5- Perilous Journey
A new day started, and Ash and his friends were getting up one after another. He still was thinking about what Optimus spoke with him last night, regarding his father.
"Good morning everyone, have you sleep well?" Cogman asked, but before anyone could respond… "Well, enough distractions, better get to work. Two worlds colliding, only one survives, and you're all that stand in its way. So you better find that staff, Mr Ash, quickly."
"But where are we supposed to find it? It was lost long ago." Iris pointed.
"The day Cogman knew the talisman finally returned he saw the metallic table fluctuating in a non-ordinary way. Which means the clue of its location must be in that chamber somewhere." Cilan revealed.
"Then there's where we'll start searching." Ash's father decided while looking at his son. "And the sooner we find it the better." That made Ash smile.
"Seems like you will take the exciting part, while we will be on guard duty." Hot Rod said.
"Ah, it feels fine to be on your presence again, XC-3. And ZB-7." Cogman told to both Hot Rod and Bumblebee.
"What? Excuse me, why did you call them that?" Ritchie asked.
"That's the designation they were known the time I met them first time. Back in the old days on Cybertron, when I was still not within military service, me and other Minibots were held captive by the Decepticons, until those two came to set us free. By that time they were part of a pretty vicious military unit, focused on quick strikes against crucial targets."
As Cogman was telling a flashback appeared: Cogman was in that time guarded by Vehicons alongside other prisoners. Suddenly the Cons heard a noise, before an explosion happened above them, followed by a figure entering between the flames. It was Bee, followed by Hot Rod, and both started fighting the Decepticons in extreme mode, standing back to back while firing at every Decepticon on sight. The 2 Autobots advanced between their enemies' remains, slowing but steady.
"They did? But they are so nice." Mallow pointed.
"Behind the enemy lines, during that period of the war, they were called many things. Nice was never one of them." Cogman corrected.
As they still assimilated the shocking revelation, the group started searching back in the secret chamber. Ones tried to search reading the present books, Cilan tried to check the table again alongside Cogman. Ash decided to check the mural again, while he took another look at his awesome ancestor. As he did, Pikachu tried to smell it in search of any curious scent, but instead his nose touched one piece of the mural, making it to move out of it. Sparky was about to reproach him for that, but Ash checked how it emerged, as if it was designed for that.
"Hey guys, come see this. I think Pikachu has found the hidden clue." Ash showed.
His father touched the piece. "It doesn't tell us much, but maybe it is not the only one."
Immediately everyone started to touche all parts of the mural, searching for more hidden pieces. And it worked, but nothing happened.
"Seriously? After all that, no great revelation? Like a secret passage or a hidden trophy?!" Iris complained.
"Hmm." Goh started seeing the position of the extracted pieces. And when he looked back at the table. "They are no secret levers, they are marks. The coordinates of the map."
Goh started to mark the positions of the pieces on the table, and that caused it to show a line of cybertronian letters on a holographic display.
"They are coordinates, a route marked through the pass of time." Cilan understood.
"I will report it to Optimus at once." Cogman offered after interpreting them on a map.
"There's where the staff must be." Ash's father pointed, right where the line ended.
"But that's the bottom of the ocean. Looks like we would have to take a sub." Mallow said.
"Then we better call Nautica for a ride." Ritchie suggested.
As the group was about to get out…
"Guys, we already know where to go." Ritchie started. "We just need to…"
"Shh, keep it low. We don't want to be caught." Sideswipe silenced.
The gang saw the reason why the Autobots were hiding: near the ruins Swindle was searching in robot form, and if he was there his teammates couldn't be far away.
"They haven't seen us yet, thank the fog. But if they continue like that we will have to get out of here at full speed." Hot Rod warned.
"Cogman has an all terrain jeep parked nearby." Cilan revealed. "If only he could reach it without being detected…"
"He can. Smokey, time to use your special gadget. Take Cogman to the parked jeep and next take the humans one by one." Bumblebee instructed.
"Take us there without being seen? How is he going to do that?"
"Fear nothing Mallow. Ghost pokémon are not the only ones capable of passing through walls anymore." Iris reassured her.
Smokescreen allowed Cogman to get on his shoulder while Iris was on the other before turning on the phase shifter, disappearing into the ground. They moved beneath where the Decepticon was patrolling without suspect and emerge at a safe point, where he allowed Iris and the Minibot to get off. As they two went to get the car, Smokescreen repeated the process with the others, taking Ritchie and Goh on the next ride, followed by Cilan and Mallow. He was about to pick up Ash and his father the last ones, but in that moment a sudden wind started to clear the fog. And unfortunately Swindle managed to notice something.
