Several hours later, Ash groaned, slowly regaining consciousness. Serena, who had been anxiously perched on a chair beside his hospital bed, jumped to her feet in shock.
"Ash! Are you okay?!" she exclaimed.
"I'm fine..." Ash managed to utter, groaning again. He attempted to rise from the bed, but Serena swiftly moved to intercept, her hands gently pressing on his shoulders.
"Wait, please! You're hurt!" she pleaded. Unfazed, Ash shot her a glare, a resolute determination burning in his eyes.
"I don't care! I need to go find and rescue May from that crazy woman!" he declared. Serena, visibly concerned, sought to reason with him.
"But," she started, "you're hurt! And you don't even know where they are. Please, you have to rest!"
"I can't! Not while that woman has May captive!" Ash retorted, his voice filled with urgency. Serena's eyes widened at his tone.
"B-But..."
"She was going to have her Mega Salamence bite May in half, and didn't care if she died!" Ash revealed, his frustration evident. Serena's shock deepened, and she implored him with sincerity.
"But you're hurt! Please, you have to rest!"
"I can't! I won't rest until May is safe!" he reiterated, determination unwavering as he remained steadfast.
"But-"
"If you don't want to help, then stay out of my way, Serena!" he declared, his words cutting through the air. Serena, hurt by his words, held her heart as Ash pushed past her, limping towards the nearest video phone where he began calling the others, his sense of urgency propelling him forward despite his injuries. After a moment, Steven's voice echoed through the video call, a mixture of surprise and concern.
"Hello?"
"Steven. We got a problem," Ash's tone was urgent, cutting to the chase.
"What's happened?" Steven responded, immediately on edge after hearing Ash's tone.
"We had managed to find Team Aqua's base, but then a crazy woman barged in, attacked us, stole Archie's Key Stone, then threatened to have her Salamence kill May before leaving with her!" Ash swiftly detailed the harrowing events that transpired at the base. Steven's eyes widened in shock as he processed the alarming information.
"A girl with a Salamence?" he questioned.
"Yeah! I have to find her right now and get May back before she's hurt!" Ash added with frustration.
"Sounds like the same girl that stole my Mega Stone as well..." Steven revealed the disturbing connection.
"She stole from you as well?!" Ash couldn't believe it.
"Yes...which likely means the other team ran into her as well... I haven't been able to contact them in hours."
"What?!" Ash exclaimed, the gravity of the situation sinking in.
"For some reason, she seems to be collecting Key Stones. But for what purpose, I don't know," Steven explained.
"Well, whatever her reason, it doesn't give her the right to steal from others! And it certainly doesn't give her the right to threaten to kill someone to get what she wants!" Anger burned in Ash's voice.
"I'm well aware of that, Ash," Steven responded calmly.
"Then help me locate them!" Ash demanded.
"I have Clemont working on it right now. We're doing all we can," Steven assured, trying to maintain control of the situation. That was when Clemont's voice suddenly chimed in with urgency.
"Steven! Ash! I think I found something!" he called out.
"What is it?!" Ash eagerly asked. Clemont ran over to join them on the call and revealed a potential lead,
"I think I found a match for the markings on her cloak. They're linked to some ancient tribe called the Draconids," he explained.
"Draconids?" Steven pondered.
"Never heard of them," Ash grumbled, frustration evident. "But how does that help us find her?!"
"Well I-" Clemont, taken aback, tried to remark, but Ash cut him off.
"Unless you have something useful to tell me then get on with it!" Ash bellowed. Sensing the tension, Steven intervened with a calm demeanor.
"Ash, keep your cool. Raging like that isn't going to help May. If anything, it's going to make it harder for you to focus and get her back." he reminded the younger trainer.
"And it looks like you took quite a beating in the fight…" Clemont added.
"I don't care how badly injured I am! I'm going to find and save May from that crazy woman!" Ash declared, determination overpowering any concern for his own well-being.
"You still need a level head." Steven continued to advise.
"Is Serena ok?" Clemont inquired, noticing her absence.
"She's fine! That's not important right now!" Ash dismissed Serena with frustration. Steven raised an eyebrow, sensing tension. Unbeknownst to Ash, Serena clenched her fist, listening off to the side. "I want to know where to go to find May! Now! And I'm going to make that bitch pay for what she's done!'"
