tell your pokémon to use their attacks to shut them down."
Ash and Goh heard that from Ash's Pokétch.
"Thanks for the advice, Bonnie." Ash appreciated.
"Your clock looks impressive."
"You heard her Goh, we may find some of those machines on our way."
"Pika pi." Pikachu pointed to the first incoming.
"Good eye, buddy. Use Thunderbolt with them, Pancham and Riolu, break them from the base."
Pancham and Riolu approached the machines and tore them apart with Arm Thrust and Force Palm, while Pikachu deactivated them from distance. Goh saw coming similar machines on his ramp, but before he could act Raboot went for them. He started to break them with Blaze Kick and Double Kick. That wasn't much a challenge, except when it was the hammers' turn. Raboot attempted the same, but this time the hammers were too hard to break for his attacks, and they were getting closer.
"Raboot stop, it's no use. They are very tough, we can only dodge them." Goh said.
He grabbed his pokémon and got ready to pass the hammer after it hit. They repeated this process with the next ones, until there was an interval where they haven't enough space to dodge. Fortunately for him someone more saw it.
"Goh, hang in there. We will clear the way for you." Ash offered.
"No need for, we're fine. We will surpass that."
"Exactly how?"
"I don't know yet."
"Pikachu, go assist them. Use Iron Tail."
"Pika." Pikachu nodded.
After being thrown by Ash to the other ramp, Pikachu used his move to break successfully through the hammers. Raboot appreciated his help fist-bumping with him.
"See? Pikachu can open way for you, and Raboot can throw Ember to the hammers' supports of my way." Ash explained.
Raboot and Pikachu performed right as Ash instructed and managed to clear the way, although Goh didn't agree. With the path cleared, Ash could approach where Bonnie was in a long jump, landing on her ramp.
"Ash, you made it." She said hugging him.
"Don't worry, we have already passed through the worst. It should be fine from here until we can get off."
"Ash, I think the path is already over for us." Goh called, pointing at the end of his ramp.
Not only Goh's, but also where Ash and Bonnie were also ended in some kind of metallic jaws with buzz saws.
"Scrap." Bonnie cursed.
"There's no choice, we will have to jump off right now." Ash decided.
"But there's still some distance to the floor." Goh protested.
"If we don't try, we will end up mush."
They didn't have much choice, but suddenly two maintenance platforms rose to their ramps, allowing them to get off just in time. That was saw from the control room, where Serena and Clemont sighed in relief.
"Just in time." Serena said to Clemont.
"They're safe now. You can stop now Fixit, they made it."
"I'm almost there." Fixit said before he pull from the circuit so hard that he tore it apart.
That caused the whole assembly line to shut down.
"Looks like they did it." Goh observed.
"Goh, why didn't you wanted us to help you?" Ash asked concerned.
"It's not that I appreciate your help. Actually, I prefer to go on my own, I'm not into teamwork."
"Are you serious?" Bonnie said stopping him. "Make things together is the best. You enjoy with your friends, perform amazing things, even overcome challenges that you can't alone. Being alone may be nice sometimes, but it isn't better than be in a team."
"Maybe that's why Raboot acts that way? Perhaps you two are like that because you should trust more each other." Ash pointed.
As Goh looked at Raboot as he thought about what Ash mentioned.
"Guys, we have found the secret entrance." Serena called.
"We're coming." Bonnie answered.
"Goh, let's go." Ash said, but he saw him with troubled face. "Or maybe catch up with us once you are feeling better."
Leaving Goh and Raboot with their thoughts, the group reunited at the end of the room, just where was a weird door.
"Is this one." Clemont showed after they retrieved their pokémon.
"Do you think everything turned on because of a malfunction?" Bonnie asked.
"Or that or maybe we are not alone on this place." Ash supposed.
"Let's find out what they were hiding." Serena encouraged.
That was spotted from the other room, where it seemed someone was really mad.
"Scrap, those kids are more stubborn than I expected. At this rate it wouldn't take long until they reached that room before us." The female voice complained.
"Don't be so sure, partner." The male voice announced. "I've finally found a way in."
After opening the door, the group saw a dark descending way, so Fixit had to turn on his lights. It took them a while to reach the end of the tunnel, and they got surprised for what they discovered: the entrance's door, which was considerably big, was teared apart, probably because something or someone big made its inside.