"I don't think that can be it. It's impossible!" The Combaticon said once he spotted the Autobot about to carry father and son.
"Oh scrap, the fog! Our cover is gone!" Ash cursed.
"Onslaught, I got the Bots and the boy! They are in some ruins at my position!"
"Hold them right there, we're coming!"
"Ash, get out of here! My weapon will stop the time!" Hot Rod instructed.
Before the Combaticons could join together Hot Rod fired his special weapon, paralyzing them in a time bubble.
"Hahaha, Dialga would be ecstatic." Cogman laughed looking them very close. "Quick! The jeep is this way, hurry!"
The Autobots transformed ready to get away as the whole gang entered the all terrain jeep which Cogman was driving.
"Blaster has calculated the coordinates trajectory into the deeps of the Stepping-Stone Sea." Cogman reported.
"That's gotta be where the staff is. We just need Nautica to take us there." Ash said.
"Nautica? I doubt she could carry you all. Optimus has already arranged everything: the pokémon rangers has dispatched a submarine which with the coordinates already programmed to take you to your destination. It will wait for us on the Hulbury's dock."
"The Decepticons must be aware of our movements. We have to drag their attention so you have a chance to get away." Bumblebee instructed. "Mirage."
"One cool distract trick coming up!"
"Cogman, take them to the shore! Don't stop no matter what happens." Hot Rod instructed.
"Argh, this chasing its stressing me out."
Mirage used his hologram copy trick, made them head different ways in an attempt to lead the Cons away.
"Spacestream, where are the humans?" Darkscream demanded as he searched somewhere on the region's shore.
On the sky, Spacestream was trying to track them.
"If Swindle reported right they're still in the forest. The Autobots will try to give us false leads, I will try to lock on them."
Drag Strip, Stinger, Roadkill, Nightbird and a few Vehicons started to chase them.
"My friends, those Cons are on our trail." Cogman noticed.
"Good. Don't let you get caught, Cogman. We''ll handle them." Bee instructed.
"My specialty."
Bumblebee, Smokescreen, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker and Hot Rod managed to keep their chasers busy. Since the travel went well taking some detours to reach the shore...
"What reminds me your brothers has called. They want you to know there's going to be celebrated an important event at the restaurant, and they want to know if you would want to design the menu." Cogman added.
"Sounds fine to me, it would be a great demonstration of my newest inventions." Cilan nodded.
"We are in middle of a chase and you want to talk about recipes now?!" Goh complained.
Suddenly the situation got worse when missiles almost hit them, making them to slow down. It was Dropkick and Shatter's doing, who managed to locate them. They fired their flying vehicle forms' weapons to slow them down before changing to their land vehicle forms to get closer from both sides.
"Scrap, they're all around us and I just have so much road rage!" Cogman exclaimed hitting the honk.
"Actualise that rage, that's it!" Cilan encouraged.
"You shouldn't let your anger to control you, specially when you are behind the wheel." Ash's father advised.
"Excuse me sir, take the wheel." Cogman said before slipping through the window. "Come on, you want some?"
"What? Seriously?"
"Ah, there's no one driving! We are going to die!" Mallow exclaimed.
Fortunately Ash's dad managed to sit on the driver's seat immediately and hand the wheel. Meanwhile, Cogman jumped from the jeep to Dropkick's top, and started to hit him with a constant hit of his fists on rapid mode.
"Hey, get off me, little pest! You're making me lot's of dents!" Dropkick complained as he drove one side to another, trying to shake him off, but Cogman managed to remain unaltered, but Dropkick ended hitting his partner by accident.
"Go Cogman, blast them!" Goh, Mallow, Ritchie and Iris cheered.
"Urgh, I have enough of you, Minibot!" Shatter shouted before positioning herself behind Dropkick and tried to shot him with her vehicle form's weapons.
"I got you covered, pal!" Cilan said opening one of his poké balls.
This one was Pansage, who used Vine Whip to disrupt Shatter's weapons and turn them against each other. Next, Cogman pulled out some kind of little missile from his mouth and fired at one of Shatter's wheels, making her lose control, also did the same with Dropkick's, but he just used his fingers, which now pulled out some little razors to scratch them. This ended making both Decepticons crush into each other.
