Ash looked around the mine excitedly and Optimus had the feeling that if Megatron was not holding him, he would have run off. The Warlord spoke to their sparkling as he showed him all the places where he worked and how they mined energon. Absol twitched half way through and started to scratch at a wall making Ash blink. He told Alakazam and Gardevoir to combine their psychic moves into a large claw and see what was behind the wall. The two Pokemon did just that and dug into the wall and when the claw pulled out a brightly glowing white crystal appeared.
Ash stared at the glowing crystal, "I don't know what that is, but it's pretty."
Bumblebee nodded, "Very very pretty."
Heatwave, "You know what? I think I am kinda starting to see the appeal here."
Roadblaster agreed, "Yeah, me too."
Shadowsteel, "It's really cool."
Ratchet, "By the Allspark!"
Knockout, "This is impossible and yet."
Windblade chimed in from the comm, "What happened? You guys stopped."
Jazz, "Bossbot, is everything okay down there?"
Soundwave, "Question: Send back up?"
Megatron, "Your worries are uneeded."
Optimus, "We made an interesting discovery."
Ash, "What is it?"
Ratchet, "Healing energon, child. We or rather you found healing energon."
Megatron looked at Alakazam and Gardevoir, "Good job in bringing the crystal out in one piece."
Gardevoir bowed, -It was nothing.-
Alakazam shrugged, -Not the first time we did this.-
Boulder, "Still this is wonderful, I thought this was a myth but it's not."
Ash, "It's limited, I don't see anymore crystals, do you sense any Absol."
Absol, "Sol."
Ash beamed, "Lead the way buddy."
Absol was about to trot away when Optimus stopped him reminding him of the promise to not wander off. The canine Pokemon looked at the large bot sheepishly and decided to join Ash instead, he could search later. For now they were trying to figure out how to take the energon crystal out without damaging it and who should the extract be saved for. Ash suggested it should be kept for the sparklings as an emergency healing solution if possible. After all unlike adults sparklings cannot take care of themselves that easily and can fall sick too.
Ash remembered some of the sparklings were not looking well and he was not sure how to help or what was wrong. Ash then explained since healing energon is meant to heal and nothing else they could use it to make sure the little ones grew up healthy and strong. Perhaps after diluting it, as he was not sure if a sparkling's body was as sensitive as a human baby's body. That opened up another discussions about how human children were cared for and Ratchet felt that they were too fragile. Optimus whined softly just imagining how Ash might have been as a baby suddenly feeling like he missed a lot of milestones.
Ash felt a shiver go down his spine and a sudden desire to keep his Cybertronian parents away from his human ones unless he wants to be babified by them. Nah! They wouldn't do that, right? Right? Right? Nope, not gonna think about that, not at all. He didn't hear Optimus whine, nope! Megatron was absent mindedly cuddling him as he ran his claw gently over his head and told Soundwave what was happening. He wanted Soundwave to secure the healing energon they had found and to make sure no one outside their group and medical personnel found out.
Megatron barked, #Listen up, you lot! No one is to tell anyone about what we found here, understood? If I found out someone spilled I will personally hunt you down and show you why I was considered the most dangerous Gladiator.#
#Sir, yes Sir! Understood sir!#
Ash was confused, "Is something wrong?"
Optimus smiled at him, "Nothing dear one, we are just securing the energon. Like you said it is limited, so it is precious."
Megatron rumbled, "And you are correct about the sparklings too. They need it the most out of everyone else."
Ash smiled, "Great then, how do we even take it out of here. I know Gardevoir and Alakazam can move this but it's so large and heavy they won't be able to take it too far."
Gardevoir, -We can try.-
Alakazam nodded, -Bring it closer to the entrance. That way extraction should be easier, right?-
Boulder, "If you require assistance, we will help."
With a rough plan made they worked on taking the ridiculously large crystal towards the exit while making sure not to trigger it. It was sent to the med bay directly under Soundwave and Jazz's watch to be properly extracted and safely stored. The two of them together would take care of it and Ash insisted on returning to the mines again, only this time, the young Cybertronians joined in on the excitement he was emitting. Optimus was reluctant to just let him go back without making sure the healing energon was secured.
Megatron, "You could call Vector Prime and tell him."
Ash, "I bet he'll happily take on the request after all, there is no way he did not handle it before. He will no doubt know stuff or trivia about it we do not know."
Optimus chuckled, "You imagine because he has access to time and space, he has the knowledge? I suppose he might have it after all he has been around much longer. Very well, I shall contact him. Give me a few groons."
Lucario, -Hmmm that's curious.-
Ash, "What's up? Oh!"
Bumblebee, "What's wrong?"
Ash, "Our time is almost up."