"This look truly disturbing." Serena expressed.
"You may say that." The female voice accepted, making everyone nervous.
From within the shadows emerged a non-visible figure, until it reached to where light reached, allowing them to see which, or better said who it was.
"No way." Bonnie said.
"Roadkill?" Serena recognized.
"Missed me, girls?" The female Decepticon saluted.
"What are you doing here?" Ash demanded.
"The same as you, searching for whatever our creators may left behind. So that way they start repaying us for all the pain they inflicted." The male voice answered as another figure emerged from the shadows, revealing to be another Decepticon non-seen in a long time.
"Stinger?" Bonnie recognized.
"You too?" Ash added.
"What can I say? It's good to be back." The Decepticon scout admitted.
"Wait a minute, so everything that has happened to us was your doing? The robots, the assembly line out of control?" Clemont deduced.
Roadkill clapped. "Well done humans, you have solved the mystery. Of course, you must understand we cannot allow you to continue your search. But fear nothing, we will catch up other time. For now…"
Roadkill changed one of her hands for her signature weapon: a flamethrower, and generated a huge wall of flames in between them and the group.
"That should force them to get out." Roadkill.
"Come on. Let's see what great secret lays in this room." Stinger encouraged.
The group was now in a very dangerous situation.
"Those flames look very harmful." Ash said.
"And the smoke will suffocate us if we don't get out." Serena added.
"Fixit, try to use your weapons to open those ventilation conduits so the smoke can filter through it." Clemont instructed.
"On it. And it will also help bringing down some rubble to extinguish that fire."
Thanks to Fixit's efforts the smoke now had a way out and the fire wall was no more, so they could go after the Decepticons. But some still active flames floated with the smoke, reaching other places of base, which started to create small fires. One ember even ignited somewhere in the assembly garage, and Raboot discovered it.
"What is it, Raboot?" Goh asked, making him to head there and signaled it. "Oh no. We have to find the others and get out before its too late."
At the same time, the Decepticon duo finally reached the restricted area, marked by a signal. They opened the last door and got speechless for what they saw: there was another cybertronian lying on a giant operating table. This one presented a female appearance, with details on her body which resembled those of a ninja. She remained completely lifeless as they observed her.
"I didn't expect this." Stinger admitted.
"It must be another prototype they were preparing in the moment we rebelled. This one looks finished time after us." Roadkill examined.
"Do you think it is like us?"
"Maybe. Let's check its interface." Roadkill said before accessing the console connected to the robot. "Hum, code-name Nightbird, specialized for spying and close combat. Created with parts of cybertronians with land basic vehicle modes."
"So, we can wake her up?"
"For what I'm seeing, yes. She has the same kind of neural net as us, so she will be able to think totally free. It only requires a certain energy to live."
"Think this will do it?" Stinger said pulling out a small fragment of energon.
Roadkill took it and inserted it onto where it was supposed to be her spark. That caused a reaction which made blue lines to flow through the entire robot until it stopped. Moments later, the called Nightbird opened her optics, revealing to be red as well.
"Where...where am I?" The new cybertronian, Nightbird, asked in confusion rising a little and seeing the duo. "Who are you?"
"It's okay, you are safe now." Roadkill tranquilized her.
"We found you inactive on this base and we have awaken you. My name is Stinger, this is Roadkill. And you are Nightbird."
"Nightbird? Is...is that my name?"
"Well, more like the designation our creators gave you, but it is yours now." Roadkill specified.
"We were like you right now: made by inferior beings which tried to gain control over us because we are greater than they will never be." Stinger started, just when Ash and his friends finally reached them. "See? They are some of the creatures I was telling you about."
"Is...is that what Team Alien was guarding here? Just another cybertronian?" Clemont asked in disbelief.
"They may look harmless but they are smarter than they look. We managed to set free from their grasp and now we fight for ourselves. You are safer with us." Roadkill said.
"Is that a new Decepticon?" Bonnie asked confused.
"I've never seen one like that." Fixit answered.
"Decepticon?" Nightbird asked.
"It's our faction, the one we truly belong. The ones who doesn't follow the same path are our enemies, who side with those beings." Stinger said.
Nightbird finally incorporated and walked a few steps at the group. "You think you are more important than us? When you are actually smaller and weaker looking? If that's the case there's no way I'm gonna let you dictate me how I am supposed to live." She changed one of her hands and turned it into some kind of shuriken thrower. "Be gone."
