27- Ashes of the Fight.

It looked like an ordinary day when a squadron of aerial and helicopter Star Seekers flew through the clouds. They headed right to a rock formation which presented signs of human presence, but for a long time ago: it was the ruins of Pokémopolis. The squadron took a look around the area, making sure it was cleared of humans, and most of all, other unpleasant cybertronians. But as they did they uncovered something shocking: a big hole in some part of the ruins. They opted for getting into the hole, transforming and landing in an unexplored part of the ruins.

"Do you repeat me what are we doing here?" One Star Seeker asked.

"Yeah, I thought we were supposed to look for possibles sources of resources to repair our ship. Some parts of the Tidal Wave were too damaged that they still haven't been wholly fixed." Other added.

"The sensors detected a weird energy signal last night, which traced it right to this location. That unidentified signal could be a powerful source of energy which could help accelerate repairs, or something useful to use against the Autobots or Decepticons. Thundertron gave us orders, lets fulfill them." The squad leader instructed.

The pirates started checking the area for anything as the leader looked at the entrance. It seemed like it was made by something which crushed at high speed from a very high altitude, like a meteor. One of the Star Seekers noticed something in the deepest and darkest part of the chamber: some kind of constant gloss, with a curious and sinister light. He approached it for a better look, but when he was about to inspect with his hand, other grabbed it with strength. Then, the glow intensified with a purple touche as a figured stood up in the shadows, looked at him with sinister eyes and a roar was heard before his scream. As result the rest of the squadron went to see what was going on, but remained speechless once they witnessed that same thing. The only thing coming next were shots and screaming. Not far from there, Bumblebee and Sideswipe were driving together.

"I don't get why are we taking a detour. Why need to? We're gonna get late for the meeting."

"Actually Sideswipe it's a group picnic, and we're just volunteered to accompanied them to watch for if something happens. Besides, Predaking and the others are already with them, and this detour is shorter than where they've established. And I swore seeing a squadron of flying cybertronian fighters, so we must make sure not either the Cons or the Star Seekers are up to something bad."

"I can't think why, they have been pretty quiet these days. Maybe they just want a break. You know, for all the hard time we have make them go through."

"Haha, good one. Here we are."

The Autobot duo transformed at the entrance of the ruins. They looked around to see if there was anyone else there.

"No signs of enemies, they must be into the ruins. Let's check it out." Bee decided.

"Why would the Cons or those pirates come to a place that is just only of interest for human researchers?" Sideswipe wondered.

"It could be because of a cybertronian relic buried within those ruins, or an energon deposit hidden beneath it. One way or another, it can't be good."

But they didn't need to enter the ruins that long until they got their first contact: one Star Seekers walked at them from the inside, but he wasn't looking good. He had his body completely covered in burns, he was walking dragging a leg and he was missing an arm.

"Please, please help." He begged.

"Help? Since when those extremists call to us for help?" Sideswipe said surprised.

"What happened? Did you find something?" Bumblebee asked.

"No something, someone. You...must...warn...Prime. It is here, on this world. Only he can…"

But the Star Seeker couldn't say more when he was blasted out with a huge shot of pure energy which obliterated him. Next, a huge shadow stood in front of the Autobots, who presented shocked faces. Moments before, as Bumblebee said, the whole gang was having a special gathering in a placid and beautiful grassland. It was near to a peculiar place: the known resort of Pokémon Paradise, the place of relax and enjoyment for pokémon which Pikachu and his pals visited during Ash's first journey. The first stay was so unforgivable that the group thought of letting them enjoy it again. And while they had fun, the group passed the time with a picnic near the place. Delia was also with them, while their Autobot guardians simply joined to help moving all items for the picnic, or simply to stay guard. After delivering their pokémon to the resort and before eating, the group passed time with different activities, such as a pokémon trivia, proposed by Clemont, a game of imagining what the clouds looked like, make a race by giving a pigiback or hide-and-seek. Predaking simply passed most of the time sleeping, except when at lunchtime the gang's pokémon returned to eat first, and took chance to play climbing on him. Meanwhile, as they were eating dessert…

"Everything was delicious, miss Ketchum." Bonnie thanked.

"As always your meals are unbeatable. Except Brock's, of course." Max added.

"Thank you, but I can't take all the credit. Serena has helped a lot too." Delia admitted.

"You're welcome." Serena appreciated blushing in red.

"Your donuts also are great." Ash pointed.

"We also should thank professor Oak as well for such tasty food for our pokémon." Dawn added.

"I used his best recipes keeping in mind each one's preferences." Tracey said.

"And the Poffins Dawn brought has completed their menu." Misty followed.

"So, now that everyone is rested and has eaten well, I want to speak about a very important matter."

"Which one, miss Ketchum?" Ritchie asked.

"I already know it, which makes me the only grown-up of the group, but I want to know when have you intention to confess your parents about your secret regarding the Autobots."

Delia's announcement let everyone speechless and nervous, not knowing what to answer.

"Looks like party time has turned into a motherly lecture."

"Don't mock that much, Arcee." Hot Rod asked.