Optimus turned, "What?"
Megatron held him tighter, "It's too soon."
Ash pat his chasis, "It's okay, we will see each other again, right? Don't fret okay."
Blurr turned to his friends, "I think, we should give them privacy."
Roadblaster wanted to protest but didn't and nodded, "Yeah. Thank you for the outing Lord Optimus Prime and High Lord Megatron. I have learned a lot today. I swear I will not tell anyone of what we have learned today."
Ash, "Well before you do leave I believe my Pokemon found something you can show your Sire. Before you ask, yes, I have dealt with the type of Sire you have before. In fact the best way to deal with them is to show only five percent of your result. Absol, what else did you find buddy?"
Absol barked and entered another tunnel scratching at a wall, "Absol."
Ash, "Gardevoir, Alakazam, if you would please?"
The two Pokemon nodded and used their psychic powers on the wall to get whatever it was hiding on the other side. When the crystal came out the energon crystal was pinkish blue in colour making Knockout gape at it in an undignified manner. Breakdown his loyal assistant closed his mouth plate making him shake him helm in exasperation, he was not sure why he expected differently. Ash was excited then confused by what it was and they had to explain that it was sparkling grade energon. They were finding a lot of stuff for sparklings today.
Ash hummed sitting, "I have a sudden feeling this is Primus's way of saying we should take care of sparklings."
Roadblaster nodded slowly, "You make a good point. I shall tell Sire that."
Ash, "Are you sure? Just show him the crystal, big guy. You don't want your Sire trying to set you up with someone you don't like."
Bumblebee snickered when Roadblaster blushed, "Yeah, be careful."
Roadblaster, "Ha ha ha! Very funny."
Ash giggled before looking back at the mines, "I really do need to go now."
Ash jumped off from the servos much to Megatron's chagrin and stood on the dusty mine floor. He was wearing white shoes and the gray dust made an unwanted look when it came in contact with them. The Pokemon followed suit and started to follow Ash who was following his aura into a tunnel. He was followed by Optimus who was calling him back but couldn't enter the tunnel. Ash assured him he would be alright but a curious Bumblebee and Cool Aid bent down and crawled after him.
Bumblebee, "Ugh! It's dirty in here. What the... Holy Primus!"
Cool Aid, "Little Boss... What is that?"
Blades, "What's wrong Bee Aid?"
Bumblebee, "There's a fragging temple down here."
Cool Aid, "What the frag! I should consider becoming a miner. Like wut?"
Megatron sweat dropped before calling out, "Move back younglings, I'm going to cut a path way to where the bitlets are. And having a serious word with them."
Ash though was not paying attention, his aura was nagging at him to enter the temple, 'This feels familiar.. '
Optimus reached him just as Megatron cut off some of the wall, "Ashwinder! Do not wander off again."
Ash looked back, "Sorry Sire, but I couldn't ignore this."
Optimus paused seeing the temple, "How fascinating."
Megatron, "What sort of temple is this? I have never seen these creatures before."
Ash, "They are Dialga and Palkia, the Pokemon Gods of time and space. I believe this is one of their blessed temples that can move through space and time."
Lucario, -Correct and it's here to take us home.-
Optimus released his vents before kneeling down, "We understand little one, but remember you are ours."
Megatron, "Ours to claim, ours to raise, ours to love. No one has any right to touch you."
Ash smiled shyly, "I'll remember that. Don't worry, no one can get past my Pokemon."
Gardevoir nodded seriously, -Damn right! No one is touching Ash without consent, not under our watch.-
Alakazam, -Till we meet again Grand sire, Grand Carrier.-
The next thing anyone knew the temple started to shine brightly and Ash could no longer see the Cybertronians anymore. He looked around and saw they were back at the temple where they had fought Cyrus. Ash looked over the cliff and sighed deciding to sit down and enjoy the sunrise instead. His Gliscor who had been keeping watch outside noticed he returned and alerted the rest of his Pokemon. His Pokemon perked up at that and left the Centre to join him at the cliff while he told them of their adventures. His Pokemon were shocked he had stayed there for almost a week, it had only been seven hours since he left.
Ash, 'Control over space and time... How terrifyingly powerful! I miss them.'
Optimus adjusted his optics, "He's gone again."
Megatron sighed and grumbled, "My codes are not happy with me at the moment."
Optimus, "My own are beratting me for not convincing him to stay."
Ratchet, "Lord Prime! High Lord! What happened?"
Knockout, "My liege, what was that light?"
Roadblaster, "Yeah, I was almost at the entrance when this freaky glow came from behind me."
Bumblebee, "Ash left, they came to return him to his home planet.... But some of his stuff is still at your place."
Megatron, "And they will be used to create more of those items for the next time we see him."