"Argh, it hurts." Dropkick complained.
"Thanks for the chance, sir." Cogman said to Ash's father, getting in and recovering control of the wheel. "You have a good control of the wheel if you allow me to say."
"Uf, at least I'm glad that's one of the few useful things I still have."
Moments later they finally reached the town. After parking near the docks, in which fortunately there wasn't anyone in that moment, they searched for what the pokémon rangers sent for them to use. And when they found it they couldn't believe it.
"Is that...a military submarine?" Goh recognized.
"I don't know how they managed to get it, but let's hope is enough." Ash said running at it.
In that moment the Autobots joined them.
"You did it, thank the Allspark." Smokescreen expressed.
"Guys, I'm still keeping the Cons hooked at my multiple tails, but I don't think I can keep up like this for too long."
"Let it go, Mirage, you have done enough. We are with the gang at the docks and ready for them to depart." Bumblebee ordered.
"Then we better don't waste more time. Time to set sail." Ash declared.
"Indeed sir, but not for everyone." Cogman contradicted.
"Huh?"
"Cogman is right. There's no space for everyone, and the lest go the better. You are the most important character of this event and your security requires priority." Optimus started by com-link. "Autobots, make sure the Decepticons don't follow Ash's trail. Bumblebee and Hot Rod will keep him safe."
"Permission to join, Optimus. Ash is gonna need someone to back him up besides Pikachu and the bots." Ritchie offered.
"Permission granted, but just you and his father."
"Ready for this, son?"
"Of course he is, Mr Ketchum. Everything you have done in your life, it's all just been a journey to this very moment."
"Are you coming as well, Cogman?"
"Are you joking me? I always wanted to embark on a quest like this: a mission in deep, unexplored waters."
"Good luck guys." Cilan wished.
"If you are leaving then do it now, Cons are coming!" Smokescreen recalled.
"Ash, get aboard!" Hot Rod commanded, making him and the ones who joined him enter the sub. Once inside Bee and Hot started to push the sub outside the docks. "Alright, let's roll out!"
"Good luck Ash, we will hold them here as long as we can!" Mallow saluted.
"Incoming!"
Sunstreaker spotted a Seeker squadron approaching them from above the sea, leaded by Hydrostorm.
"I'll handle them!"
Mirage turned both hands into cannons and fired a rapid burst of laser fire which took down the whole squadron, except Hydrostorm. Instead, he flew close to the water, changed to robot form, and activated some weird lights on his feet. In the moment his feet touched water everyone stood speechless of what they were seeing: the Seeker was literally walking over water, as if it was solid floor.
"How can he do that?!" Iris asked shocked.
"He must have equipped some kind of water repellent sole." Smokescreen deduced.
"Haha, now I have you!" The Seeker claimed approaching the sub.
"I don't think so. Go, Stunfisk!"
Cilan sent his pokémon, who swung toward the Decepticon, approached him from underwater, and once close enough surprised him with a Scald attack. That sent the Seeker flying some distance, and deactivated his equipment, making him sink in the water.
"There, now you are cleared." Cilan proclaimed grabbing his pokémon.
"Thank you Cilan!" Ash appreciated.
The submarine departed the docks toward sea, Hot Rod and Bumblebee hooked to it before it did.
Hydrostorm spotted it after emerging. "They're getting away!"
"Not for long!" Slipstream said before opening a compartment on the upper part of her vehicle form and firing a big missile.
The missile headed right at the submarine, making Bee and Hot fired at it, trying to destroy it. But when it appeared one shot was about to hit it this turned one side to another, it was a guided missile. Things looked bad for both Autobots, but in that moment the sub started to immerse. For when the missile finally reached them, the sub already dove completely, making the missile mislead and explode at impacting the water body. The explosion was because at the moment it lost sign of them, Hot Rod managed to hit it with a lucky shot.
"Darkscream, I'm afraid Slipstream has missed, I'm still detecting their signals moving." Spacestream reported.
"So its going to be a fight under the surface. Fortunately this time we are ready. General Darkscream to Nemesis, requesting underwater troops. Deploy the Sharkticons."
Immediately the Nemesis descended upon the ocean, opened a door on the lower deck and allowed a group of figures to jump into the water. Meanwhile, the rest of the group returned back to the Autobot base.
"I have locked onto their signals, this will allow us to follow their progress as they delve into wherever they're headed." Blaster showed on the screen.
"I hope they will be okay." Dawn wished.