"Actually I may don't have any problem for that. My village is very understandable so I'm sure it will be not problem for them to know about Smokescreen. And Predaking too, since dragon pokémon are very welcome there I think he will feel like home." Iris answered calm, making Predaking pay attention at hearing that.

"Seriously? What a group of tolerant humans." Smokescreen said.

"Speak for yourself, it's not that easy for us."

"I agree with you, little brother. How could we explain to our parents that two friends of ours are actually living robots from another planet which are fighting a secret war in ours, capable to turn into a car and tank?" May supported.

"Same here. Can you imagine my mom's reaction at seeing Wheeljack standing next to me and Piplup?" Dawn followed.

"Surely my sisters will freak out at first, but I think they will accept Seaspray instantly. They don't use to criticize that kind of things, which I appreciate." Misty revealed.

"I don't know how to speak about it with my family." Ritchie said. "I'm jealous of you for not having to deal with this issue, Tracey."

"Well, but I still have to help you find a way to solve your cases."

"Big brother, we know dad had to hide his secret identity as superhero. Do you think he will comprehend our position if we tell him?"

"Not sure, Bonnie. This is something I don't have an answer for."

"And my mom? Which way could be the better to tell her about Arcee without her to end getting mad or worse? I'm as lost as you."

"Don't fear, Serena. Whatever decision you come with I'll be at your side to support you. She already knows about us, so maybe it will not be as hard as you think."

Serena smiled for her boyfriend's support. "Thanks Ash. I really appreciate it."

"Oh. Forgive my enthusiasm but I just can't avoid it when I see you together. I know it's hard for you all, and because of hiding it to ensure your loved ones' protection makes it really hard to reveal it. Just try to say it with all sincerity you can and speaking with the heart."

"Nice advice, miss Ketchum." Warpath complemented.

"Have you copied it from Optimus?" Moon asked, making everyone laugh.

"By the way, where are Bumblebee and Sideswipe?" Ash mentioned.

"You're right. They should have reached a long time." Seaspray supported.

"Whatever it is it better be excusable for their delay." Arcee said.

"It isn't always?" Wheeljack assured. "Oh, speaking of lagging ones."

Wheeljack looked at the distance, spotting two vehicles moving at them at high speed. At first everyone got nervous and got ready for the worse, but at seeing it was their friends they relaxed. But Bumblebee and Sideswipe didn't stop and almost reaching them they transformed.

"Everyone, get ready!" Bee shouted.

"Pals, get out of here, as fast and far as you can!"

"What? Why Sideswipe?" Ritchie asked.

"What's with that hurry?" Hot Rod demanded.

"Is something wrong?" Warpath added.

"We don't have time. He's here, he's coming!"

"What? Who's coming, Bee?!" Delia asked, getting nervous.

"Protoform X again?" Misty answered.

"No, worse. Much worse." Sideswipe corrected.

"Pika pi!" Sparky and Pikachu said looking at the sky.

Then they heard the sound of an engine getting closer, making everyone turn their looks at the sky. A curious and unknown starship was heading right at them, passed above and without warning descended at the group. As it was about to touch the ground, the ship transformed, making a huge cloud of dust, preventing them to see who it was. But as the cloud started to dissipate the Autobots faces remained in shock as they recognized who it was.

"Followers of Prime, you thought me finished. You should have made sure I was, because now I will have the chance to return to you the humiliation of being reduced as an equal to you. My wrath unleashed will be infinite, and so will be your torment!"

Everyone got shocked, including the humans, when the figure they saw was no one else than the former leader of the Decepticons.

"Since when Galvatron has resurrected?"

"That's not Galvatron, Iris." Smokescreen started.

"It's Unicron." Hot Rod corrected.

"What?!" All the humans exclaimed.

"The Chaos Bringer?" Max repeated.

"Didn't you dispose of him on Cybertron?" Dawn recalled.

"Optimus was the one who banished him." Moon specified.

"Yes, Prime tried to deliver me into oblivion. But it will take more than the weapon of one of Primus's progeny to force my Anti-Spark to stop beating." Galvatron/Unicron proclaimed.

Before he could boast more, Predaking tackled him immediately, inflicting fast and hard hits before throwing him against a boulder.

"You demon! Now you will pay for turning the remains of my ancestors into your puppets devoid of free will!"

Predaking transformed, roared at Unicron and grabbed him with his jaws. Unicron attempted to release himself hitting the dragon's head. Before he could summon one of his immense guns, Predaking fired a fire beam with Unicron still on his mouth. Once Galvatron/Unicron landed Predaking continued charging again.

"Shouldn't we assist him?" Seaspray said.

Unicron summoned one of his dark energon mega cannons on one of his hands and fired at Predaking, but this time he knew the trick and dodged the shots as he approached his opponent, and once near enough he swung his tail, surprising Unicron and sending him backwards. Next, Predaking took flight and positioned above him where he unleashed his best flamethrower attack on him.

"I think he has it under control." Warpath opined.

But he was wrong, because suddenly a shot of dark energon came from the burning area and shot Predaking out of the sky. Unicron emerged from the flames, with some over his chassis, but he didn't seem affected physically.