"Ash calm down. Revenge is not our concern right now. May and the entire Hoenn region are," Steven redirected the focus.
"Well…on that note I may have a place you can start." Clemont shared his findings, "From what rumors I can find, it seems like their ancestral home is someplace called Meteor Falls."
"That's in Northern Hoenn, on the other side of Mt. Chimney," Steven added.
"Got it. I'll go there right now and save May. And I'll get back all the Key Stones she took." Ash declared, determination cutting through the air.
"Slow down Ash." Steven cautioned him. "What about Team Aqua? What did you find out?"
"Nothing..." Archie's voice unexpectedly joined the conversation. Serena and Ash turned around in surprise, and Steven's eyes widened as he recognized Archie's presence.
"Archie?" he questioned. Shelly followed Archie as they approached the video phone, their expressions revealing a complex situation unfolding. Archie winced, holding onto his bandaged wounds as he joined the conversation. The scuffle with the mysterious assailant had left him visibly injured.
"The scamps attacked me before I could explain…" Archie informed Steven.
"Explain what? We know you're trying to awaken Kyogre again to destroy the world like you did years ago!" Ash accused. Archie winced again but shook his head.
"No kid. We weren't." he corrected Ash.
"What?" Ash was taken aback.
"We're trying to save Hoenn from the meteor," Archie revealed.
"You know about the meteor?!" Steven interjected, his eyes widening.
"Aye, we've known for weeks," Archie confirmed.
"What?!" Ash exclaimed, mirroring Steven's confusion.
"I don't understand..." Steven added.
"Maxie and I gave up trying to control the Legendary Pokémon years ago. But we're still dedicated to preserving the unique ecosystems and nature of Hoenn. So of course, our scientists were some of the first to locate the meteor," Archie explained, shedding light on their perspective.
"Why you two didn't ask for help with the meteor-" Ash caught himself before he finished, realizing he already knew the answer. "Oh…because of what you two did years ago…"
"Aye. None of you woulda believed a lick of what we said." Archie nodded in understanding.
"Then why were you going after the orbs again?" Steven questioned.
"Because we're going to have Kyogre and Groudon to destroy that blasted meteor," Archie disclosed.
"That's impossible. Even their power can't break something that big," Steven argued.
"Normally ye would be right, Champion. But that's why we've found a way to cause both Kyogre and Groudon to go through Primal Reversion," Archie revealed.
"Primal what now?" Ash asked.
"Primal Reversion. Our research has found that the Kyogre and Groudon we know today are in a weakened state. The forms that actually created the oceans and the continents in ancient times were much more powerful. A Primal Form. That's the kind of power we need to stop that meteor," Archie explained.
"So it's kinda similar to Mega Evolution?" Ash wondered.
"But the Mega Stones for Groudon and Kyogre must be the orbs…aren't they?" Steven deduced.
"Right again. You scamps catch on fast," Archie acknowledged.
"I'm sorry that I misjudged your intentions. I hope that you and Maxie will continue trying to help us stop this crisis." Steven apologized, now understanding Archie's intentions,
"Aye, we will. The safety of Hoenn's nature and her people is our top concern. Though with that Salamence wielder out there doing Arceus knows what ain't helping. I haven't heard a word from Maxie in hours," Archie shared.
"I agree. Our team on Mt. Chimney has gone missing too," Steven added.
"Mt. Chimney is right on the way to Meteor Falls," Clemont pointed out.
"I have a bad feeling that woman may have been to Team Magma's base before us," Steven speculated.
"Then Brock and the others could be in trouble…" Ash growled.
"Archie, will you join Ash's team and see what's going on at Mt. Chimney?" Steven suggested,
"Aye, I will," Archie agreed.
"Thank you. We'll continue looking into the meteor from here. No reason we can't be overly prepared," Steven assured.
"Agreed," Archie nodded.
"Alright then," Ash confirmed.
"From there, you can go on to Meteor Falls," Clemont added.
"Will do," Ash affirmed.
"Good luck. Please be careful," Steven advised.
"We will," Ash stated, then turning his attention to Archie. "Let's get moving. Now." However just as Archie started to respond, Serena inserted herself into the conversion with defiance.
"Like heck you're leaving me behind again!" she growled at him.