"Are you sure we can't support them?" Max asked.
"If they are in need of assist we will respond, until then they will be fine on their own." Ultra Magnus responded.
"For now the best way of helping them consist on investigating about the incoming entity, as it seems related with the legend regarding the staff." Ratchet pointed.
"I just uploaded it to the database so we can check it closely. Teletraan-1, how is it going?" Clemont requested.
"All reports, related events and known links shipshape. Data ready for analyze." The cybertronian AI reported as the texts of the legend appeared now on the screen.
"So, are we going to review the pages, in search of any clue which can relate all this?" Serena asked.
"Maybe there is something hidden between the old phrases, like a secret message which could tell what's going to happen."
"You may be right, Tracey." Sophocles suddenly said while seeing some pages.
"Have you found something?" Windblade asked.
"It appears back in the old ages they knew where the end would begin. There is other planet and Earth. Only they don't call Earth at all, they call it something else."
"They would be probably referring to Unicron." May deduced.
"Uni-what?" Mallow asked.
"An ancient being known on Cybertron as the ultimate evil." Ironhide shared.
"Try to imagine a giant cybertronian with sinister appearance of a size almost like a planet." Bonnie described.
"There was a time we had to deal with him, preventing him from destroying the whole Earth while he was waking up." Max added.
"As if the extreme climate change wasn't enough." Sideswipe mentioned.
"Wait, are you saying, that time when Alola was suffering a sudden blizzard, was because of this Unicron you speak?" Kiawe recalled, earning a nod from everyone.
Goh nodded. "And for what they confirm it resides just at the very center of our planet."
"So, this Unicron is actually real, like most legendary pokémon?" Lillie asked.
"Very real, we have a few personal encounters." Predaking confirmed.
"Whoa, I always wondered if that guy was more than legend." Whirl admitted.
Warpath nodded. "Not to mention how obsessed Buckethead and the Cons were about exploiting his corrupted life-force."
"Buckethead?" Sophocles asked.
"I think that's the nickname many used to call Megatron, the Cons' former leader." Snarl clarified him.
"What else does it says?" Moon asked, returning to what the text spoke.
"It recites that one planet will suck the other dry with a giant succubus, until only one remains." Fixit continued.
"It refers to Unicron? Didn't Protoform X managed to let Galvatron's corpse, which he was using, completely void of dark energon? I mean, he was defeated that way, right?" Iris recalled.
"Probably, but the described aspect can only refer to the way Unicron used to employ to consume whole worlds." Elita surprised.
"What?! He can eat a whole planet?!" Goh asked.
"That's how he earned the title of Chaos Bringer." Chromia nodded.
"Although it could be referring to Unicron, the legend doesn't confirm which world would be the aggressor." Optimus reviewed.
"So it may be the unexpected guest joining the party." Wheeljack deduced. "But which one and why? That's the question.
"Blaster, you think we can try to take a better look of that thing?" Drift asked.
"I guess, the last sensor which got a reading detected it near Mars. I'll sent Sundor for recon."
Blaster opened a space bridge which took his Minibot to the red planet of the solar system. Through him everyone at base could watch the images it recorded, the planet, the empty space...until something caught its attention.
"By the Allspark." Wedge expressed.
"Is that...a spaceship?" Lana asked.
"One of ours, or Cons?"
"I don't think that might be the case, Grimlock." Ultra Magnus said.
"I may be more space pirates, or other scum similar to Lockdown." Hound said.
"For what Sundor is telling me it appears to be a combination of a spaceship and a space station. Some kind station-ship." Blaster showed.
"That tech...it resembles yours." Cilan noticed.
"No, it may look the same but it's not real deal." Perceptor corrected. "But whoever owns it clearly has a quite understanding about Cybertron's configuration."
"And the only ones who know about it besides us…" Optimus started, realizing something. "It is them, the Creators."
"What?!" The children shouted.
"You mean...the ones who sent that bounty hunter after us?" Scorn recalled.
"The same ones, just like Sentinel warned us." Jazz confirmed.
"You mentioned they tried to use the seeds to make their own version of yours to control." Serena recalled.
"If they are heading right straight to us we must confirm they are the great evil from which the legend speaks about." Optimus suspected.
"And knowing from Sentinel what the Decepticons did to their home world, it must be the reason why the Quintessons are so interested on the staff." Elita added.
"They could be the ones who would employ the same instrument of destruction of Unicron: they will end this world to resurrect their own." Perceptor said.