"Okay, I take it back." Warpath regretted.

"Delia, take everyone to a safe spot. We will try to buy you all the time we can." Bumblebee instructed while the Autobots got ready for combat.

"You heard him everyone. Let's go."

The Autobots joined Predaking in his struggle against Unicron. Inside his mind, Megatron was with Unicron contemplating everything like previously.

"Predaking, siding with the Autobots?" Megatron asked surprised.

"It appears your warrior of destruction has swore his alliance to our common enemy. Clearly he wasn't the loyal follower you talked if he has sided with the Prime's minions. Primes have been experts on earning loyalties with the proof of their actions, spreading their welcoming aura with the power granted by Primus." Unicron argued.

"I built my followers by my actions and the promise of a greater future."

"Even with the promise of great power, sometimes it isn't enough to forge true loyalty. Only total control prevents any case of betrayal, as you and I already know."

While they argued, the Autobots charged firing at Galvatron/Unicron, forcing him to cover himself by creating an energy shield of dark energon, specially because of Warpath, who changed to vehicle form to fire his cannon. Hot Rod, Sideswipe, Smokescreen and Bumblebee circled around firing their guns, attacking Unicron from all sides, making him focus on them and allowing Predaking to recover. Unicron was about to use his mega cannons, but before he could the female Autobots kicked him from both sides, stunning him temporally. They landed on Predaking's top and fired at him too while Predaking attacked him with fire again. Unicron formed his shield again to counter the Predacon's flamethrower, but that prevented him from seeing Wheeljack and Seaspray to approach him sneakily and used their blades to strike him in close combat, trying to hit him in the weak spots. Unicron changed the mega cannons for hammers of dark energon, but as he was about to use them...

"Special delivery, for you." Wheeljack saluted before transforming and leaving.

Unicron saw that right under his feet was a grenade about to explode, and it did. To that Predaking added a direct fire blast, causing a big explosion.

"You think that's enough to make a dent on him?" Moonracer wondered.

"Nothing can survive such magnitude without present damage." Seaspray nodded. "Not even X."

"Don't forget, it is Unicron who we're talking about." Bumblebee reminded.

"One question: what would happen if we manage to destroy completely the body of Buckethead which he's currently inhabiting?" Smokescreen asked.

Suddenly, from the dying flames of the explosion, Galvatron/Unicron emerged standing like nothing. But of course, this time he presented clear signs of damage on the body, such as burns, a few spikes on the back broken and a small dent in the left side of the face.

"Well, that's more than I expected." Moon admitted.

"Now we know it can be broken. We need to keep hitting him fast and hard." Warpath realized.

Galvatron/Unicron took a look to his wounds and put a surprised face, he didn't expect to receive such damage. "I'm impressed. No one except Prime has been able to inflict me real damage. And that positions me at the same level as mortal beings as you. I CANNOT TOLERATE IT!"

Unicron roared it rage, making his whole body to shine in purple and covered in a strong dark aura. The whole team unleashed a storm of shots and flames at him again, but this time they did nothing.

"What in the… What just happened?" Arcee asked in disbelief.

"That aura, it must have increased his armor to a level he becomes invulnerable." Hot Rod understood.

"Hey, that's cheating!" Sideswipe protested.

Then the aura dissipated, although the wounds were still present.

"Then we need to strike him when he's not displaying it." Bee observed.

"Leave it to me."

"Predaking wait. Haven't you learned by watching pokémon battles? It's not wise to attack head on." Moon warned, but too late, Predaking already charged again.

This time Unicron saw it coming, and when Predaking was about to employ his jaws he grabbed them with his hands, hold them back before hitting Predaking in a side of the head. Next, with his hammers of dark energon, he stroke very hard hits on the Predacon's head, leaving him stunned and dizzy. Arcee and Moonracer ran at him to perform the same strategy, but Unicron suspected and intercepted them when they were about to kick him again. Smashed them against each other and threw them against Predaking, leaving both girls unable to battle. Wheeljack and Seaspray proceeded to battle him with their melee weapons, so this time Unicron summoned his scythes. Fortunately for the Wreckers Unicron's moves were slow, but as Wheeljack discovered when he clashed with one also hard, so much that it was pressing him against the floor. Seaspray went to the rescue, but Unicron blocked his harpoons with his wrist as he put a feet over Wheeljack, crushing him while he kicked Seaspray hard with the other, sending him against a boulder, knocking him out. Next he grabbed a weakened Wheeljack and threw him at Predaking. That made Hot Rod, Bee and Sideswipe fire at him the same way as before, but this time Unicron created two energy shields with both hands to deflect the shots back at them.

"Scrap. With that shelter we can only hit him from one angle, from above." Bumblebee observed.

"Allow me, fast and precise attacks are one of my strong points." Sideswipe said retrieving his weapons and pulling out his blades instead as he jumped above Unicron to pass the shields. "Okay mister lord of chaos, get ready to receive a…" But he was caught by surprise when suddenly Unicron grabbed him. "It was a joke, I wasn't serious."

