AllSpark, Go!

Chapter Seven.

Optimus.

A blur of red, blue, and silver suddenly leaped from the side of a mountain, interjecting itself between Ash and the ground.

Instead of hitting the gound, Ash hit what appeared to be a grille with lorry doors and a windscreen on it. A big metal hand circled him, holding him down to the surface he was on, but it was as gentle as Barricade's had been rough. He felt a jarring impact, then everything began to spin, and he realised the robot that had caught him was sheltering him, taking the impact for him, and was rolling on the ground to absorb the impact. He heard a roar of fury from Megatron, and exclamations from the other Decepticons.

The spinning stopped, and Ash saw the ground nearby retreat as this new robot stood, still gently cradling him in its massive hand. It put its other hand over him protectively as Barricade and Brawl edged forwards, and Starscream came in to land. Immediately, four other robots-a yellow one with car doors that looked like wings, a green/yellow robot with a massive saw on one arm, a big grey beast with giant cannons on it's arms, and a silver robot that seemed to dance rather than walk-intervened between the Decepticons and the big one holding him. The big one spoke.

"Your battles are with us, the Autobots. Leave the human child out of this."

At that moment, the alien-looking craft made a complicated manouver in mid-air, reconfiguring itself as it turned over. It landed in robot form, and Ash gasped at the sight of it.

Like the other Decepticons, this metal man had red eyes, but these were more bright and more fierce than even Barricade's. These eyes, set in a sharp and spiky silver face, blazed like hot coals. It had a mouth edged with more teeth than a Carvanha, and Ash was shocked to realise that this new robot towered above even his large new guardian.

It was pure silver, seeming to be composed of silver plates, edged with curved, sharp-looking overlapping spikes. Its fingers were disproportionately long in relation to the rest of it, the very fine curved ends looked extremely sharp. Everything about it was sharp: the angles of its body, the struts of part of its external structure, it's scornful, hateful gaze. That gaze was currently fixed on the face of the being holding Ash.

"What IS that thing?" Ash cried.

That disconcerting gaze shifted to fix on Ash; it had heard him.

"I am Megatron." it stated. "You have something that belongs to me. Give it to me now!" This last sentence was delivered in a resounding bellow.

"That would be a very bad idea for you and your planet." stated Ash's mount, lowering the hand it was holding over him, so it could see him, and he could see it. Bright blue optics regarded Ash gravely. Ash looked briefly back over his shoulder at the spikey silver giant, and shuddered.

"I figured that," he said "but I don't think it'll take no for an answer."

"And neither will we." came Starscream's voice. It suddenly lunged for one of the other robots, the big grey one with all the cannons. As though a signal had been given, the rest of the Decepticons went for the other Autobots.

At the same time, Megatron made a lunge for Ash, but the other robot was too fast, moving back as Megatron's hand whipped out. Ash thought Megatron had missed-until he noticed two things: his backpack fell apart, sliced to ribbons, and he felt fire across his back and blood oozing down. Ash carefully touched the tender area on his back: the long thin scratch across his back stung, but was not very deep. His backpack had saved him from more severe injuries, maybe death.

Ash picked up the cube-the cause of all his troubles-from among his belongings, and turned back to his protector.

"So what do I do now?" he asked.

"Find somewhere to hide while we keep them busy." his protector said. "And if you need help, yell for me or Ratchet." Swiftly but gently it set Ash down behind it, and turned to face the silver behemoth that was coming towards it again.

"Optimus Prime, you have interfered with my plans for the last time!" Megatron thundered, and lunged for Optimus. Optimus toppled under Megatron's assault, and Ash turned and ran for fear he would be crushed in the melee.

He saw the Blackthorn Poke Centre ahead. With a cry of relief, he threw himself into it. With healed Pokemon, he might be able to make a difference!

Racing towards the Nurse Joy, who was bewildered and cowering behind her counter, but still on-duty, he said "Quick! Heal my Pokemon, I've got to help Optimus Prime and its friends!"

Nurse Joy, although still bewildered, didn't waste time asking questions: taking Ash's poke balls and resting them on the healing platen, she recovered and re-energised his Pokemon friends. Ash nodded his thanks, and scooped up his poke balls. Then he said "Do you have a bag I could put this in?" He hefted the cube. Nurse Joy quickly found a plastic Silph carrier bag, and Ash put the cube in it and looped it around his wrist. Then he ran back outside-

Straight into Barricade's foot.

Ash knew not what had happened to the Autobot that

Barricade had lunged for, nor at that point did he care, scrambling backwards, quickly shoving the carrier bag into the hiding of some nearby bushes. Barricade didn't register this one action of Ash's; it was the fact Ash was there and moving that registered. Stooping, it gave chase, and as Ash couldn't see where he was going and was scurrying backwards, Barricade found him easy to catch.