"But how they would be able to do that? Unicron simply swallowed planets to satisfy himself." Cliffjumper mentioned.
"The staff may works as an energy conduit, capable of channelling vital energy from one specific point to another." Ratchet deduced.
"But where could be a concentration of energy that huge to start such reaction?" Springer asked.
"Wait, I know one. Try to scan on Alola, see if there's one." Lillie suggested.
"On Alola? Why there?" May asked.
"Well, is the only place on the entire world where Ultra Wormholes can appear."
"And it requires a lot of energy to summon one, it makes sense." Mallow supported.
"You may be right, because I'm detecting a huge energy reading, right at the highest point of one of the islands." Blaster supported showing it on the screen.
"That's the Altar of the Sunne and the Moone, right where Solgaleo came to our aid." Kiawe recognized.
"But it's dormant, it will require a powerful item to wake all that energy."
"Like the staff, that's where it all begins. We must contact Lusamine, in case it is necessary to secure those ruins from unwanted visitors." Optimus decided.
"Do you think they already know where to search?"
"I don't know Elita. Right now we only can trust Ash will reach the finish line first, before anyone else does."
Meanwhile, at the station ship Blaster detected, which was starting to get a small view of Earth at the distance…
"Your formation is complete, you are reborn into something new. Crafted to perform your masters' will." Alpha Quintesson proclaimed as Nemesis Prime approached him. Now he looked a little changed, with his body completely fixed, with a new black coloration and some knight attributes around his body. Some Quintessons gave him a shield and an ancient sword, which he handled pretty well before placing on his back, and bowed to his new master. "My warrior, it is time you knew the truth. The place the ones who sent you call Earth has another name: Unicron."
"Unicron?"
"The universe's greatest threat, an immense source of evil and darkness who doesn't stop eating worlds. You are going to kill him. With the staff we will drain the very life from Unicron. Earth will die...and our world will be reborn. Rise, Nemesis Prime, go and retrieve it."
The reborn Nemesis Prime got up, looked at Earth and activated a battle mask which covered his mouth as his eyes turned red. "I will fight anyone who stands in my way."
At the same time, while the submarine continued its course, none of them noticed they were being followed by a giant metallic Magikarp. It could only be Team Rocket's submarine, who were already exhausted by pedal a lot.
"The things we do...for Pikachu." James panted.
"What could motivate the twerps to travel from one region to another with such hurry?" Meowth asked.
"At this point I don't even wonder anymore." Jessie responded.
Then they stopped at noticing something swimming around them, but it wasn't like anything they knew. Meanwhile, back to our heroes' sub...
"Hum, does anyone knows how to pilot this thing?" Ritchie asked looking at the sub's controls.
"The pokémon rangers made sure it would take us to the destination by automatic pilot. We have nothing to worry about." Ash's father reassured.
"Then what is this I'm seeing?"
Cogman took a look to the radar. "Hum, it looks like some things are approaching us. And by what I can tell they look big."
"It may be a group of water pokémon like Lapras or Wailord." Ash deduced.
Bee heard their conversation from outside, so he tried to see what was coming, until he did. "I don't think so."
Coming out of the dark of the water approached a squad of cybertronian like submarines, which started to fire at the group. Bee and Hot managed to intercept the missiles with their weapons, but it was more tricky hitting the subs, since they were very fast. One was about to tackle the sub, but Bee pulled out his Decepticon Hunter and managed to strike it back. When he did the sub transformed, turning into some kind of cybertronian creature resembling a humanoid shark with the Decepticon emblem.
"What? Where those did come from?" Bumblebee cursed.
"Base, we're being attacked by some kind of aquatic Decepticon troops of sinister looking water pokémon appearance." Hot Rod reported.
At hearing it, Fixit started to search about them. "You must have encountered a whole group of Sharkticons."
"Sharkticons?" Dawn asked confused.
"It's a sentient life form of Cybertron, like Insecticons, only that adapted for amphibious environments or completely underwater." Strongarm explained.
"Since when the Cons recruited some of those?" Mirage complained.
"That doesn't matter: Bee and Hot would not be a match, since they are battling in their field." Moon pointed.
"Indeed, they require proper assistance." Ultra Magnus decided.
Back to the deeps, the Autobot duo was doing their best to keep the Sharkticons at bay, but since they were so fast in the water it was being a complete challenge. Specially when one decided to tackle Hot, trying to bite him with its jaws, until a torpedo destroyed it.