"Sideswipe!" Hot Rod called.

Hot Rod was going to assist, but Unicron hit him with the shield, sending him back a lot of distance before throwing Sideswipe at Bumblebee, taking down both of them. Warpath continued firing at him from a safe distance, but with his shields Unicron continued deflecting them. Tough the shields were starting to break so he was force to run at him. Seeing him coming, Warpath returned to robot form and grabbed Unicron by the hands. Both tried to push the other back, but Warpath laughed right before firing his chest cannon, surprising Unicron. That left his chest with a mark, but it didn't stop him, so Warpath chose to try with his hammers, making Unicron summoned his own big hammers.

"Yours are bigger, huh? Well…" Warpath said while he retrieved his and instead pulled out the Hammer of Primus. "Mine may not be as big, but its tougher than it looks."

Lucky for Warpath, when they clashed their weapons, his hammer was capable to endure Unicron's. However, the Chaos Bringer surprised Warpath with his same strategy by turning his hammers into mega cannons and firing at the same time, taking down the Autobot tank. Smokescreen was the only one remaining, checking how Moonracer was before noticing Unicron was coming for him now, so he activated the phase shifter. That surprised Unicron when he tried to hit him with his weapons. That allowed Smokescreen to counter him effectively, until he had enough and after charging the dark aura again stomped hard on the floor, causing a ground shaking which caused Smokescreen to lose balance. The stomp also unleashed a way of energy which surprisingly hit Smokescreen despite having the device active.

"You have fought with courage and determination, but you cannot defy a god." Unicron proclaimed.

In that moment Predaking recovered and seeing his partners down he growled in annoyance before heading to face Unicron again, who received him with dark energon hammers ready for battle. At a safe distance, behind some rocks, the gang saw Unicron countering Predaking's claws and tail.

"How is it going?" Max asked.

"Not good. Even Predaking is having a hard time." Ritchie reported.

"No wonder if they're battling the Chaos Bringer." May expressed.

"But it wasn't suppose that Unicron was trapped in Earth's core?" Delia remembered.

"The Autobots told us he followed them all the way back to Cybertron by possessing Galvatron's body to try to destroy his rival." Serena answered.

"But Optimus defeated him and expelled him off-world." Dawn added. "Then how did he managed to survive?"

"And he couldn't end on another planet except this, couldn't he?" Iris complained.

"We need to do something. They would not endure much longer against him."

"Ash Ketchum, don't tell me you have intention of facing that monster." Delia stopped.

"The Autobots are risking their chassis for us, we can't let their efforts end being for nothing."

"Ash, I also want to help them, but what can we, simple humans and pokémon, do against an ancient and almighty cosmic god?" Misty asked.

"She has a point. Only Optimus can beat him." Tracey supported.

"We may not be able to beat him, but we can distract him." Clemont said.

"Huh?" Everyone asked looking at him.

"Do you have something on mind, big brother?"

"I have a few tricks in my backpack which can help buy us some time until help arrives."

"We have to warn Optimus so he takes care of him." Iris suggested.

"While we do that, let's draw his attention."

Predaking was also defeated by Unicron, who now stood in front of him with his scythes ready to finish his opponent. He heard something calling, turned and saw Pikachu and Sparky standing at some distance in a fighting pose, but he ignored them. But as he proceeded to continue his termination, he felt water wetting all his back. It was Marill and Staryu's doing, right before Sparky and Pikachu used their electric attacks. The water effect made Unicron felt the electricity more, that made him mad and turned his attention to the pokémon. He was about to swing his scythe against them once he got close enough, but he received a strong direct shot in the head, almost at the right eye. He looked to where the pokémon were heading and saw the humans. Clemont was the one who shot at him, but his cybertronian weapon was a little different in shape and form, looking more long, similar to a sniper rifle.

"Whoa Clemont, who did you manage to make your weapon change form?" May asked surprised.

"I managed to make some adjustments to its systems and now it possess more configurations for adapting different combat situations."

"Whoa, and without Ratchet's guidance? You truly are a genius."

"Haha, thanks miss Ketchum."

"I hope you have more surprises for Unicron, because here he comes." Dawn alerted.

Everyone saw Unicron approaching, forming his dark energon mega cannons.

"Remember what happened me when Galvatron poisoned me with that guy's life force?" Max warned.

"Fear nothing, Max. I got this." Clemont reassured.

"You insignificant beings, how dare you stay in my way? You should thank me for letting you exist above my lifeless body." Galvatron/Unicron proclaimed.

"Thank you? Our world would have been no more if you were awake." Ritchie answered back.

"If you desire death some badly, then I will gladly give it to you."

Unicron fired his cannons, but after the explosions ended he got speechless for what he saw: the whole gang was safe and sound, without a scratch, because of an energy shield surrounding them originating from Clemont's backpack.

"Is...is everyone alright?" Delia asked, hugging Ash and Serena.

"Whoa, is this your undoing too Clemont?" Iris asked surprised touching the shield.

"A modification I applied on my backpack in my free time, but it seems the result is greater than I expected."

"Clemont, I love you." May surprisingly said.