Blades eyed the place that Ash was standing on just a minute ago, "Ummm! Are those energon crystals?"
Ratchet, "More energon crystals? I swear Prime, your bitlet is like a crystal hound..... Of course, he would leave after finding red energon."
Bumblebee perked up, "I have heard about those, aren't they really rare and costly? And only the Velocitrons use red energon?"
Knockout, "Yes, yes, but this... This is different, red energon currently available in the market are synthetic, created through a very arduous process. This is a naturally created one... Why is it so dark in colour?"
Megatron bent down, "Because it is in it's rawest form Doctor. We would have to decontaminate it first, though I have a feeling that it will be darker in colour compared to the synthetic."
Bumblebee, "Can we try it?"
Optimus mused remembering a talk he had with Ash, "I have an idea. Ash once told me they would have racing compitetions for charity programs. The prize would be a rare object and people from around the world would come to compete while donating to charity."
Megatron, "You wish to give away the red energon as a prize while collecting credits?"
Optimus, "It is naturally occurring energon, I can imagine the interest of the people. We can even take the crystal to the venue and do the processing there as proof of existence."
Heatwave laughed, "Lord Overdrive will be ecstatic to hear Cybertronians are getting interested in racing."
Chase, "Not to forget, the tourist it will attract."
Megatron turned to Knockout and Ratchet, "Prepare the red energon, unlike the healing energon, it shall earn us credits."
Ratchet and Knockout nodded and left to prepare the transport for the red energon, it would be easier then the healing energon. It was smaller and more than one crystal vein could be seen so they would have to gather them together first. The younglings decided to help with the move seeing as they would be leaving after this but wanted an excuse to stick around anyway. This amused the Prime and the High Lord and they let the group stay with them just a little longer than intended.
Megatron, "We will have to increase the security."
Optimus, "Let's go grab our respective strategists before planning anything. You know how they can be when left out."
Megatron snorted, "I think that's a given for every strategist."
Prowl and Skybite were surprised by the plan the two leaders had cooked up to throw the attention away from the healing energon. The two were very baffled by the simplicity yet ingenuity of the plan and half questioned if it was their sparkling's idea. Judging by the silence that followed the two strategist wanted to bang their helms, it really was a sparkling's idea. The two Leaders simply shrugged a habit they picked up from Ash everytime he told them one of his more ridiculous adventures. The Pokemon sure were fascinating to hear about but the amount of shenanigans they got up to would drive any logic driven Cybertronian to the fritz.
Boulder and Trevenant though got really close to each other to the point Trevenant claimed him as one of his. Ash explained what that meant to the gentle giant. It meant that the grass and ghost Pokemon would always be there to help him should he require it, if he is on Earth. Boulder was beaming hearing that and thanked Trevenant who nodded and made themselves comfortable in Boulder's shadow. Ash grinned at the two happy to see them getting along, another friendship was one between Gardevoir and Windblade, the two ladies got on like fire. The Pokemon admitted to him that they would miss their new friends when it was time to leave.
Overdrive was very ecstatic, "A natural red energon crystal. How fantastic!"
Optimus nodded, "It came as a surprise for us as well, Lord Overdrive."
Overdrive, "How did you even find it?"
Megatron chuckled, "It was not us, it was our sparkling who found the crystal."
Overdrive, "I heard rumors you adopted an organic sparkling.. I didn't believe them though."
Optimus took out a picture, "His name is Ashwinder Ketchum, he is a human from planet Earth."
Overdrive, "Are they all this soft looking? He looks very soft and gentle like he couldn't even hurt a fly drone."
Megatron, "Not all of them but he certainly is, we were lucky."
Sentinel muttered TuT, "A little too lucky! Why didn't I have that luck when I got two bratlings?"
Jazz gave a strained laugh as he turned to the screen where the racers were taking part to win the red energon. There were many visitors from planet Velocitron as well as Jungle planet, who were interested in the red energon that was currently being filtered. Everyone could see it was real, though in the beginning no one believed it and most had come to call their bluff. Now though more and more participants were streaming in to take part in the terrain race, an idea that had sent an evil glint into Megatron's optics.
The High Lord had turned the race into a seven terrain race track, from steel roads to dusty roads to watery roads to roads that copied jungle planet. That was just the first four tracks for the first four rounds for the next two rounds there were rocky roads and roads booby trapped with pitfalls. The final leg however would be a race of speed among the remaining participants who managed to avoid being eliminated. Ash had happily told them about the regions he traveled to in great detail and that had been a point of inspiration for the race tracks.
[A. N.: Hello dear readers!
Hope you are all okay. Drink water, eat healthy, stay safe.
Till next time my darling readers.]