"Save your energon guys, leave this to the professionals." Nautica's voice told them.
Both the bots and their pals from inside the sub saw their problem's solution: Nautica and Seaspray swam right at the Sharkticons, attacking with their weapons or engaging them closely. Because they were adapted to underwater conditions they were matched with their enemies, and they didn't came alone: Misty and Lana also came, both in their special mermaid suits, with some cybertronian weapons borrowed, assisting their pals on distracting the Sharkticons firing into their jaws, which was a true nuisance for them. But that wasn't the best: Dinobot Paddles also came to battle, and he was who performed best, running over the Sharkticons at full speed, disorienting them before tearing them apart with his jaws and cutting with his fins, or hitting them with his neck. The Decepticons also noticed it.
"Strange, it appears Sharkticons have encountered heavy resistance. So strong that it actually overwhelming them." Knock Out detected.
"But how? They are supposed to be unbeatable underwater." Skywarp said.
"That's because they're nothing but simple foot soldiers, even on their field. Let the real deal handle this." A new Decepticon offered, with 5 others standing behind him.
Darkscream smirked at hearing this and nodded. Meanwhile, the backup finished the new threat.
"Thanks for the help, guys." Ash thanked through the window.
"We couldn't let you make the most exciting part of the trip." Lana said alongside Misty at the other side.
"Since when mermaids have made contact with the Autobots?"
Misty laughed. "No Cogman, these are simply special suits for being underwater. Like scuba suits."
"And the perfect style for such perfect partners." Seaspray added.
"I have to admit it's very practical to have such support." Nautica joined.
"Prime has sent us as your escort, in case Cons may send more surprises." Paddles reported.
"And it may be just in time, because this isn't over. I'm picking 6 more bogeys closing to us." Cogman saw on the radar.
Nautica activated her lights, aiming at where these new signals were coming. Team Rocket's sub was in their way, and experienced some turbulence when they passed near them. Once near enough the team could saw properly, which let them without words: swimming toward them were a Tirtouga, a Crawdaunt, a Mantine, an Octillery, a Gyarados and a Sharpedo, these two last ones in mega-form. But the weird thing was all looked much bigger and cybertronian looking.
"Darkscream, this is Snap Trap, we have them." The metal Tirtouga spoke.
"Snap Trap?" Nautica repeated in shock. "Oh no."
"Are those...water pokémon?" Misty asked confused.
"Not even close. They are the Seacons, the marine biggest nightmare Cons ever forged."
"Why they look like that?" Lana pointed.
"They must have received upgrades in some way like with the Dinobots." Seaspray deduced.
"Seacons, attack!" Snap Trap commanded.
The Decepticon team split, each going to face one enemy: the Crawdaunt, a Decepticon called Nautilator, went after Hot Rod trying to crush his head with his claws, forcing the Autobot to push them back; the cybertronian Octyllery was Tentakill, tried to trap Bumblebee with all his tentacles after firing him some kind of ink cloud, but the young Autobot managed to grab his head too, making both to compete who squeeze who more; Overbite was the Mega-Gyarados, who chased Nautica trying to catch her with his huge jaws; the Mantine's name was Seawing, who did the same with Seaspray, but the aquatic Wrecker was holding well; and the Mega Sharpedo was Skalor, and decided to play tag with the girls.
"You two like to play hard, right? Then let's level the odds." Skalor announced as he started to release some kind of yellow substance in the water.
"What's what is emanating from him?" Lana asked.
"Don't get too close! Skalor uses to release toxic substance on his way, whenever is accidental or on purpose I don't know." Nautica warned.
And the Seacons' leader was engaging with Paddles, but surprisingly for him the Dinobot was stronger and managed to caught him with his jaws before throw him against his pal, releasing Bee and allowing him to assist Hot Rod deal with his opponent.
"Try as much as you can Cons, but no matter what tricks you use you'll never be a match for a Dinobot." Paddles teased.
"Is that so? Then we better show you our true power. Seacons, merge together!" Snap Trap called.
Immediately all Seacons gathered in their alt forms and started to merge in a similar way the Dinobots performed. But this time they didn't end forming a huge robot like the Combaticons: instead they merged into a huge creature resembling a sea monster, with a huge tail ended in a fin like a whale, a huge head like a leviathan, two long arms ended in hands with claws and 4 long tentacles coming from its waist.