"What just you said, sister?" Max asked in disbelief.

"How can this be?!" Galvatron/Unicron yelled mad before keep firing.

"A human has created something capable of holding against Unicron's power? Impressive, it appears I have underestimate mankind's true worth." Megatron said inside his mind.

No matter how many times he fired, Unicron's shots didn't cause the shield to decay.

"I'm impressed how this is holding." Misty witnessed.

"I made this based on the energy force field the Autobots recovered. It took me a while how to replicate its energy levels and apply them to my own invention. And now we have a chance thanks to science." Clemont declared.

"Whoa, science is so amazing." Ash said impressed.

"I didn't know you were such a fan of that, honey." Delia said.

"Also thanks to that we have a chance. Beautifly, Psychic." May instructed.

The butterfly pokémon used the movement, paralyzing Unicron's body before he could keep using his mega cannons. He tried his best to release himself from that state, but it was useless that he roared in frustration.

"Thanks for the break, May. Now for a little advantage…" Clemont started as he pressed another button.

That made some kind of spray to come out of his backpack that aimed at Unicron and fired two shots of some kind of paint, covering his eyes. That made Beautifly to stop using Psychic on him, but he was more focused on removing the paint from his eyes, but it was no paint, it was some kind of glue.

"Now that he can't see us, to the woods!" Clemont guided.

The group ran toward a nearby forest, a better place to hide from Unicron.

"This may be the right time to call Optimus." Delia recalled.

"I'm calling him right now!" Ritchie said using his Pokétch.

In the Autobot base…

"Ritchie, how was the picnic?"

"Blaster, you need to get Optimus right here right now. The team is down, Unicron has beaten them all, even Predaking."

"What? Did you just say Unicron?"

"You heard right, Ratchet. He's back, like how you faced him last time. Still using Galvatron's body."

Everyone in the base got shocked at hearing that.

"I thought he was defeated when you overpowered him and expelled him out of our home world." Elita reminded.

"As well as I, dear. But it seems, like the previous time, he was just defeated, but not ceased from functioning." Optimus nodded.

"Then it seems he's back and ready for the rematch." Ultra Magnus pointed.

"Ritchie, what's your status?"

"We managed to stop Unicron from finish the others and now he's going after us. But Clemont managed to delay him with some of his backpack's upgrades."

"Hum, I was wondering what he was up to when he mentioned some personal project." Ratchet remembered.

"Children, do not engage Unicron directly. Try to hold him up with distractions and delay tactics, but stay far from his reach." Optimus instructed before ending the call. "Elita, commander, get ready the Allspark's container."

"What for?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"Being the opposite of the Allspark, Unicron's Anti-Spark is also composed by pure energy. Which means it's vulnerable to that sacred reliquary of the Primes, and so it can be his prison. Fixit, open a ground bridge to their position."

"Understood."

"Ratchet, let's roll out."

Back with the gang…

"Optimus got the message. He says we can confront Unicron, as long as we don't fight him directly." Ritchie communicated.

"Sounds like a good strategy until he reaches." Iris nodded.

"And a forest like this is the best place for that. Let's spread out, we'll use our Pokétchs to keep in touch and elaborate our plan." Ash instructed.

Unicron got enough and with the influence of his dark aura wiped out the glue off his eyes. He noticed the trail left behind by the group toward the forest, so he followed it. The trees blocked his way while he was following the footprints because of his size, so he chose to use his scythes to cut his way through. When he reached a clear in the woods he searched everywhere for the humans or their pokémon. Suddenly, he felt his feet sinking into the ground. It was because Excadrill, Gible and Diggerby used dig below him to make a trap.

"It worked. He's trapped." Iris reported, hidden between the trees' branches.

Then, it started raining paint balloons above him. It was Max and Bonnie, who were throwing balloons full with paint at him.

"Hahaha, nice shot, Bonnie."

"Thank you, Max." Bonnie appreciated before throwing other one. "Take that, big mean and ugly robot."

"Such daring for small beings." Galvatron/Unicron said as he tried to advance to the tree they were.

The Chaos Bringer grabbed the tree and started shaking it, to make them fall, laughing at their hard time.

"Don't worry guys, help is on its way. Now!" Iris yelled.

Immediately, from the woods, all gang's pokémon started a coordinated attack: Sparky, Pikachu, Pachirisu, Luxray, Dedenne and Emolga employed their electric attacks, assisted by Heliolisk with Flash to blind him; Happy and Venonat used Sleep Powder, assisted by Cruise and Sylveon with Sandstorm and Fairy Wind; Skitty, Glaceon, Buneary attacked with Blizzard, Ice Shard and Ice Beam; some pokémon like Espy, Beautifly and Leavanny used Psychic and String Shot to immobilize Unicron while Golden, Marill, Gyarados, Wartortle and Politoed attacked from the river using Supersonic, Water Gun, and Hydro Pump, the same as Corsola, Chespin and Delphox decided to attack at distance with Spike Cannon, Pin Missile and Mystical Fire; other pokémon, like Greninja, Heracross, Zippo, Scyther, Golduck, Blaziken, Pancham and Dragonite, decided to battle in a closer way with Water Shuriken, Megahorn, Dragon Claw, X-Scissor, Focus Punch, Blaze Kick, Arm Thrust and Thunder Punch, jumping or flying from one side to the other to attack again; the flying pokémon like Talonflame, Rose and Togekiss circled around and attacked with Brave Bird, Steel Wing and Aura Sphere; and Donphan, Staryu,Venusaur, Mamoswine, Quilava and Fraxure hit him from above with Rollout, Rapid Spin, Razor Leaf, Ancient Power, Flame Wheel and Giga Impact. That combined set of attacks prevented Unicron to defend himself or counter for a while.

"Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop...ENOUGH!"

But at the end, the Chaos Bringer's patience ended with the use of his dark aura agglomerating, like charging up, and being unleashed in a huge shock wave which sent all pokémon back. He took the chance to grab Gyarados by the tail and swing him around like a baseball bat, hitting all pokémon hard and without enough time to react.

"Uh-oh, we didn't plan this." Max saw.

"We need to come up with a new plan to stop him." Bonnie added.

The gang went to check their pokémon, now lying in the floor very affected by the counterattack, but most of all because of being hit with Gyarados, being sent next to them when Unicron ended.

"Your creatures fight with the same spirit as you, but your efforts are useless. Once I have done with you, the rest of this world's pathetic inhabitants will follow you!" Unicron declared as he was about to use his scythes.

Before he could do it, a wave of energy pushed him back.

"Leave these earthlings in peace, Unicron."

"Optimus." Ash greeted.

"Uf, thank Arceus, you're just in time." Delia thanked.

"Your fight is with me."

"You're right, Prime. You already made a fool of me two times, and I will not allow a third one to happen. At the end of the day, you will join with your ancestors in the Allspark. One shall stand…" Unicron started.

"One shall fall."

Unicron canalized the dark aura in his hand to form some kind of blade, similar to the Dark Star Saber, and readied it to use against Optimus, who did the same with the Star Saber. Both opponents rose their swords before charging with a battle cry, clashing their swords.

"Come on, this way." Ratchet said arriving in vehicle form and opening his doors, allowing the gang to enter him after retrieving their pokémon.

While his leader distracting Unicron, Ratchet took the humans to a safe spot, just in the edge of the forest, where the other Autobots were recovering.

"We received your message and came as fast as we could. I hope nothing bad happened meanwhile."

"Fortunately not, Ratchet. We tried to keep him restrained as you suggested, but he is stronger than anything we have faced." Ash detailed.

"At least our pokémon are fine." Serena added.

"A little tired from the fight, but nothing that a little revision in the pokémon center can't heal." Tracey ensured.

"Hold on, we're not everyone." Dawn noticed.

"You're right. Where's Max?" May realized.

"And Bonnie is not here as well." Clemont added.

Regarding the two youngest members of the gang, they managed to climb down the tree and now where witnessing the duel between Optimus and Unicron.

"Finally, Prime will put Unicron back to eternal sleep in no time."

"I don't know Bonnie, Optimus had to travel to his core to beat him and last time he used the Star Saber and even with that power he managed to return, the same as now. There must be some way we can ensure he cannot make use of Galvatron's body anymore."

"Then what do you suggest, Max? Who could be more capable of defeating Unicron than Optimus or Predaking?"

Before he could answer something caught his attention.

"Max? Where are you going?"

They followed the sound into the woods. After crossing a river and passing through threes for a few minutes, they found something unexpected, or someone. It was Protoform X, who was digging in the floor, taking something out with his claws before introducing it into his mouth: it appears since not having access to bigger sources of food or available preys to hunt, X was forced to search for natural deposits of metal to feed. It wasn't much, and he didn't like it, specially with his hunger. Max knew this, and it gave him an idea.

"Hey X, over here!" He called, earning his attention. "Do you remember us?"

"I don't know you that much, but you...you are the little girl I met time later I got out my prison. Bonnie."

"Yeah well, that's me."

"You look hungry. I bet you would bet for a big piece of cybertronian metal to eat." Max appealed.

"Huh? You know where is food?" X asked interested.

"Not just food, but also maybe a worthy rival for you to face."

"Oh, now I see." Bonnie said, knowing where Max was going with that. "Tell me X, have you ever faced a god?"

Back to the fight, Optimus continue clashing his sword with Unicron's. Then Unicron played dirty when he was pushed back grabbing a fallen trunk and use it to hit Optimus' helmet by surprise. Next he concentrated the energy of his aura on the sword and generated the same effect as if it was the Dark Star Saber, hitting Optimus hard. Fortunately the Autobot leader recovered fast, allowing him to see Unicron preparing to launch a beam of dark energon from the sword, so he did the same with the Star Saber. The two beams collided while their wielders tried to push the other back. Ratchet took the chance to drive behind Unicron, transform and use his energon repair ray against him. That surprisingly affected him a lot, allowing Optimus to win the beam clash.

"Whoa, he surely felt that." Ritchie said, observing the fight thanks to a drone which Clemont deployed from his backpack.