Nightbird fired a few big shurikens that flew right at the group, forcing them to crouch to dodge them. After that, the ceiling started to shake as some parts crumbled down burning.
"There's nothing more for us here. Time to leave." Stinger decided before he and Roadkill changed to vehicle form and drove through the tunnel.
"You can do the same, just think it."
Roadkill's words made Nightbird to follow her advice and immediately she transformed into some kind of cybertronian convertible sports car and followed them.
"This place is going down." Clemont saw.
"We need to get out of here!" Ash shouted.
"Ash, guys!" Goh called, coming at them on a forklift. "Get aboard, we are leaving this place."
"No need to think twice." Bonnie simply said.
When Clemont took control of the forklift it went faster, passing through the flames and heading for the garage's door. He used the forklift's frontal part to make a hole in the door, which Pikachu made bigger with Iron Tail so everyone could get out. The people on guard duty saw how the whole base was being consumed by the flames, so when the firefighters reached there wasn't much of the base in one piece. Fortunately the gang wasn't caught, thanks to the pokémon rangers' intervention. Ash was checking Serena didn't have any injure once Pikachu showed he was fine.
"I'm fine, Ash. No flame or rubble made me hurt." She reassured him.
"Yeah, but you have some ash scattered across your face. It needs a little cleaning." He said using the same handkerchief he gave her the first time they met, which made her laugh. "What is it?"
"How curious, that now you are using the same handkerchief I gave you so you could clean your face when we met after so long."
"You two look great together." Goh interrupted. "So, did you find what you were looking for?"
"You could say that. There was some rough project in that secret room which escaped, causing that fire in the process." Ash invented.
"We have warned the pokémon rangers so they will take care of finding it." Serena added.
"What about you?"
"I will return back to Galar in order to continue my search. But before leaving I wanna thank you, Ash." Goh surprised.
"Huh? For what?"
"For your advice. Maybe teamwork is not my style, but you may be right about accepting help from others sometimes, and think more about how my pokémon may be feeling. I'll try to follow your way."
"I'm glad that you are willing to try it." Ash acknowledged as he and Goh shook hands. "See you other time, friend."
"Until then." Goh said goodbye.
"I hope then we can introduce you to everyone else." Serena said.
While they two said goodbye to Goh and Pikachu did the same with Raboot, Clemont and Bonnie were reporting to Team Prime.
"So, Stinger and Roadkill are back as well." Optimus supposed.
"Yeah, and they were here looking for the same thing." Clemont nodded.
"Unfortunately the only thing in there was another human-made cybertronian who has joined them. I think they named her Nightbird." Bonnie added.
"Well, just another Decepticon to be worried about." Blaster opined.
"With the base completely burned there's no way to know if there was another valuable thing."
"Fear nothing, Clemont. If the Decepticons left like that, it means there wasn't anything else worthy to recover."
But Elita didn't know she was wrong, because back at the Nemesis, the trio returned with the leaders.
"Ah, Stinger, Roadkill, welcome back." Starscream greeted.
"Glad to be back, sir. Darkscream?" Stinger asked not completely sure.
"Yeah, I know. There's so much to explain."
"And it seems we have a guest." Xiaxus noticed.
"Easy sir, she's with us." Roadkill reassured.
"We found her at a secret room in that human facility we escaped time ago. It seems, like us, she was another prototype which Team Alien was preparing for testing." Stinger explained.
"But we managed to grant her our same freedom, and she has proven to be quite resourceful against our foes."
"I didn't expect to find so many of ours. I feel...warm in my chest." Nightbird confessed.
"That's the feeling in your spark at being at home." Starscream started.
"And you are…?" Knock Out started.
"Nightbird."
"Well Nightbird, welcome to the Decepticons." Xiaxus welcomed.
"And you two of course." Starscream refereed to Stinger and Roadkill.
"Roadkill, I understand you also have certain promising skills which requires polish. For that, I would request your assistance in my laboratory." Shockblast said.
"Not only for that, general, We also have another present for you." Stinger said pulling out a small drive. "If you were expecting Team Alien to start returning us the favor, I guess we are now on the right track."
That made both Starscream and Xiaxus smirk, they finally have what they were looking for.