"They just...merged into a giant sea monster?" Lana asked in disbelief and scared.
"I am Piranacon, terror of the deeps. And I will be the last thing your eyes ever see!"
"Uh oh, this doesn't look good." Cogman said with worried eyes.
Immediately the Decepticon combiner extended and started to rotate its tentacles, causing the surrounding water to spin around forming a huge whirlpool. This caught Misty and Lana, the Autobots, the sub, even Paddles couldn't avoid getting sucked into it.
"This is totally unexpected. What are we gonna do now?!" Nautica yelled.
"The only thing we can do. If there's one thing I learned from observing oceanic rivers is never swim against current. Always follow the flow!"
Seaspray used his underwater engines to stabilize himself for a moment and next he started to move the same way the current did, more easier than resisting, so Nautica followed his example and did the same after changing to vehicle form. Misty decided to call Golduck to assist her, Lana followed her example and did the same with Primarina. With the whirlpool under control, Piranacon searched around until spotting the submarine.
"When will this be over?! I'm starting to get dizzy!" Ritchie complained.
Suddenly it stopped, making everyone collapse hard, except Ash because his father acted as shield for him.
Ash groaned in pain. "Were you saying?"
"Are you okay?" His father asked.
"Yeah, didn't feel anything, specially the neck. But I'm sensing…"
"Pika pika." Pikachu said, making them see that he saw the talisman now placed behind his neck.
"It wasn't there before." Ash's father noticed.
"Yes, but that's where I was supposed to feel that last hit. It's like its moving around." Ash agreed.
"Eh guys, why did we stop now?" Ritchie asked.
Ash's father looked outside, but couldn't avoid getting worried. "You better don't wanna know."
The sub was grabbed by Piranacon's tentacles, immobilizing completely and bringing it closer to its head.
"Surrender the talisman kid, unless you want to spend your last moments in this dark abyss with air running out." The gestal threatened.
"You have to pass over us first!" Bee shouted, he and Hot Rod hooked to their pals firing at it.
"Hahaha please, your weapons are of no much use against me."
"Did you forgot about me too?!" Paddles exclaimed as he swam and cut a little the tentacle with his sharp fins, making it to release the sub a little.
"Argh, bothersome Dinobot!"
Piranacon tried to grab Paddles with its hands, but the Dinobot was fast enough to evade it. That forced the gestal change tactic: it released two of its tentacles, with two still grabbing the submarine, and their suckers opened, revealing apertures from which lot's of torpedoes were fired. Paddles was forced to perform evasive maneuvers, until he came with the great idea of letting all the torpedoes follow him and made a quick turn, making them to impact back on Piranacon. That forced the giant to release the submarine finally, but the fight wasn't over yet.
"Em...I could use a help right here!" Cogman begged trying to plug some little holes through which water was leaking in.
"Guys, the sub's safety is in danger! There's water getting inside, and we don't have anything to seal the holes!" Ash reported.
"Leave it to a proper engineer, Ash. Boys, cover me." Nautica instructed.
Nautica landed over the sub's husk, changed her hands for her tools and started welding the leak while the others stood in guard. Seeing their opponent was a little stunned by the torpedoes' impact, Paddles decided to bite right at the combiner's neck, but it was tougher than he expected and ended being hit by one of its arms. Before the others could do something Piranacon generated from his hands two strong currents of water which pushed back the Autobots with huge strength. Only the girls and their pokémon remained.
"Did you think a Z-Move would be enough for that thing?" Misty asked worried.
Before Lana could respond they heard a loud sound. "I'm not sure if we should act, since I got the feeling something will do it in our place."
And Lana was right, because suddenly a huge shadow appeared from the deeps, and was getting bigger so it was approaching. Then swimming faster than a torpedo, Kyogre tackled Piranacon against the oceanic floor.
"Whoa, is that…?"
"Yes Lana, is Kyogre." Misty nodded.
"What is it doing here?" Seaspray asked.
"Looks like it has mistaken that Con with an invader to its territory and wants to expel it."
"Well, its a legendary pokémon after all." Lana nodded, admiring how the great ruler of the seas, which she could observe was in its Primal form, was engaging the gestal.
But Lana's excitement ended when Piranacon managed to push Kyogre back.
"Finally, a worthy opponent with my same skills. Show me what you got." Piranacon challenged, making the legendary pokémon roar at it back.