"How is it that Doc's repair item affects the dark lord more than even Prime's big sword?" Wheeljack asked surprised.

"Ratchet said it acts canalizing energon freshly refined, and that's how dark energon was neutralized when it infected Max." Clemont realized.

"So, are you saying that from that point of view, energon works like a poison for Unicron?" Ash deduced.

"Exactly what we mean." Ratchet answered, speaking through com-link. "It should give Optimus some advantage while I search for Bonnie and Max.

"You were looking for us?" Max called, coming out from the woods.

"Uff, thank goodness he's fine." May said in relief.

"Stay right there, I'm going to pick you up and we'll go search for Bonnie." Ratchet instructed.

"No worries, she's coming. And also maybe the answer for our problem." Max revealed, leaving the Autobot medic in doubt.

As Max was saying, Bonnie was leading Protoform X right at them.

"Where is it? Where is the food?" X asked impatiently.

"Just a little more, we'll reaching soon."

"Don't take me for a brainless one, little girl. If you are fooling me, then I will unleash my stamina on you!"

"Make may! We're coming!"

"Here they are. Everyone do as Bonnie says!" Max transmitted, hearing them arrive.

Sooner than they expected, Bonnie arrived alongside her special backup. Everyone who were looking remained without words.

"Is that...Protoform X?" Dawn asked in disbelief.

"Sweet Solus Prime." Bumblebee expressed.

"She is with X?" Tracey followed.

"What is she doing alongside him?" Serena questioned.

"Is she nuts? I hope she hasn't forgotten all what he did to us." Iris protested.

"Bonnie is not that kind of person. She must have something in mind, I'm sure of it." Clemont reassured them.

Back to the battlefield…

"Bonnie, how do you explain this?" Optimus demanded, still struggling with his opponent.

"X, meet Unicron, the Chaos Bringer. That's the one I mentioned." Bonnie introduced.

Protoform X looked at Unicron like smirking. "So you are the god, huh? At last, a worthy adversary. You don't look that impressive."

"Are you questioning my greatness?!" Unicron asked mad.

"Let's see if you prove it wrong by combat."

While X advanced toward Galvatron/Unicron, Bonnie waved at both Ratchet and Optimus to follow her.

"What were you thinking siding with that monster?" Ratchet demanded.

"Unicron is almost impossible to beat, and X is the toughest cybertronian we know, with almost no methods to be stopped." Max explained.

"So you thought about confronting our both foes against each other under the pretext of destroying each other. Very smart Bonnie. Autobots, do not strike against Unicron or Protoform X in any way, fall back and stay out of their way. Let them fight." Optimus commanded.

Protoform X didn't waste time charging at Unicron, who got speechless at seeing the weird cybertronian for the first time. Not only him.

"What in the Pits of Kaon is that thing?" Megatron asked, not believing what he was seeing.

"How dares such an abomination defy me?"

"I'll make you beg for mercy with all the pain you'll get." Galvatron/Unicron swore.

Unicron proceeded with his attack by changing form first, but X managed to grab on him when he blasted off. Because of the extra weight and the punches X inflicted to him, Unicron had trouble to fly properly. And it got worse when he managed to damage one of his engines, causing him to crash-land, at some distance from where he engaged the members of Team Prime. Unicron was the first to recover, and lifted X above himself and threw him against a boulder, turning it into dust. That didn't inflicted any harm to X, who stood immediately and grabbed two big boulders with his hands before going for his rival, who summoned his dark energon cannons and fired. X used the rocks so these received the shots, giving him enough cover of dust to jump at Unicron and kick him back hard.

"If you are truly a god, why are you so afraid of battling me close and personal?" X taunted.

"Are you calling me coward?!" Galvatron/Unicron responded furious.

"Then engage me! What can you lose?"

"Very well, beast. Let's fight on the same terms."

Unicron changed his cannons for his scythes, and without warning sliced through X's chest. He smirked at at sight, but disappeared at the moment he witnessed his cut regenerate slowly.

"What? How it can do that?!" Megatron asked, both surprised and curious about X's fact.

X laughed at his surprise before roaring loudly, and charged again. Unicron intended to strike again, but this time X knew what he was going to do and grabbed him by the wrists, putting the scythes aside before giving him a headbutt. While Unicron stepped back, X grabbed him with the scythes and pulled so hard that he managed to break them, making them disappear. That surprised the Chaos Bringer, but had no time to react because X was approaching him, although managed to give him an uppercut which elevated him a few meters and landed on the floor a little stunned. Unicron was about to crush him with a dark energon hammer, but hearing he was getting closer, X reacted pulling out his massive claws and made a quick slice. Galvatron/Unicron noticed a hard prick sensation on the chest, and saw some claw marks from which dark energon dripped. Protoform X also noticed there was a little more of the purple substance on one of his claws. Curious, he smelled the substance before introducing it into his mouth, and seemed like if he was tasting.

"How weird? I don't know what this thing is, but it's...sweet." X discovered, as he saw his cut heal completely.