"What?!" Ash shot her a puzzled look, "What do you mean 'leaving behind again'? You're the one who didn't go into the base with us! And maybe if you had we would've had enough combined strength so that May wouldn't have been kidnapped!"
"Don't you dare blame this on me! I'm going with you, and that's that!" Serena asserted.
"No, you're not!" Ash rejected the idea. "I don't have time for this!"
"Yes, I am! You can't just push me aside and run headlong into danger! I'm going with you!" Serena insisted.
"I said no! I don't have time for any distractions if I'm going to save May! And I will be saving her!" Ash countered, growing frustrated.
"A distraction am I?! Well tough! You can't stop me from coming! And someone has to be around to make sure you don't do something stupid!" Serena argued.
"Why do you even care?! You've been acting weird since we first got here!" Ash questioned.
"I always care about you, you idiot!" Serena admitted.
"Me?! May's the one that needs help! I don't give a damn about my safety right now!" Ash accused.
"Well someone has to! I'm also not going to let you throw your life away on a suicide mission! So if you're going, then so am I!" Serena declared. Ash glared at her, and Serena stood her ground. "You're not dying on my watch, Ash Ketchum!"
"Enough!" Steven intervened, reminding them of their priorities, "Both of you need to put whatever personal issues you have aside and focus. You're wasting valuable time arguing. May's valuable time, Ash."
"Right." Ash sighed, acknowledging Steven's point. Serena sighed as well, the tension momentarily diffusing.
"Let's get moving, squirts." Archie urged them to move, taking charge.
"Right," Ash responded.
"Talk to you all soon," Steven concluded the conversation and ended the call.
"I'll call for a helicopter. It'll be faster than walking," Archie took the initiative and headed off, with Shelly assisting him despite his injuries. Ash and Serena were left in a lingering silence, their unresolved issues hanging in the air. Serena, after a deep breath, broke the silence.
"Look... can we just put this aside for now? Bonnie and the others could be really hurt." she requested. Ash remained silent for a moment before responding.
"Fine…I'm sorry... I'm just worried for May a lot..."
"I understand. Let's just take it a step at a time," Serena suggested.
"Right..." Ash agreed.
"Let's go, squirts," Archie called from outside.
"Right," Ash responded, and they headed outside, leaving behind the tensions, at least temporarily, as they faced the looming crisis ahead.
The helicopter was parked on the Pokemon Center roof as the team prepared to investigate the disturbance caused by the mysterious Salamence wielder. Shelly took her place in the pilot's seat, while Archie settled into the shotgun spot. Ash and Serena followed suit, boarding the helicopter as well. Once everyone was in place, Shelly skillfully lifted the helicopter off the roof and directed it towards Mt. Chimney. The atmosphere inside the aircraft was tense, each team member contemplating the challenges that lay ahead. Archie, taking charge of the situation, addressed the team.
"The Magma Base is on the Southern face. We'll start there," he instructed.
"Yes, sir," Shelly responded, steering the helicopter in the designated direction. As they flew over the landscape, Serena noticed something below.
"What's that down there?" she pointed out. Archie's eyes widened as he identified the scene unfolding beneath them.
"A cave-in! That's the entrance to the base!" Archie exclaimed.
"No doubt on who did it," Ash remarked, his expression growing more determined.
"Set up down near there, Shelly. We'll have to dig them out!" he commanded.
"Aye, sir," Shelly acknowledged, carefully lowering the helicopter back down to the ground. As Ash contemplated the situation, he realized he might have missed an opportunity.
"Probably should have also called Professor Oak for my old Pokémon to help me..." he mused. Archie, already taking action, climbed out of the helicopter and released his Pokémon.
"We got a lot of work to do," Archie declared, tossing his Poké Balls. "Everyone!"
"Cro!"
"Migh!"
"Shar!"
"Muk!" the Pokemon announced themselves as Crobat, Mightyena, Sharpedo, and Muk emerged, ready for action. Ash, Serena, and Shelly followed suit, releasing their Pokémon.
"Walrein!" Shelly called as she tossed her own pokeball.
"Rein!"
"Frogadier, Fletchinder, Hawlucha, Pikachu! Help us out, guys!" Ash called, rallying his Pokémon.
"Fro!"
"Fletch!"
