Chapter 88 Working with Iron

When Kiawe and May slowly regain consciousness, they find themselves in a dimly lit cell, with Mallow anxiously sitting beside them. Her face brightens as soon as they stir. "You're awake!" she exclaims, her relief evident.

Kiawe rubs his head, still groggy. "What... what's going on?" he asks, his voice hoarse from disuse.

From the corner of the cell, Hito's cold voice cuts through the silence. "We've been captured... by the International Police."

A tense pause fills the room before a quarrel erupts. Hito glares at Mallow, his frustration boiling over. "This is all your fault! If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

Mallow's expression crumbles under his accusations, but before she can respond, Kiawe and May interject. "That's not fair, Hito!" May protests. "Mallow did everything she could!"

Kiawe nods, backing her up. "We're all in this together. Blaming her won't change what's already happened."

"All in this together?" Hito scoffs, his voice dripping with disdain. "We only helped you because of Ark. I didn't sign up to end up in prison. You're murderers—do you really think I want anything to do with you?"

The tension rises as his words sink in, causing Mallow to recoil in hurt. Kiawe and May exchange uneasy glances but stand firm in their defense of her, though the weight of Hito's accusations hangs over them like a dark cloud.

Meanwhile, Ash, Alice, Delia, and Adam silently observe the scene through the security cameras. Ash shakes his head, the irony of the situation not lost on him. "Friends help each other... how ironic. They're backing Mallow now, but they had no problem doing what they did to my Pokémon."

Alice sighs, her expression thoughtful. "They won't be alone for long. There are still 14 out there, and eventually, they'll be captured too."

Delia, trying to shift the conversation, asks, "So, how did the movie filming go?"

Ash's demeanor lightens slightly. "Today I'm supposed to meet Elena for the next part of the film. Do you know where she is?"

Adam nods. "Elena should be at the Docking Port."

"Thanks, Dad," Ash says as he and Alice leave to head toward the Docking Port. However, when they arrive, they find Elena standing face to face with two people Alice recognizes all too well: Hanako and Belle.

Ash's eyes widen in surprise. "Sis? What's going on?"

Elena, startled by their sudden appearance, turns to face them. "Ash, Alice! What are you two doing here?"

"We were supposed to film the movie today," Ash explains. "But you didn't give us your location. We asked Dad, and he told us you were here, so we came."

Alice's voice grows cold as her gaze shifts to Hanako and Belle. "And what are they doing here?"

Belle steps forward, her glare locked onto Alice. "It's been a while, hasn't it? Where have you taken Hito? You'd better release him... or else."

Alice doesn't flinch, her tone matching Belle's intensity. "Or else what? Do you think I'm scared of you like I used to be?"

Hanako's eyes narrow as she taunts, "Looks like you've changed a little, but do you think that's going to scare us?"

Ash furrows his brow, turning to Elena. "So, how did you run into those two?"

Elena sighs, glancing between Ash and Alice. "It's my fault. I was on a call with Dad, talking about May and Kiawe being captured. They overheard me and assumed their friend Hito was also captured like them."

Ash nods in understanding before stepping forward. "If you want to meet him, then don't resist. Come with us."

Belle's eyes narrow in suspicion. "And let us get arrested? Nice try. You may have been the Alola Champion, but we're not falling for it."

Hanako pulls out a gun, her expression darkening. "Looks like we'll have to use force. Release them or else."

Alice stands her ground, her voice calm but firm. "Or else what? Do you think that's going to scare us? You helped murderers escape, which makes you accomplices. We have every right to arrest you, just like those four."

"Are you sure about that?" Belle turns to Hanako with a sharp glare. "Shoot them!"

But before Hanako can pull the trigger, Elena springs into action. She charges forward, knocking the gun from Hanako's hands. Ash quickly reacts, grabbing the gun and hurling it into the ocean without a second thought.

"Hey! How dare you! Do you know how expensive that gun is?" Hanako shouts, her face flushed with anger.

Elena doesn't flinch, her voice steady. "I don't care how expensive it is. We won't allow murderers in this region. Who knows how many people have fallen because of that gun? You just gave us another reason to arrest you."

Realizing they're cornered, Belle quickly takes out her Pokéball and summons Togekiss. "We should leave now. Just you wait, Alice. We will be back," she snarls.

Hanako, not wasting any time, calls out her Skarmory. The two mount their Pokémon and take off into the sky. As they ascend, Alice yells after them, her voice firm. "Yeah, come back again, and we'll arrest you for sure!"

As the sky clears from the retreating figures of Belle and Hanako, Ash turns to Alice, concern evident in his eyes. "Who are they?"

Alice sighs, her expression darkening as she reflects on her past. "Other than Ark, Belle was probably the biggest bully I ever had to deal with. She's got this... princess syndrome. She used to pick on me, making me do whatever she wanted. And the boys in the classroom? They were all under her spell. If I didn't do what she said, they'd make my life miserable."

Ash's fists tighten as he listens, but Alice continues. "And Hanako? She's just Belle's follower. She wasn't afraid to get violent if Belle told her to."

Ash and Elena exchange angry glances, their emotions rising at what they've just learned. "How could they get away with that?" Elena mutters, her voice seething with frustration.