Angry for his injure, Unicron summoned one of his mega cannons and fired a shot which impacted right on X. Although he felt the impact, X didn't seem affected by the shot. Instead, he looked in better shape than when they met.

"That substance which came from you, I want more." X demanded.

"What?!" Galvatron/Unicron exclaimed in disbelief.

"How is if that my life force has no effect on this monster?!" Unicron said annoyed.

"A resistance capable to withstand even dark energon, but how?" Megatron questioned himself. "Could it be…?"

Before he could fire again, Protoform X jumped high and fast and grabbed him by the head, smashing it against the ground. Next, he grabbed him by the arm and swung him around until he released him, right into a huge tree which fell on him. Unicron managed to set himself free before X caught up with him and both grabbed each other's hands. They tried to push each other back, but for Unicron's surprise this fighter was strong as him, or even more since X managed to push him back some steps before nailing his claws on his hands, followed by a hit of his knee directly on the face. With Unicron stunned, X grabbed him by the neck and smashed him against the ground multiples times and ended throwing him hard. Unable to fly anymore in his vehicle form, Unicron could only land hard almost at the edge of a cliff near the sea. While he was getting up, X landed on him hard after using his propellers to go after him, pushing him against the floor. Next, he nailed his claws on Galvatron's arms, immobilizing them. With his opponent as his mercy, X lifted up and get Unicron closer until his head was in front of his. And so, seeing his rival couldn't move or counter anymore, X opened completely his jaws and attached Galvatron's neck as he bit it. He made a wound through which he introduced his proboscis, and started sucking like a mosquito sucking blood, but dark energon instead. Not avoiding scream in pain, Galvatron/Unicron tried his best to escape from that torment, but Protoform X's grip was too hard, and having his arms immobilized didn't help. After a while X feeding, Galvatron's eyes started to turn off momentarily. Inside the shared mind…

"What exactly is it doing?" Megatron asked confused.

"It's draining my life force, extracting it by force from this vessel. At this rate the safeguard of my Anti-Spark would get compromised, it's weakening my link to it."

"So, it means my body would be free from your influence?"

"It is leaving me with no other option: I must cut all ties with you before my very health gets affected."

"What does that mean?"

"You will return back to where I found you the last time, lost in the void with no one to make you company."

"What? Why it has to be like that? Breaking free from your grasp should allow me to join with the Allspark?"

"I already told you it cannot be possible anymore since you allowed my life force to flow inside your body for a long time."

"What about you? Do you prefer to return to an endless slumber unable to return to the universe instead of having a way to destroy Prime?"

"This is not the end as you believe, there's always more than one way to return. Besides, do you really thing I will allow the champion of Primus to wander out there freely like that to stop me again? I have left that task pending for someone else to assign. Farewell Megatron, I cannot say it has been a pleasure." Unicron announced as his silhouette was fading into the shadows.

"No! Wait! Don't let me here! Take me out! TAKE ME!"

Everything was swallowed by darkness around Megatron. Meanwhile, Galvatron's eyes turned off, the same as all signs of life all over his body. That made Protoform X release him from his jaws as there was no more dark energon to suck. He checked if he was truly dead, even nailing his claws through his body completely, without response: Unicron was no more.

"And you were supposed to be an almighty being from our race? Puny god." X spoke before letting the body to slip from his claws, falling to the sea.

As victory sign Protoform X roared the loudest he could to the sky. After that he noticed something weird for him once he calmed down.

"What is this? This is something I've never felt before. I'm feeling...full."

In that moment he turned around and saw the Autobots and humans looking at him, with Optimus with his sword at hand and his gatling gun aiming at him.

"Easy Autobots, I'm not in the mood for more fighting."

Everyone got surprised by X answer.

"Right, and why that?" Iris asked.

"Because for the first time in my life I don't have the urge of keep eating. I'm full."

"You, full?" Wheeljack asked in disbelief.

"But that's impossible for an hypervore like you." Clemont objected.

"What's wrong with him?" Delia asked confused.

"Protoform X's metabolism forces him to constantly search for food to satiate his hunger. That's what I understand." Predaking shared.

"Like a Munchlax?"

"More. And he can only consume things of metal." Misty continued.

"The reason why he also hunts other cybertronians." Ash ended.

"Oh. Now I see it." Delia understood.

"What makes you think that?" Ratchet asked.

"It seems to be related to that purple liquid similar to energon storage within him." X revealed.

"You have consumed dark energon without any harmful side effects?" Optimus questioned in disbelief.

"Is that what is called? I see, it has been the most tasty thing I've ever eat."

"I guess the rumor of him being created with a little small portion of that element can be considered true." Smokescreen opined, which Moonracer nodded.

"This is the first time I feel like this in all these eons. I guess I can thank you for the allowed chance. And I had a good fight, like not many. We should repeat it, Autobots."

And with all said, Protoform X ignited his thrusters and took flight. Where he was going no one knew it, but at least this time he may be looking for a peaceful place to rest, the first time in all his life. Optimus also looked at the sea, wondering what had been of Galvatron and Unicron. They are gone, they will be back sooner and later? As he knew it, only time would tell.