"That flock again!" cried Max, as the Taillow flock hovered menacingly before them.
"Still after us?" said May fearfully.
"Whoa, don't tell me they all want to battle Pikachu?" asked Ash.
"I don't know. What do you think, Brock?" said Misty.
"It is a possibility," replied Brock.
As the flock came closer, Ash's Taillow flew up to them and squawked at them, trying to tell them to back off.
"You won't talk them out of it, Taillow!" an all-too familiar voice called out to it.
"Who's that?" asked May.
"That was Meowth's voice!" realised Misty.
"Yeah, it's those bad guys again!" agreed Max.
"Team Rocket! Something's just never change!" exclaimed Brock.
"It's them alright!" growled Ash.
Sure enough, Team Rocket came out of hiding and leapt onto one of the larger rocks, as they proceeded to dictate their motto again:
"Prepare for trouble from in the sky!" began Jessie
"Make it double. Then say goodbye!" continued James.
"To protect the world from devastation."
"To unite all peoples within our nation."
"To denounce the evils of truth and love."
"To extend our reach to the stars above."
"Jessie!"
"James!"
"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light!
"Surrender now or prepare to fight, fight, fight!"
"That's right!" joined in Meowth.
"Wobbuffet!" finished Wobbuffet.
James leered at Ash and his friends. "I think you've already met our flock of Taillow, the newest members of the elite Team Rocket fighting force?"
"No way!" exclaimed Ash.
"With the fierce unbeatability to battle on no matter how many electric attacks they take!" boasted Jessie.
"Even though unbeatability is not a word," said James smugly.
"Wobbuffet!" agreed Wobbuffet.
"I don't get it! Why would the Taillow join up with a bunch of losers like you?" demanded Misty.
"Well, we have made a certain agreement," said Jessie, before turning to the flock. "Now listen up Taillow, the harder you battle, the more delicious sandwiches you'll get."
This remark immediately caught Brock's attention. "Hold on! You mean sandwiches like the ones that were here an hour ago?!"
Team Rocket were a little surprised to see Brock. "Well, well, look who it is. The biggest twerp has made a comeback," commented Meowth.
"You're right. Welcome back," greeted Jessie as though they were all old buddies.
"Well, if you came for lunch, I'm afraid that you're a little late!" mocked James
"Yes, I already know that! They were my sandwiches!" shouted Brock angrily.
"So what you're trying to say is they were yours?" said James innocently.
"And a tad too salty," said Jessie.
Now Brock was really furious!
"I KNEW IT WAS YOU!" he bellowed at Team Rocket.
"Yeah, just the sort of lowdown, rotten thing we'd have expected from you!" added Misty crossly.
"Give them back!" demanded Ash.
"Yeah, we're starving!" snapped May hotly.
Jessie snarled at them. "Oh, please! If you wanted them so bad, you should've written your name on your lunch bag!"
"Yeah, besides that, they're already gone!" said Meowth threateningly. "Taillow, take care of Pikachu!"
"Oh no you don't!" grinned May as she tossed out her Poké Ball. "Go, Torchic!"
"Wait, May! Don't try and battle with Torchic!" Misty tried to warn her.
But it was too late. Torchic had already emerged from the ball and was now impulsively charging towards Team Rocket with its eyes closed!
"Um, wait, Torchic! I still haven't told you what to do!" squeaked May in alarm.
"Guys, what's with her?" Brock asked Ash and Misty.
"She only just got that Torchic and doesn't know how to anything yet," said Ash.
"And poor Torchic keeps getting itself into trouble as a result," groaned Misty.
Sure enough, not looking where it was going, Torchic missed all the Taillow and crashed right into the rock that Team Rocket were standing on, knocking itself out like a light!
"Waah! Return!" wept May in disappointment as she recalled the dazed Torchic back into its Poké Ball. "I've never been so humiliated!"