Alice shakes her head gently, placing a hand on Ash's shoulder. "Don't worry. They'll face justice one day. We'll make sure of it."

Ash nods, his tension easing as he turns to Elena. "So, what are we filming for the movie today?"

Elena smiles, a hint of excitement in her eyes. "Follow me."

Ash and Alice exchange curious glances before following her through the docks until they reach a large warehouse. As they step inside, they are greeted by the sight of countless machines, some rusted and worn from disuse.

"Whoa," Ash mutters, looking around in awe. "What is all this?"

Elena turns to them, her smile widening. "These machines need fixing, and I want you to use your Steel-type Pokémon to help. It'll be perfect for the next scene."

Ash and Alice exchange uncertain glances, both lacking experience in fixing machines. Elena, noticing their hesitation, smiles. "Don't worry, I'll teach you."

They nod and release their Steel-type Pokémon. Blimpoon hovers above, its large, blimp-like body perfect for transporting heavy machine parts into place. Using its steel cables, it carefully lifts and moves pieces, aiding in the assembly. Meanwhile, Mystablet floats nearby, its ancient, polished surface reflecting the surrounding light. Mystablet's psychic abilities allow it to precisely place and align delicate components, ensuring everything fits perfectly, while its shifting colors seem to indicate the success of their repairs.

Barbviral steps forward, its sharp spikes glinting in the light. With careful precision, it launches its metallic spikes toward the machinery, acting like fasteners to hold loose components in place. Afterward, Barbviral begins consuming nearby minerals to regenerate its spikes for the next round of repairs. Silvicious, on the other hand, uses its immense strength to handle the larger, heavier parts. With its steel-hard body, it hammers and forces stubborn pieces into alignment, its solitary nature serving it well as it focuses on brute strength to help assemble the tougher sections of the machines.

Tundrill digs its drills into the ground beneath the machines, creating tunnels to access the deeper, more concealed parts of the machinery. Its steel drills work with precision, clearing debris and ensuring the foundation is stable. Atomotrix floats beside it, its multiple bodies working in perfect synchronization. It quickly analyzes the complex wiring of the machines, directing repairs with lightning speed. As each component is reconnected, Atomotrix's calculations ensure that the machinery runs smoothly, its parallel processing making quick work of the intricate fixes required.

Stegasteel steps up, its metallic plates humming with stored energy. Using its powerful body, it positions itself near the machines, its plates acting like makeshift batteries, providing power to jump-start inactive equipment. Meanwhile, Moonstrike uses its raw strength and aggressive nature to push and reposition stubborn machinery that resists other methods. With fierce determination, it rams into immovable sections, helping to force the broken parts back into alignment, while maintaining control of its fierce instincts during the process.

Explonade moves carefully around the machinery, using controlled, small-scale explosions to loosen rusted parts and break apart machinery that has been fused together over time. Its precise detonations clear out obstructions without causing damage to the surrounding area. Meanwhile, Lucario stands at the ready, sensing the flow of energy through the machines with its aura abilities. It deftly positions parts and uses its strong, steel-infused strikes to fine-tune connections, ensuring that every piece is perfectly aligned and functioning smoothly.

Ash and Alice, despite their initial uncertainty, quickly adapt to the task at hand under Elena's guidance. They move between their Steel-type Pokémon, offering support and adjusting machine parts with growing confidence. The warehouse buzzes with activity, the sounds of drills, gears, and clinking metal filling the air as the Pokémon work tirelessly.

Ash wipes his brow and takes a moment to step back, watching his Tundrill and other Pokémon skillfully handle the machines. His eyes light up as he starts to feel a sense of accomplishment. "This isn't so bad after all," he says with a smile, his hands brushing away some grease from a machine he just helped stabilize. He glances over at Alice, who is just as absorbed in the task.

Alice is adjusting a few bolts and checking the stability of one of the machines. She looks over at Blimpoon, giving it a nod as it positions another part. "I didn't expect we'd be fixing machines today, but this is kind of fun," she admits, tightening a bolt with care. Her hands, though inexperienced at first, now move with practiced precision.

As the hours pass, they begin to synchronize with their Pokémon, learning how to manage the machines through a mix of manual effort and Pokémon assistance. The large machines, which had once seemed so overwhelming, start to hum back to life under their care. The energy in the warehouse shifts, turning from one of uncertainty to one of progress and teamwork.

By the time the last machine is repaired, the group is sweaty and tired, but their faces are bright with pride. The once-silent warehouse is now alive with the steady hum of functioning machines, thanks to the combined efforts of Ash, Alice, their Pokémon, and Elena's leadership.

Elena approaches them, her face beaming with approval. "I have to say, you both did an incredible job," she says, offering a hand to each of them. "I knew it would be a challenge, but you handled it perfectly. Thank you for your hard work."

Ash and Alice exchange smiles before shaking Elena's hand, their exhaustion overshadowed by the satisfaction of a job well done. "It was a lot of work, but we're glad we could help," Ash replies. Alice nods in agreement. "And who knew we'd be machine repair experts by the end of the day?" she adds with a playful grin.

With the repairs complete, the trio heads out of the warehouse, ready for whatever their next adventure holds.

Here is a new chapter, and we're done with the Steel Type. The next chapter will be Water Type.