"Haw!" Frogadier, Fletchinder, and Hawlucha declared as Pikachu hopped off Ash's shoulder and joined the others, all ready to lend their strength.
"Braixen and Pancham you too!" Serena called out her two Pokemon as well.
"Braix!"
"Pan!" The combined efforts of both humans and Pokémon were put into motion as they started digging, calling out for the people inside the buried Magma Base. The determination to rescue their comrades fueled their actions, and the echoes of their voices filled the air as they worked tirelessly to uncover the hidden entrance. As the group diligently worked to uncover the buried entrance to the Magma Base, familiar voices reached their ears.
"Ash?!" Brock's voice echoed from below.
"Brock?!" Ash responded, relief washing over him.
"Ash, we're in here!" Max's voice joined in, banging on a fallen wall to give the rescue team their location. Archie quickly scanned the rubble pile towards the identified spot.
"Everyone, dig in that spot!" Archie commanded. Pikachu, Crobat, and the other Pokémon joined in the excavation, and soon, the fallen wall revealed the missing group trapped inside.
"There you all are!" Ash called as a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders at the sight of his friends. The rescue team quickly began working to help all the people in the rubble out of the crater they were sitting in, both friends and foes alike. Archie assisted Maxie and Ash helped both Brock and Max out. Shelly worked to get Tabitha out while Serena noticed Bonnie still inside.
"Bonnie!" Serena called out, reaching down and helping Bonnie out of the rubble. "Bonnie, are you okay?"
"M-My leg…" the young girl answered, directing everyone's attention to a sizable gash on her leg.
"The debris of the base hit her pretty hard," Brock explained. "I did all I could with my med kit, but she really needs to be seen by a doctor."
"Oh no…" Serena whispered, realizing the severity of the situation.
"Protect held out as long as it could, but there was just too much," Max explained the circumstances they had faced. Ash, eager to gather information, questioned the cause of the base destruction.
"Who destroyed the base?" he demanded.
"Was it a lady with a Salamence and a Whismur she called Aster?" Archie looked to confirm his suspicions.
"It was…" Maxie confirmed. "She got to you all too?"
"Yes. She and her Salamence attacked us, took my Key Stone, then kidnapped the girl scamp that stopped us years ago." Archie recounted the encounter, detailing the theft of his Key Stone and the threat against May.
"The Princess of Hoenn?" Maxie confirmed.
"Aye." Archie nodded.
"What?! That lady took my sister away?!" Max exclaimed.
"That doesn't surprise me. I had heard she recently came into possession of a Key Stone. It seems that's the common item among all her targets." Maxie confirmed.
"Yeah. She even stole the Hoenn Champion's Key Stone." Ash added.
"Then it's more important than ever that we get to Mt. Pyre and get those orbs to Kyogre and Groudon." Maxie addressed Archie, realizing the gravity of the situation.
"But Bonnie can't go anywhere while she's hurt." Max pointed out.
"I'll take her. There a Pokemon Center in Lavaridge Town just down the mountain," Serena volunteered.
"I'll go with you." Max decided to accompany her.
"Then Brock and I are going to Meteor Falls." Ash made the decision for the rest of the group.
"What's at Meteor Falls?" Brock inquired.
"Something about it being the ancestral home of an ancient tribe called the Draconids." Ash shared what little they knew.
"I've never heard of them," Max added.
"Same here. Our guess is that the crazy lady who took May could be one of them. So she might be there." Ash explained.
"You just better find my sister." Max urged them, concerned for his sister.
"You two scamps go to Meteor Falls and see what you can find. Maxie and I will go to Mt. Pyre to get the orbs. The rest of ya hunker down at the Pokemon Center until we know more." Archie provided the plan in full.
"Will do." Serena agreed.
"Be careful you guys." Max urged them as he boosted Bonnie onto his back, since she was unable to walk.
"We will," Ash promised.
"Let's roll," Brock declared.
"See you guys soon," Serena bid them farewell, as she headed down the mountain with Max. Archie and Maxie boarded the helicopter with their admins and headed to Mt. Pyre as Ash and Brock set off on their new mission, determined to uncover the mysteries surrounding the Draconids and the destructive lady with the Salamence. The challenges ahead loomed, but with each step, each team forged ahead, ready to confront the unknown.
To be Continued...