Jessie found the whole scene greatly amusing. "That was fun, but now, go, Taillow!"
As the whole flock began to surround the group, Ash's Taillow hovered in front of Pikachu, ready to defend it if necessary. But before anyone could make another move, Brock's cooking timer clock began to ring, getting everyone's attention.
"The stew is ready!" said Brock happily.
"And I'm ready to eat it!" cheered May.
As the astonished Team Rocket watched on, their enemies suddenly rushed eagerly over to the large pot containing the stew and gathered around it, delighting in the yummy smell coming from it.
"Smells good," smiled Max.
"Looks good!" added May intently.
"And knowing Brock, it'll taste good too," grinned Misty, with an agreeing cry from Togepi.
"It sure will," agreed Ash.
"Pikachu!" said Pikachu happily, as the Taillow flock lost interest in battling and instead joined the travellers around the pot.
"Hey, everybody, would you like to join us for some lunch?" Brock asked the flock, who happily crowed in agreement.
Team Rocket were utterly flabbergasted by this turn of events.
"Eh, now what?" asked Meowth weakly.
"Now they'll beat us by using our dirty trick," groaned James in despair.
Jessie suddenly perked up as she realised something. "Wait a second! Pikachu hasn't eaten!"
"You're right! We'll attack while it's weak from hunger!" said James.
"Another dirty trick!" said Meowth ecstatically.
But the crooks were immediately dismayed when they heard Ash cry "Pikachu, thunderbolt!" And before they knew what was happening, Team Rocket were hit by Pikachu's thunderbolt, blasting them right into the sky!
"Sorry about that, Team Rocket," they heard a smug Ash call out to them from the ground below. "But this time, you're the one's who are too late. Pikachu already ate Brock's Pokémon food."
"That's nice," said Meowth dismally.
"Everyone's eaten but us," complained Jessie.
"Except for that taste of our own medicine," sighed James. And as they disappeared into the distance, the villains once again cried:
"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!"
With Team Rocket gone, everyone-else were able to enjoy Brock's stew in peace. There was plenty to share around, and soon the pot was empty, and all those present, trainers and Pokémon alike, were feeling decidedly full.
"Thank you, Brock!" all the humans said in unison to Brock, as the Taillow flock enjoyed the remains of the stew.
"That was really great stew," complimented Max.
"Ash and Misty weren't kidding. You're an awesome cook, Brock," said May happily.
"Yeah, and I for one have certainly missed your cooking, Brock," smiled Misty.
Ash grinned at May and Max. "See, we told you he's a good guy to have around."
"Better than you and Misty, Ash," said Max cheekily.
"Say that again?" Misty growled, making Max shrink a little.
Brock smiled at May and Max. "Well, the two of you have an appetite that's almost as big as Ash's, which makes cooking even more fun!"
As the last of the stew was finished off, the Taillow Flock began to fly off, heading back towards the forest.
"Are the Taillow leaving?" asked May.
"Maybe they've eaten all the food in this area, so now they have to move on," suggested Ash as his own Taillow flew up to the flock and squawked to them in farewell.
"Hey Ash, it looks like your Taillow is saying goodbye to all its friends," observed Misty.
As the flock made one final fond crow to their former leader, they turned away and flew away into the distance, while Ash's Taillow returned to its new trainer.
"There they go," said Ash. "Time for us to get moving too. Let's head out to Rustoboro City!"
"Yay!" said Misty, May and Max in unison.
"Great, but first we'll do the dishes," smiled Brock, prompting a loud groan from the others.
As the group got to work with the cleaning up, Misty smiled to herself as she reflected on all that has happened over the last few days. When this whole journey had started, it had been just her and Ash, along with their Pokémon. Now, Brock was back, and they have two new friends along for the adventure as well. Life in the Hoenn region was certainly proving to be full of surprises, and something told Misty that on the road ahead of them, more new friends and adventures were waiting for them!
THE END... FOR NOW!