It picked Ash up by a leg, lifting him till he was dangling upside down in front of Barricade's cruel face. "I'm not going to harm you." it said. Ash was confused. Wasn't this one the one that had demanded his slow and painful death in return for being 'humiliated' in Goldenrod? "At least, not yet." it continued. "Megatron will want to talk to you first. No, I've not relinquished my claim on your life, he's promised you to me afterwards, so I can torment you as I please." it said, and began walking over to where the titanic battle between Optimus and Megatron was still going on.

Ash was in very deep trouble, so he could only think of one thing he could do.

"RATCHET!!!" he hollered, hoping that whoever Ratchet was, he would be able to help.

At that moment a yellowy-green robot with a whirling saw-blade pulled away from the Decepticon it was disabling, and swung towards Barricade. Its saw blade whirred towards Barricade's arm, and although Barricade tried to strike back and dodge, in the end, it had to let go of Ash to defend itself.

Ash fell, but not very far, for Ratchet caught him, but Ratchet, holding Ash, was then itself at a disadvantage against Barricade. Ash had an idea. It depended on Pikachu being around.

"Pikachu?" Ash asked.

"Pika!" came the response, and Pikachu bounced up the slightly alarmed Ratchet until it was on Ash's shoulder.

Barricade looked apprehensive, and began to back off-possibly, Ash thought, because it knew what was coming. He pointed at Barricade.

"Pikachu, Thunder attack!" he yelled.

Pikachu, fed up with Barricade's ill-treatment of his Trainer, was only too pleased to obey. Fully recharged and refreshed, and fuelled by Pikachu's ire at Barricade, his Thunder attack was one of the most powerful Ash himself had ever seen. Barricade let out what can only be described as a mechanical roar of pain. The attack lit him up so brightly that every other fight stopped for a few seconds as every optic was drawn to the incandescent form of Barricade. Barricade's body twisted in the mantle of Electric energy Pikachu threw at the Decepticon, then as Pikachu ended the attack, Barricade fell heavily, twitched once, and was still.

Ratchet moved over to the fallen Decepticon, found an opening in Barricade's armour, and shot its laser a few times. Then it stood.

"Barricade lives still, but will not trouble us for a while, not while unconscoius, and not with the power to its limbs cut off." It looked at Ash. "Where is the AllSpark? Barricade didn't get it, did it?"

"No, it's hidden." said Ash. "I didn't want that thing to get it."

"You must retrieve it, and get closer to Optimus with it. We see no way to remove it without putting you and your world in further peril. Optimus has decided that we must destroy it. He will sacrifice himself for the safety of yours, and other, worlds. One of us must push the AllSpark into Optimus's own Spark, to destroy it."

"His-Spark?" asked Ash, confused. "What is his Spark?" Ratchet pushed aside one of its own chest plates, letting Ash glimpse the blazing globe of energy within. "Our Sparks are what contain our life forces, and are the only things capable of destroying the AllSpark, by merging the two."

"But-Optimus Prime saved me. He's my friend! Wouldn't that destroy him, if this thing is as powerful as it seems?" Ash asked.

"Yes, but Optimus has accepted that that may be the price of the safety of many worlds and the freedom of many beings. We had hoped to use the AllSpark to restore life to our homeworld of Cybertron, which was ravaged by war. Megatron wants to use it to raise an army, to conquer and enslave any world with life it finds. The lure of the AllSpark's power is too great for Megatron, no matter where it is taken, Megatron and its Decepticons will follow, bringing death and destruction to anyone or any world that stands in its way. While the AllSpark still exists, Megatron will never stop searching for it. Optimus has decided that if the AllSpark cannot be recovered without alerting Megatron and its allies, it must be destroyed. Megatron and its allies know already."

Ratchet gestured to the battles going on all around. Some of Blackthorn's buildings were already showing damage caused by one or another combatant treading on it or falling against it. Stooping, Ratchet gently put Ash down.

"Go and retrieve the AllSpark and bring it to me. We must do as Optimus Prime has asked."

"But why?" Ash asked. "There must me some other way! Optimus Prime shouldn't have to be sacrificed like that!" Ash protested.

"It is its choice to make, and we Autobots must do as he asks, because he is our leader and we trust him." Ratchet said. "Please, go and get the AllSpark and bring it to me. There has been too much fighting over it, too much death caused. Optimus has decided that must stop. Optimus is very brave to make this decision, and we must be too, and respect its choice. Now, the AllSpark, please, and quickly."Ratchet switched its optics to Pikachu. "If you can recharge your little friend there quickly, do so. It is a very courageous little being."

Ratchet stood again, heading to help Optimus with its battle against Megatron. Ash, fighting back a threatening prickling behind his eyes at the thought of Optimus Prime's death, ran to do as Ratchet had asked. 'If Optimus Prime is willing to do that for us, the least I can do is honour his sacrifice and do as I'm asked.' Ash thought.