Both colossus collided, trying to push the other back. Kyogre even tried to bite Piranacon, but it managed to grab its head before giving it a hit with the tail. But Kyogre recovered immediately and surprised it with a huge Hyper Beam, pushing it backwards. As it tried to resist the attack, Piranacon set its optics on Team Rocket's sub, which was seeing everything.
"Wow, I didn't expect to find something like this." Jessie admitted.
"What kind of pokémon is that?" James asked.
"I don't think that's a pokémon, since it looks similar to those robots." Meowth corrected worried.
"Wobbuffet!"
Suddenly they felt the submarine being dragged: Piranacon managed to grab it with one of its tentacles, and threw it against its opponent. The hit wasn't hard, but it forced Kyogre to stop attacking, timing that Piranacon used to grab the submarine and used it to beat the legendary pokémon constantly in the head, finishing with a swing of its tail, hitting both Kyogre and sending Team Rocket's sub back to the surface.
"Looks like Team Rocket is blasting off again!"
Piranacon grabbed Kyogre by its fins with the tentacles, immobilizing it, leaving it vulnerable to its hits, while it seemed to be charging its own attack on its mouth, firing a transparent beam of energy right into Kyogre's chest, pushing it back to the bottom.
"Oh no, Kyogre is in trouble. We gotta do something to help it." Lana said.
"We need a plan." Paddles said joining them.
"And I think I know which one." Misty announced.
Back to the duel…
"And so a new ruler of this world's seas rises. Certainly Shockblast and Darkscream will enjoy their new test subject for indoctrination." Piranacon celebrated as it pinned Kyogre against the oceanic floor before roaring at it.
"Not so fast, big ugly one!"
Piranacon looked back, seeing Paddles swimming at full speed, so it prepared to swallow him with its jaws, but when he was close he changed to robot form and inflicted a hard blow on its face. It was about to retaliate when suddenly Misty and Lana threw a bunch of mud which they obtained from the bottom of the sea and covered its eyes with it, which were 4. That caused the combiner to not know where they could attack it, and opened the suckers of its tentacles, but this time it wasn't torpedoes what they fired, but laser beams which it used as perimeter defense. Fortunately their pokémon kept them at bay with their moves (Golduck used Confusion while Primarina employed Aqua Jet). That allowed Kyogre to recover and used his signature move, Origin Pulse, to push it back to the surface. The impact was so strong that Piranacon came out of the water and landed on a small island, but it appeared being on land was a huge disadvantage for it, since it was hard for it to move, like being aground.
"Seacons, what's your progress?"
The gestal groaned in pain. "Piranacon to general Darkscream. The target has escaped, it continues its way to unknown location within the deeps. I'm in need of assist here."
"What? That was supposed to be your field advantage!" Darkscream yelled before screaming in rage. "Is there anyone who can prevent that boy escape?!"
"Don't sweat it, Darkscream. They may have eluded us, but we may no need the talisman anymore. We just need to let them do the hard job, and they will take us to the staff." The Fallen revealed with ease.
At the same time, after disposing of the intruder Kyogre looked at the girls and the Autobots with a grateful look, and returned back to the deeps.
"I can't believe I managed to fight alongside Kyogre while swimming as a mermaid. This is the best day of my life." Lana expressed.
"Where are the others?"
"Rest assured Misty, I managed to fix the damage, it wasn't serious. And because we free the sub, it has continued its way." Nautica revealed.
"Then we better go if we want to catch up with them." Seaspray cheered.
Meanwhile, as Nautica said, the submarine finally reached its destination: in front of them stood an enormous cybertronian ship sunken in the bottom of the sea.
"Whoa." Everyone expressed.
"It's incredible." Ritchie said.
"Is that the knights' ship?" Ash asked.
"That's right, sir. You are the first to see this ship since the ancient times. Your talisman is the key to unlocking this ship." Cogman confirmed.
"Looks like the end of the road." Ash's father sensed.
As they approached they witnessed how big the ship really was as lots of water pokémon moved around like nothing, no doubt after so long they got used to have it there. When they near its surface lights started to turn on all over it.
"The ship knows we're here." Hot Rod deduced.
The submarine went to an aperture which surely led to the inside, and once they entered it closed. Fortunately the others managed to slip after them before it did.
"Optimus, we found it. We are in the knights' ship."
"Copy that, Bumblebee. Now it's up to Ash to locate the staff. We'll stand by for immediate support just in case."
What no one noticed was that after they got inside another figure headed right toward the ship, they were not going to be alone in there.